Beck's cognitive therapy : distinctive features / Frank Wills

Part 1: Theory; Prelude: Beck and his group; 1. Cognitive therapy is organised around a formulation; 2. Different problem areas in cognitive therapy are marked out by specific cognitive themes; 3. Cognitive therapy varies according to the areas to which it is applied; 4. Cognitive functioning is organised around the existence of deep schemas; 5. It is helpful to understand the evolutionary underpinnings of psychological problems; 6. Beck has described a variety of levels and types of cognition. 7. Cognitive distortions play a key role in emotional problems but are not necessarily 'irrational'8. Images also contain key elements of cognitions distortions; 9. Cognition, emotion and behaviour interact with mutual and reciprocal influence on each other; 10. Safety behaviours, including avoidance, reassurance seeking and hyper-vigilance, play a crucial role in maintaining anxiety; 11. Strategies that address negative attention bias strengthen the cognitive therapy model; 12. Meta-cognition --
the way people think about thinking --
also influences the way they feel and behave. 13. Promoting mindfulness of and mindful attention to negative thoughts is likely to form a major part of cognitive therapy in future14. Beckian epistemology has a clear process for developing appropriate therapeutic knowledge for cognitive therapists to follow; 15. Protocol development and the specification of skills have proved important factors in linking CBT theory and practice; Conclusion to Part 1; Part 2: Practice; Beck's cognitive therapy --
a principled model: 15 Points about the practice model; 16. Cognitive therapists use formulation to focus therapeutic work. 17. Cognitive therapists, like other therapists, use formulation to tackle interpersonal and alliance issues18. Cognitive therapy requires a sound therapeutic relationship; 19. Cognitive therapists stress the importance of collaboration in the therapeutic relationship; 20. Cognitive therapy is brief and time-limited; 21. Cognitive therapy is structured and directional; 22. Cognitive therapy is problem- and goal-oriented; 23. Cognitive therapy initially emphasises the present time focus; 24. Cognitive therapy uses an educational model; 25. Homework is a central feature of cognitive therapy. 26. Cognitive therapists teach clients to evaluate and modify their thoughts27. Cognitive therapy uses various methods to change cognitive content; 28. Cognitive therapy uses a variety of methods to change cognitive processes; 29. Cognitive therapy uses a variety of methods to promote behavioural change; 30. Cognitive therapists have developed the measurement of therapist competence; Summary and review of Part 2; Conclusion; References; Index.