Healthy Living Books Books

Rating: - THE number one cognitive therapy book!
If there was ever a book that could change your life, this is one of them. It's so practical, insightful, intelligent, and useful. It has had a big influence on myself, and on my outlook on life. I love the way the authors (Dr's Greenberger and Padesky) use complete and incomplete thought records to "teach" the reader how to do it for him/herself. It has truly been of great help to me in recognizing my own patterns of distorted thinking as well as the "alternative/balanced" thinking which has helped to improve my mood on several occasions. I consider it one of those rare gems that helps the reader to "see the light" (as a true friend would) without forcing it upon him/her.

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Rating: - It Helped Me to Change my Life
This book helped give me exercises to learn how to deal with my depression and anxiety. It's important to slowly do the exercises and complete the entire book. I feel like a new person in control of my thoughts and feelings. I recommend it highly.

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Rating: - excellent introduction to CBT
I've used this workbook successfully as a therapist at a community mental health clinic serving poorer clients in Tucson AZ. I've used it in individual and group therapy. Frankly, I've found "Mind Over Mood" much more user-friendly than the more popular "Feeling Good Handbook" by David Burns, which contains similar cognitive therapy methods. The "thought record" chart, in particular--the heart of CBT--is more straightforward in Mind Over Mood. They've set up seven intuitive columns, from left to right. Burns's version of this chart, where each situation and emotion is listed separately at the top of the page, tends to confuse people, in my experience.

I really like the way Greenberger and Padesky put in little hint questions in small type at the bottom of the columns, to remind you what you're supposed to be doing without having to go back and read the text. And the book is full of terrific hint boxes which give you questions to ask yourself if you're having trouble understanding the exercises. I have not seen this anywhere else.

Defects? 1) This book doesn't contain the richness of material of the Burns or other CBT workbooks. The chapters on specific conditions at the end are pretty paltry. It's really just a very large book on how to do a thought record. 2) The authors limit evaluating automatic thoughts to "evidence for", "evidence against", and a "reasonable alternative". This rigid empirical model is not suited to everyone or every situation. Surprisingly, there is no discussion of or columns for "cognitive distortions" (Burns) or "disputes" (Ellis). This is a major defect, but one can work around it by expanding what is allowed in the "evidence against" columns.

Overall though, an excellent book for use in clinical settings with general mental health patients. I find myself pulling it out much more often than my other CBT books sitting next to it on my shelf. Once clients get the hang of cognitive therapy, I introduce more sophisticated material; but I haven't found a better starting point.

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Rating: - It Cured my Anxiety
If you suffer from Anxiety this is a MUST READ book! The book is simple but yet highly effective in the treatment of depression and anxiety. The worksheets along with the examples are fabulous. I have been anxiety free since reading the book. I definitely give it 5 stars.

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Rating: - Excellent Workbook -- A supplement to cognitive self-help
In my opinion this is a truly excellent WORKBOOK. The couple of negative reviews seem to be missing the point that workbooks are, by their nature, supplements -- either supplements to therapy or to a text-rich psychology book that is not done in workbook form. OK? I think that is the key issue. I use this workbook as a supplement to working through the chapters of my favorite book on cognitive self-help psychology, which is The Positive Power of Negative Thinking by Julie Norem. For me, it is a very helpful, insightful, and practical workbook. If you are looking for a cognitive therapy supplemental workbook, I can recommend Mind Over Mood without reservation.