The business of cognitive therapy is to transform meanings. What better way to achieve this than through a metaphor? Metaphors straddle two different domains at once, providing a conceptual bridge from a problematic interpretation to a fresh new perspective that can cast one's experiences in a new light. Even the simplest metaphor can be used again and again with different clients, yet still achieve the desired effect. One such example is the 'broken leg' metaphor
for depression. Clients with depression are understandably frustrated with their symptoms. They may often push themselves to get better or tell themselves that they should be better by now. As a
therapist, it is fair to ask, would the client be so harsh and demanding on herself after getting a broken leg? A broken leg needs time to heal and you need to begin to walk on it gradually as it builds up in strength. "You can't run before you can walk", and if you try, you are likely to make it worse. For many clients this simple metaphor is enlightening, changing their view of their symptoms as a sign of their own laziness and worthlessness, to a view of them as part of an understandable
illness, that while open to improvement, cannot get better over night. This book shows just how metaphors can be used productively in CBT as an integral part of the treatment. It describes the
use of metaphors for a wide range of problems, including anxiety and depression, and provides countless examples of metaphors that have been used by others in CBT. It brings together in one place hundreds of metaphors that experienced therapists have used to great success. It will be a valuable sourcebook for all cognitive behaviour therapists, as well as those training in CBT.
The business of cognitive therapy is to transform meanings. What better way to achieve this than through a metaphor? Metaphors straddle two different domains at once, providing a conceptual bridge from a problematic interpretation to a fresh new perspective that can cast one's experiences in a new light. Even the simplest metaphor can be used again and again with different clients, yet still achieve the desired effect. One such example is the 'broken leg' metaphor
for depression. Clients with depression are understandably frustrated with their symptoms. They may often push themselves to get better or tell themselves that they should be better by now. As a
therapist, it is fair to ask, would the client be so harsh and demanding on herself after getting a broken leg? A broken leg needs time to heal and you need to begin to walk on it gradually as it builds up in strength. "You can't run before you can walk", and if you try, you are likely to make it worse. For many clients this simple metaphor is enlightening, changing their view of their symptoms as a sign of their own laziness and worthlessness, to a view of them as part of an understandable
illness, that while open to improvement, cannot get better over night. This book shows just how metaphors can be used productively in CBT as an integral part of the treatment. It describes the
use of metaphors for a wide range of problems, including anxiety and depression, and provides countless examples of metaphors that have been used by others in CBT. It brings together in one place hundreds of metaphors that experienced therapists have used to great success. It will be a valuable sourcebook for all cognitive behaviour therapists, as well as those training in CBT.
Acknowledgements
1: Introduction
2: Historical Roots, Theory and Conceptualisation
3: Clinical use of metaphor
4: The Principles, Format and Context of CBT
5: Conceptualising Cognition and Metacognition
6: Depression
7: Anxiety Disorders
8: Bipolar Disorders and Mood Swings
9: Psychosis
10: Eating Disorders
11: Interpersonal difficulties
12: Working with Parents
13: Clinical Art and Clinical Science of Metaphor in CBT: Future
Directions
References
Highly Commended in the Psychiatry Category, BMA Medical Book Awards 2011
Review from previous edition `... an excellent "hands-on" guide to
the practice of cognitive-behavioural interventions. Of the various
edited texts in existence, this is the most concrete and practical
and likely will find good use in the libraries of beginning
clinicians or therapists intending to expand their clinical
interventions to include cognitive-behavioral therapies'
Contemporary Psychology
`Psychiatrists, junior and senior, will find this a useful
practical guide to an expanding area of psychiatric treatment.'
The Lancet
`The editors have done an excellent editorial job and all the
chapters follow a straightforward format, introducing the disorder,
discussing formulation, assessment, and treatment, and finishing
with a summary of the relevant research evaluating the treatment...
it should be useful for any therapists, whether they be
psychologists, psychiatrists, counsellors, or psychiatric nurses,
who want to get an idea of what actually goes on in cognitive
behavioural
treatments. It should also be recommended reading in training
programmes in cognitive behaviour therapy.'
British Medical Journal
`This well-written and concise work should become a standard text
for all training courses in clinical psychology and
psychiatry.'
Behavioural Psychotherapy
` Hawton and his editorial colleagues have no reason to fear that
their product will fail to be noticed, or to make an impact. Its
sheer quality will ensure both. An ambitious undertaking, it is
clearly the product of clear thinking and planning, careful writing
of chapters by authors who are established experts in their
respective fields, and judicious editorial handling. As a practical
guide to the popular and growing field of cognitive-behaviour
therapy,
this compares very favourably with its predecessors, and is likely
to be taken as a text of choice for some time.'
Behaviour Research Therapy
'Excellent... This book is a must for all those working in
psychiatric and allied settings.'
British Journal of Psychology
`This is an important and timely book ... the standard of writing
is very good and I think the book succeeds admirably in its stated
aims. It can be recommended fully to individuals and to
libraries.'
British Journal of Clinical Psychology
`A very good addition to the burgeoning literature... will be a
standard text on cognitive-behavioural therapy in Britain for some
time to come.'
British Journal of Medical Psychology
'this book is excellent. It has some very nice touches,
particularly the subsidiary references after each chapter...this
book is not an in-depth academic treatise but a practical guide for
the application of cognitive behaviour therapy techniques for a
wide variety of psychiatric problems. In this respect it works
extremely well, with down to earth practical advice. This book is a
must for all those working in psychiatric and allied settings.'
The Irish Journal of Psychology
'a remarkable summary of the current clinical practice of cognitive
behavior therapy.'
American Journal of Psychiatry
`There are several other books on the market that cover similar
topics but this has to be seen as the market leader. It is easy to
read, uniformly well written and the most comprehensive of the
practical handbooks available. I fully recommend it.'
British Medical Journal
`The editors have done an excellent editorial job and all the
chapters follow a straightforward format, introducing the disorder,
discussing formulation, assessment, and treatment, and finishing
with a summary of the relevant research evaluating the treatment...
it should be useful for any therapists, whether they be
psychologists, psychiatrists, counsellors, or psychiatric nurses,
who want to get an idea of what actually goes on in cognitive
behavioural
treatments. It should also be recommended reading in training
programmes in cognitive behaviour therapy.'
British Medical Journal
`This is an important and timely book ... the standard of writing
is very good and I think the book succeeds admirably in its stated
aims. It can be recommended fully to individuals and to
libraries.'
British Journal of Clinical Psychology
`A very good addition to the burgeoning literature... will be a
standard text on cognitive-behavioural therapy in Britain for some
time to come.'
British Journal of Medical Psychology
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