Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #35 in Books
• Published on: 2005-12-16
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 348 pages

Woman's Weekly,15th May 2007
"Well-Written series"

First, Monday 5th November 2007
"...[an] excellent book"

Sunday Times, Monday 17th December 2007
"Don't be put off by the title - this is one of the most comprehensive guides to CBT."

Customer Reviews

very practical
I'm no expert on cbt or any type of psychology and I'm always slightly wary. CBT, however, was recommended to me by a psychologist to assist me to help my client group - troubled young people. I love the 'for Dummies' series as they are really easy to read but provide you with quite a broad knowledge for a layman. There is a wealth of sound practical advice in this book for everybody and I can't believe how much I'm learning about myself and my incorrect thinking and its effects. This book requires a lot of concentration (although the style of writing is easy) and effort to think the material through and also to complete the exercises but it really is life-changing. I don't know if it works really well for serious mental health problems but it is certainly working for me and I will most definitely be presenting the practices to the young people I work with.

the best approach to solving life issues
The cognitive approach to the mind is by far the most empirically sound way to deal with emotional problems. This book helps us to understand the science behind the method. I would only add the book FREE YOUR MIND by Anthony Stultz as a companion. Stultz shows us the ancient roots of CBT in Eastern wisdom and offers and updated system that incorporates the best of Buddhist insight and Western technique.

Stop ruminating , start living
I know nothing about clinical depression but it is much bandied about. We all feel down from time to time and I am sure there are are those amongst us who hide behind this so as to wallow in their own self pity.

The most common thing you can do and I see it in both myself and other is ruminative thinking. That is allowing things to go round and round in your head. I see it with people who will not make a decision for fear of making the wrong decision. They defend this behaviour because they think by taking no decision they will not make another mistake.

It was the most important lesson from this book. Do not indulge in ruminative thinking.

Fill your life up with things to do so that you do not have time to keep thinking about all your problems .

I also liked the section of spotting errors in your thinking . It is easy to think somehow you are being a realist by accepting current cynical opinions such as turning molehills into mountains, overgeneralising and not thinking efficiently .

For the last few years I have had a set of goals in both my private and business life. It gives me plenty to do and stops me ruminating about my past " failures".

Also I try and practice mindfulness from meditation whereby you live in the moment and experience what you are doing right now.It is a form of concentration and can take you mind off the past and the future. dealing with the present is a full time occupation


A very good informative book on what could be a complicated subject. A must read who want to change their lives.