Review by Kenneth B. Matheny, Ph.D., ABPP, Regents Professor and Co-director, Counseling Psychology Program, Georgia State University. Phone (404) 651-2550, FAX (404) 651-1160 Overcoming Depression is an expertly fashioned manual for clients suffering from depression, dysphoria, or sub-clinical mood disorders. Mark Gilson, founder and director of the Atlanta Center for Cognitive Therapy, and Arthur Freeman, chair of the Department of Psychology at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, bring their considerable expertise to bear on the treatment of depression. Both authors have made major contributions to the cognitive therapy literature in the past, and their current volume promises to give hope to clients who have had the sunlight in their lives dimmed by the heavy clouds of depression. Readers are taught that there are specific reasons for their low mood states that can be identified and changed through concerted effort. This volume, like David Burns' Feeling Good Handbook, guides the reader through a series of self-examinations that are critical to the understanding and treatment of mood disorders. Although the clear conceptualization and the highly readable nature of the writing allow the work to be used as a stand-alone self-help manual, the authors encourage readers to seek the professional assistance of therapists. In addition to championing the use of cognitive therapy for the treatment of depression, the authors also present responsibly the merit of psychopharmacology as an adjunctive treatment. The book is replete with practical examples that clearly demonstrate the recommended treatments are simply and elegantly offered. To audit the reader's mastery of the content, brief review quizzes are presented at the end of each chapter. The theoretical background for the volume is drawn from the cognitive therapies of Aaron T. Beck and Albert Ellis. Gilson and Freeman acknowledge the multifaceted nature of the causes of mood disorders and suggest a holistic approach to its treatment. The acronym BEAST, is used to explain the components of the approach: B is for body; E is for emotion; A is for action to be taken; S is for stressful situations; and T is for thoughts. The primary focus is placed on aspects of wellness such as nutrition and exercise (the B for body) and thinking (the T for thoughts). The authors discuss three factors involved in creating and sustaining depression: The Cognitive Triad, cognitive distortions, and self-sabotaging schemas and assumptions. The cognitive triad refers to negative views about oneself, the world, and the future. Cognitive distortions refer to the self-defeating response sets or perceptual sieves that are not validated by others. And schemas are described as hierarchically arranged, coordinated sets of abstract ideas about self, the world, and relationships. These schemas are said to underlie and maintain one's belief system and automatic thoughts. The meaning of schemas is decidedly less distinct than the meaning of cognitive distortions or cognitive triad, but the concept seems to be used in a manner similar to the way in which Piaget used the term, to the manner in which Bandura used the concept of "rule governed behavior," and to the manner in which social psychologists use the term, attributional style. Such schemas are said to be formed in early life and can be up-dated through the process of accommodation, Piaget's concept for the learning, through experience, of new mental templates of the world. This concept of schemas appears to interface nicely with the use of unconscious dynamics by analytic therapists. This volume should prove especially helpful to cognitive therapists in their efforts to correct the irrational beliefs and distorted perceptual processes of clients. The reading of selected portions of the volume from week to week would likely prepare the client to profit more fully from the content of therapy sessions. Clients who dutifully complete the thought monitoring exercises will greatly assist their therapists in understanding the faulty beliefs, cognitive distortions, and underlying schemas that are responsible for their depression. Moreover, it seems to me that these exercises, so appropriately prescribed for uncovering the hurtful content of the client's thinking, could be complemented by the mindfulness exercises of the consciousness disciplines and the use of awareness continuum by Gestalt therapists. I salute Drs. Gilson and Freeman for adding another powerful tool to our repertoire of aids for clients suffering from depression, dysphoria, or undiagnosed mood disorders. I plan to own multiple copies for use in prescribing home expansion exercises for my clients.

Review by Kenneth B. Matheny, Ph.D., ABPP, Regents Professor and Co-director, Counseling Psychology Program, Georgia State University. Phone (404) 651-2550, FAX (404) 651-1160

Overcoming Depression is an expertly fashioned manual for clients suffering from depression, dysphoria, or sub-clinical mood disorders. Mark Gilson, founder and director of the Atlanta Center for Cognitive Therapy, and Arthur Freeman, chair of the Department of Psychology at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, bring their considerable expertise to bear on the treatment of depression. Both authors have made major contributions to the cognitive therapy literature in the past, and their current volume promises to give hope to clients who have had the sunlight in their lives dimmed by the heavy clouds of depression. Readers are taught that there are specific reasons for their low mood states that can be identified and changed through concerted effort.

This volume, like David Burns' Feeling Good Handbook, guides the reader through a series of self-examinations that are critical to the understanding and treatment of mood disorders. Although the clear conceptualization and the highly readable nature of the writing allow the work to be used as a stand-alone self-help manual, the authors encourage readers to seek the professional assistance of therapists. In addition to championing the use of cognitive therapy for the treatment of depression, the authors also present responsibly the merit of psychopharmacology as an adjunctive treatment. The book is replete with practical examples that clearly demonstrate the recommended treatments are simply and elegantly offered. To audit the reader's mastery of the content, brief review quizzes are presented at the end of each chapter.

The theoretical background for the volume is drawn from the cognitive therapies of Aaron T. Beck and Albert Ellis. Gilson and Freeman acknowledge the multifaceted nature of the causes of mood disorders and suggest a holistic approach to its treatment. The acronym BEAST, is used to explain the components of the approach: B is for body; E is for emotion; A is for action to be taken; S is for stressful situations; and T is for thoughts. The primary focus is placed on aspects of wellness such as nutrition and exercise (the B for body) and thinking (the T for thoughts).

The authors discuss three factors involved in creating and sustaining depression: The Cognitive Triad, cognitive distortions, and self-sabotaging schemas and assumptions. The cognitive triad refers to negative views about oneself, the world, and the future. Cognitive distortions refer to the self-defeating response sets or perceptual sieves that are not validated by others. And schemas are described as hierarchically arranged, coordinated sets of abstract ideas about self, the world, and relationships. These schemas are said to underlie and maintain one's belief system and automatic thoughts. The meaning of schemas is decidedly less distinct than the meaning of cognitive distortions or cognitive triad, but the concept seems to be used in a manner similar to the way in which Piaget used the term, to the manner in which Bandura used the concept of "rule governed behavior," and to the manner in which social psychologists use the term, attributional style. Such schemas are said to be formed in early life and can be up-dated through the process of accommodation, Piaget's concept for the learning, through experience, of new mental templates of the world. This concept of schemas appears to interface nicely with the use of unconscious dynamics by analytic therapists.

This volume should prove especially helpful to cognitive therapists in their efforts to correct the irrational beliefs and distorted perceptual processes of clients. The reading of selected portions of the volume from week to week would likely prepare the client to profit more fully from the content of therapy sessions. Clients who dutifully complete the thought monitoring exercises will greatly assist their therapists in understanding the faulty beliefs, cognitive distortions, and underlying schemas that are responsible for their depression. Moreover, it seems to me that these exercises, so appropriately prescribed for uncovering the hurtful content of the client's thinking, could be complemented by the mindfulness exercises of the consciousness disciplines and the use of awareness continuum by Gestalt therapists.

I salute Drs. Gilson and Freeman for adding another powerful tool to our repertoire of aids for clients suffering from depression, dysphoria, or undiagnosed mood disorders. I plan to own multiple copies for use in prescribing home expansion exercises for my clients.

Gilson & Freeman's "Taming the Depression BEAST," a client workbook, will be an important addition to the field. Easily readable, it communicates complex concepts in an understandable manner, and the take-home message- that depression is a treatable illness- comes through clearly. It provides accurate information to clients about both cognitive therapy and antidepressant medications. There is no doubt that this manual will be helpful to many clients and their families.

We recommend this book to therapists in our facility within our multidisciplinary pain facility. When a nurse case manager requests reference material to understand the treatment of chronic pain, this book is also recommended. It is one of the first of its kind, it assists clinicians in understanding the evaluation process and establishment of treatment plans for pain patients. The book assists in determining goals of treatment and recommended interventions to obtain the goals. It is an excellent guide for those just starting out in pain management, or well entrench in the pain arena. I have extentsive experience in treating chronic pain and treaching others how to manage these patients, and found tremendous knowledge in this book. Definitely a reference guideline.

This book offers psychologists a clear and methodical look at pain management psychotherapy. Not just an overview but a thoughtful and thorough presentation of various traditional methods, techniques and approaches to working with those in chronic pain. It also offers a large appendix of pain measures, structured interviews etc. to assist with pain assessments and monitor treatment progress. Very highly recommended.

This book is an essential reference tool for mental health professionals who run therapy groups for a variety of clinical and problem focused populations.

The ten items listed as the dumbest mistakes were interesting as was the discussion as to how the authors chose those particular mistakes and why. The primary value to the book is if you find one or two of the mistakes that you make on a regular basis. Unfortunately they are then followed by several paragraphs of how to deal with that problem. There are several full length books available on how to deal with just one of these problems. It appears that these authors think that in a few paragraphs they can resolve problems that others take a whole book to deal with. That being said, this book does have a value. I don't think that I would recommend it to someone who makes one or more of these mistakes on a regular basis and wishes to do something about it. For them I would suggest a book that deals more directly with their problem. However, it is an enlightening book for people who might read through it and find something that describes them. That information and the techniques described to help with the situation might be just what they need to go further and seek more thorough help. It is a good book to help you more clearly define a problem so that you can seek out other appropriate book to treat the problem.

This book has helped me in many ways. I highly reccomend it to anyone who suffers from anxiety. The techniques are practical and easily applied. The book is easy to read and understand. You may also use it as a reference to make sure you are using the techniques properly.

This is one of the most helpful books I have ever read. It lets you recognise patterns of thinking that leads to unhappiness and lost potential. It then gives simple and practical techniques to alternative ways of thinking that will greatly improve the quality of your life.From the way it is written , it shows that the authors have a lot of experience .Most people will have at least one of these mistakes, and I'm sure this book will be a turning point in their lifes.Very highly recommended.

I'm currently plodding through the post-break-up depression that followed on the heels of a doomed relationship, and reading stacks of self-help books in an effort to salve my spirit. I'm usually skeptical that they'll contain worthwhile advice -- but this one is actually fairly useful, and even though it's aimed at across-the-table regret, I found it to be particularly well-suited to relationship-related regrets. For example, it discusses how we cling to unrealistic "memories of the future" --creating (after-the-fact) a wonderful future to our past relationships and situations, which then permits us to regret the loss of the fantasy futures which we never initially had. It shows how clinging to the past and "woulda,coula,shoulda" fantasies trap us and prevent us from moving forward and finding the life we want. The book starts with a an somewhat humorous analysis of the many types of flawed thinking -- overgeneralization, selective editing, catastrophizing, all-or-nothing thinking, mind-reading, etc. and gives plenty of examples of each of the above (and more). In the first chapter, I felt scolded for ever thinking that "all the single men my age are gay or ax-murderers." The book suggests numerous cognitive therapy techniques to get your thinking back on track, back in accord with reality (rather than self-defeating fantasy). The book challenges our instinctive desire to cling to the past and small comforts -- to hang around where there's a trickle of water rather than to risk searching for a full-blast fire hose. If you're stuck looking back and having difficulty moving ahead, give this book a try. It might not cure all of your regrets, but it should go a long way into helping you to give your regrets a reality check (and ultimately, give your regrets the boot).

I found myself in a relationship with a woman who treated love and life with such ease. She almost destroyed my life during the realtionship not on purpose obvioulsy but because of her ease at how she treated my love. I kept asking myself why didn't I do this or do that, of course now I realize it was just the way she was no matter how I tried to help or change her for the better. Sure the book showed me how we all say we should have done this or could have done that, but also it showed me that I should have got away from her way of life before it hurt me. This book will show you that you could have lived and done things so much different. I would recommend if you meet some one who is vastly different from your own core values don't fall in love with them unless you are willing to be terribly hurt in your own heart be careful of trying to be there for someone who doesn't know how to be there for you. Buy this book and realize no matter how you wish things could be different with you, they won't be if they have lived such a different life before you. People change yes but they don't change how they value certain things in a relationship. I was completely heartbroken by this woman don't let it happen to you. I have forgiven her for the hurt she caused but I should have seen it coming in fact I did that was the hardest part about it all.

After going through an unwanted divorce, I really was looking for something that would help me get past mourning over my lost relationship. So I ordered several books on "moving on" but this was by far the best. The authors explain in layman's terms the basis of cognitive therapy, which basically says that it is our thoughts about events which bother us. If we can change our thoughts, then our feelings will follow. This book is packed full of simple, yet understated advice that anyone could benefit from reading.

One of my favorite quotes from the book occurs at the end of a chapter and basically says, "Moving forward doesn't mean forgetting where you've been. It means that where you've been is not the only place you can go." I realized that I was stuck in wanting my past relationship (or one just like it) that I didn't know I could have something different.

Anyway, this is a definite for anyone who is afraid to move ahead because they "might" make the wrong decision or they "should" know the perfect answer. And if you have made a wrong choice or completely missed the mark, then this book will help you not only learn to forgive yourself, but also help you to begin taking baby steps in taking new risks and realizing that "Plan B" or C or D might be just as rewarding or maybe even better than the already failed Plan A.

I love Becks work in the field of Cognitive therapy. I have long had the trouble of finding a modality that effectivly works with personality disorders. I bought this book in an attempt to bridge my knowledge from purely Axis I to include Axis II disorders.

The book goes through each and every personality disorder one at a time. This made it very easy to research one specific problem without having to sift through pages and pages of irrelevant information for the task at hand.

Within each chapter Beck defines the typical automatic thoughts, or faulty reasoning, that is commonly associated with the personality disorders. He then gives broad treatment plans and goals to deal with the symptoms.

Beck is very well organized and succienct. You will walk away from even a short reading of this book feeling more confident and better equipped to deal with the disorders without the usually doubts that maybe you didnt get the whole gist of what the author was trying to say.

I felt that this was extremely well done. I also appreciate that Beck does not promise more then he can deliver and he is the first one to say that outcomes for Axis II disorders are still poor compared with Axis I.

Beck and his group have written a classic in cognitive therapy with clear conceptulization of personality disorders. This is a difficult population to treat and Beck's work is clear and on target. Clincal examples enrich the theory making it an essential reference.

This is a great book! It has a lot of practical information on how to approach treatment for a client who has a personality disorder. Included are case examples and problems that a therapist may have in treating clients. Additionally, the book includes specific intervention strategies and recommendations on how to develop a good working relationship. This is especially important, because a client's interpersonal problems will be played out during session with the therapist. I have used the information in this book to anticipate and prepare for specific issues that have arisen in session.