Category Archives: CBT
Meichenbaum’s Joke about Albert Ellis
This is just a short musing about Albert Ellis from an old book by Donald Meichenbaum. Continue reading
Stress Inoculation Training (SIT) and Childbirth
This article tries to explore ways of applying established evidence-based procedures for coping with stress (Stress Inoculation Training) to the problems of coping with stress or pain in relation to childbirth. It examines how methodologies based on basic research on stress and coping tend to emphasise elements largely overlooked in established natural childbirth methods. Continue reading
Book Review: Developing Resilience, A Cognitive-Behavioural Approach by Michael Neenan
Review of the book Developing Resilience, A Cognitive-Behavioural Approach, by Michael Neenan. Continue reading
Psychological Preparation for Childbirth
This article tentatively explores some potential applications of cognitive therapy to the problems of pain and anxiety, etc., in relation to childbirth. Continue reading
Socrates and Self-Hypnosis
This is an old article from 2003, recounting the story of the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates’ habit of going into a spontaneous trance-like state of meditation. Continue reading
Hypnosis is not an altered brain state?
This brief snippet discusses the notion that hypnotism requires a “hypnotic trance” or altered state of consciousness, providing some quotations from leading researchers who reject this view as a misconception. Continue reading
Behaviour Therapy for Blood Phobias
This short article outlines the nature of the main evidence-based psychological therapy for blood phobia and related problems, Öst’s Applied Tension technique. Continue reading
The Structured Clinical Interview
This is an outline of some basic questions to be asked during a generic initial assessment. It’s based on the structured clinical interview format in Donald R. Peterson’s The Clinical Study of Social Behavior (1968) and Donald Meichenbaum’s suggested assessment questions in Stress Inoculation Training (1985). Continue reading
Singer’s Review of Mental Imagery in Psychotherapy
This article provides a detailed summary of observations made by the psychologist Jerome L. Singer in his review of research on mental imagery techniques across different modalities of psychotherapy. Continue reading
New Book: The Philosophy of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (2010) by Donald Robertson
This post announces the new book by Donald Robertson, The Philosophy of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Stoic Philosophy as Rational and Cognitive Psychotherapy. Links are provided to the publisher’s website and to Google Books and Amazon where sample preview chapters can be browsed free-of-charge online. Continue reading


