Cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders

The effective treatment and management of anxiety disorders often present numerous challenges to therapists. As a cognitive behaviour therapist, I have read and successfully utilised many texts already published within this area to guide my therapeutic interventions. Over recent years the drive to include evidence-based approaches and research findings has perhaps resulted in the manualisation of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for many psychological problems, not least anxiety, with many protocol-driven therapeutic models in existence to assist the therapist to do their best in helping their clients. An argument then rages as to how therapists can use their own creativity if relying heavily on such prescribed approaches to their interventions. However, one does not want to be too critical of these empirically based aids, as one of the main reasons why CBT is so popular today lies in its long-standing scientific endeavours. Nevertheless, a gap in the market does exist for books that focus not just on the ‘science’ of therapy but also upon its ‘art’, or as Jacqueline Persons, in her series editor's note that prefaces the text says, ‘going beyond the manual’ (p. iii). Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety Disorders is primarily aimed at therapists with a previous knowledge of the fundamental principles and practice of CBT, so may not be suitable for beginners or those without some basic skills in CBT. The authors recognise that even the most experienced therapists can get stuck if just relying on protocol-based treatments. The book is written by three very accomplished CBT authors and practitioners, who together bring their wealth of experience. One of them, Melanie Fennell, was voted ‘the most influential female UK cognitive therapist in 2002’ by the British Association of Behavioral & Cognitive Psychotherapists. Impressive credentials to say the least! The combined clinical experience of the authors allows them to present useful illustrative case studies that really help in bringing the issues they are discussing into the light and clearly does help focus the reader's attention on to the ‘art’ of CBT.