Communication in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Research has shown that the therapeutic alliance is a key factor in the success of treatment, and a critical component of establishing this alliance is the communication between therapist and client. The efficacy of treatment depends on the therapist’s ability to collect reliable client information and create the foundation for a good relationship that involves the client in the healing process. Communication in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy provides an overview of the research and theory underlying the importance of therapeutic communication with a specific focus on cognitive behavioral psychotherapy. It brings together an international group of experts from the relevant disciplines of communication, psychotherapy, research and teaching to create an integrated perspective of this crucial area. The book offers a review of the main evidence-based theories, and is highlighted with specific examples and flow charts.Insight for trainers is given by providing learner-centered teaching methods that enhance the acquisition of these communication skills. For researchers, it offers both qualitative and quantitative analyses of the subject as well as a comprehensive review of the main analysis methods adopted in the field.

From its beginnings as the “talking cure,” psychotherapy has depended on the strength of the relationship between practitioner and patient. Today, this is particularly true of cognitive behavioral therapy, which requires skilled listening―understanding and processing the client’s complex personal narrative―as well as debating dysfunctional beliefs, suggesting new courses of action, and other forms of skillful speaking.

Communication in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy opens out the therapeutic possibilities for skillful speaking and listening for practitioners specializing in CBT, examining the theoretical and research base, and reviewing best-practice clinical methods and the evidence behind them. Illustrative examples of therapist-client dialogue and useful flow charts are included, highlighting exchanges that are precise, meaningful, and effective. And since the chapters are written to stand alone, readers can easily access answers to specific questions of content and technique.

Features of the coverage: • Communication during the assessment stage • Strengthening client involvement in the healing process • Building the therapeutic alliance in brief therapy • Clinical uses of non-verbal communication • Learner-centered strategies for improving communication skills • Qualitative and quantitative methods for analyzing communication in CBT • Plus disorder-specific chapters on treatment of anxiety, depression, and psychosis

Communication in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy brings valuable insights to clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychotherapists looking to gain new skills or sharpen existing ones, and also serves as an effective training manual.