There's the book and then there's the approach. The approach is explained well, the book doesn't distract from that. Some repetition, but that's important too. For me, this is a good starting point. I'll definitely try to photocopy the sheets so I have many on hand. The Reviewers on Goodreads seem to be either users of the book or perscribers of the book. I was hoping for some more meaty theoretical info, but apparently cognitive therapy is as straightforward as can be.

Whenever you experience a mood, there is a thought connected to it which defines the mood (seems simple enough but for some reason I'd never thought of it that way).In 2002, the British Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Psychotherapy named Mind Over Mood: Change How You Feel by Changing the Way You Think the most influential cognitive therapy book of all time After you’ve identified your moods, rate each one on a scale from 0% to 100% (don’t worry about nailing down an accurate percentage – just go with your gut). One exercise involves writing out new behaviours linked to the individual’s new core belief based on what the book has taught them so far. For the indifferent user this could seem quite the task, if not a waste of time, but there are gains to be had with some persistence and patience. At best, this book is an engaging journey in reflection and active problem-solving leading to a better health outcome. At worst, it is a mere distraction. Realistically, it probably lies somewhere in between, but in any case it is likely to be a constructive use of time for the depressed or anxious patient — time that may otherwise have been spent in rumination. I won’t lie and tell you the thought record is an easy or fun tool to learn. I once did a thought record in which my stressful situation in Step 1 was filling out a thought record! Changing your thinking is a process that takes time, awareness, and energy. But the payoff for your hard work is profound – you can actually restructure the way your mind works (in fact, in CBT the process of changing your habitual ways of thinking is called cognitive restructuring). Over time you’ll automatically think in more balanced ways and have less extreme moods. Your usual hot thoughts either won’t arise, or you’ll dismiss or dispute them as soon as they rear their head.

Based on over 40 years of front-line research, this renowned book provides clinically proven strategies to help you manage your mind and the emotions that can so easily destroy your quality of life. Drs. Greenberger and Padesky show how your thoughts affect your feelings and teach step-by-step skills so you can free yourself from painful moods. The first edition of this book was a classic--the second edition is even better, and will be a trusted guide for even more people across the globe."--Mark Williams, DPhil, coauthor of The Mindful Way Workbook I wrote a blog post about my struggles with severe anxiety, particularly while pregnant. The link is below if anyone is at all interested in reading it. :) Alternative/Balanced Thoughts: In this step, you switch to the role of judge. Weigh the evidence from both sides, and try to reach a fair and unbiased “verdict.” In other words, come up with a new thought or thoughts that represent a more balanced and realistic perspective. For example, in the I’m always screwing up case, you might draw these conclusions.Repeated practice filling out Thought Records actually helps you learn to think more flexibly. After completing 20 – 40 thought records, many people report that they automatically begin to think alternative or balanced thoughts in distressing situations without writing out a Thought Record. When you reach this point, you will experience fewer and fewer situations as truly distressing, and you can spend your energy on solving what problems remain and on enjoying yourself in more situations.” Who would enjoy this book? MindOverMood.com is a division of Padesky.com and the Center for Cognitive Therapy, Huntington Beach, California​