Mindful Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

October 24, 2022
Mindfulness practice and traditional psychotherapy meet in this enlightening guide by psychologist Gillihan (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Made Simple). “More than finding a cure for suffering, our deepest longing is for peace,” Gillihan contends, and to that end he draws on personal anecdotes and patient stories to provide advice on alleviating mental illness and achieving wellbeing. To cope with everyday frustrations, he recommends changing one’s perspective, recounting how he was frustrated by his newborn’s sleeplessness until he realized the real problem was his “insistence that the situation should be different from what it was.” He adds that practicing “mindful awareness” is key to changing one’s perspective because it teaches one to be simply “aware” of one’s circumstances rather than to judge them. A core component of cognitive behavioral therapy, Gillihan posits, is letting go of false beliefs about oneself, which he illustrates with the story of his client who realized his belief that he was pathetic was baseless after Gillihan pressed him for evidence to support his negative self-perception. Additionally, the author urges readers to embrace mindfulness by expressing gratitude and reducing distractions while interacting with others. The author excels at making psychological insights digestible for lay readers, and his tone recalls that of a wise teacher. This will be a balm for the weary.

November 1, 2022

Psychologist Gillihan (host of the podcast Think Act Be) starts his book off on a strong note with his observation that most of his patients were not just looking for a remedy for pain, but also wanted peace. To achieve that, the author believes that patients treated with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) should combine it with spirituality and mindfulness practices. He calls this "Mindful CBT" and breaks it down into the concepts of "Think," "Act," and "Be." He also utilizes his own depression and anxiety as examples and explains how it might be best applied. Organized into easy-to-read chapters, the book includes questions and suggestions printed in bold or italics to draw the reader's attention. VERDICT This book contains an extensive, useful works cited section, but there are so many personal and professional vignettes that, at times, it becomes a slight distraction. Still, libraries looking to build a self-help collection will benefit from including this title.--April Crowder

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