Janet B misses the point
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Janet B misses the whole premise. Feelings are of course a response to the world around us, but between the sensory perception of an event in the world and the feeling that results comes a thought - often unnoticed. That thought is based on our beliefs and values and the way we view the world. All CBT asks us to do is to review those beliefs and values objectively and judge whether they are valid.
This book is simplistic and doesn't explain the core concepts of CBT as well as it might, but that doesn't detract from their validity.
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Depressing and disappointing
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I'm a mental health professional and I facilitate a depression group, this book was recommended to me for use with the group. I found the book clinical, unhelpful and very much a one size fits all ethos. The format of the book is forbidding and depressing. I don't recommend this book.
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No good if you want to look beyond your thoughts
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I've read many CBT self-help books both as a mental health professional and a sufferer of depression. What this book fails to recognise are my feelings as a human being. My feelings are not simply a direct reaction to my thoughts but are direct responses to the world. Mind Over Mood suggests that all I need to is 'reprogram' my thinking (as if I'm some computer!) and I'll feel better. But 'bad' feelings often tell us that there is something wrong in our world and if we continue changing what Padesky calls 'negative cognitions' then we fail to value either ourselves as accurate perceptors of an often damaging world, whilst we remain passive citizens who do not act to change what is wrong in society, the relationship, the family etc.
As a mental health professional I know that there is no money-saving substitute for seeking the sensitive support of a psychotherapist. Difficult feelings and thoughts happen for a reason and we owe it to ourselves to plumb the depths rather than gloss over the surface.
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We are more than thoughts
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This book is clearly laid out but suffers from over-simplifying the client's experiences to fit a very simplistic model. It gives brief overviews of the development of cognitive therapy and focuses on building 'evidence' for efficacy - CBT's main boast at present.
It attempts to incorporate its goals within various mental health settings but again fails to recognise that human experience is not amenable to the kinds of reductionism that the book promotes. Multi-disciplinary teams exist in order to manage and treat complex client circumstances and experiences and this book fails to acknowledge this and address these issues.
The book seems to attempt to present CBT as a panacea for all client experiences including groups, individuals and couples with little regard to relationship and circumstance.
In the end, the book's main weaknesses lie in relating to human beings in a mechanistic way; entertaining the notion that distress is 'all in the mind' and by changing value-laden terms such as 'negative thoughts' then all will be well. This is simply not the case and does a diservice to our client's experiences.
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100% Possitive book
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I bought this book because I suffer with depression, amongst other things and I have found it 100% useful.I orginally bought it out of a random choice-only to be told by my friend who is a CBT nurse that it is one of the best books about for self help. You can work with the book at your pace and lesure, and I have found the sections I have done in it most helpful to my problems and I continue to use the book.100% recommended to those who need self help that is totally possitive.
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