ABSTRACT
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychological therapy that has made a rapid rise to prominence in both professional and public arenas over the past thirty years. It is now widely recognised as an evidence-based treatment approach with application to a range of mental health problems (Roth and Fonagy, 1996). It is best established as a treatment for depression, anxiety disorders and eating disorders. However, exciting developments are emerging in fields as diverse and challenging as psychosis and personality disorder, such that at the present time there seems to be almost no limit to the possibilities for therapy that the cognitive behavioural model offers. Some studies have yielded outcomes of up to 90 per cent recovery in selected randomised controlled trials (Clark et al., 1994). Whilst this section can only provide a brief discussion of theory and therapy with special attention to the needs of women, the reader will find many recent texts which present more detail on the approach in general and on its application to specific problem areas (Beck, 1995; Fowler, Garety and Kuipers, 1995; Clark and Fairburn, 1997; Wells, 1997). There are also a number of excellent self-help books available for use by the patient alone or in combination with individual therapy (Burns, 1990; Gilbert, 1997; Greenberger and Padesky, 1995).
