ABSTRACT
This chapter explores two aspects of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) that require creativity and nuance, namely imagery and emotions. There is a misconception that CBT treatments are solely symptom-focused or skills-based. In cognitive-behavioral art therapy (CBAT), the power of mental imagery and emotional processing is combined with cognitive-behavioral therapeutic techniques to increase internal locus of control, self-efficacy, and self-control, as well as to improve adaptive behavior. Neuroscience research has provided evidence that the areas of the brain which produce mental images are like those which aid in perception. These findings support the research on mental imagery and perception conducted by C. W. Perky. When psychologists were steeped in strict behaviorism, the investigations of mental imagery were placed on the sidelines. The connection between imagery and emotion is another key area of research. Memory plays a role in the connection between mental imagery and emotion.
