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“The book…is meant to help individuals integrate a CT approach into general school counseling. To that extent, it is a valuable addition to the Guilford Practical Intervention in the Schools Series….Simply using the CT plan outlined in this book would, most likely, improve many counselors’ efficacy and enhance their impact on the students they assist.”

—Child and Family Behavior Therapy


“A very practical book. There are numerous stories that can be used with young people to illustrate important theory. Indeed, I tried out some, such as 'The roller coaster story,' with teenage patients, and it worked well. Similarly, the ITCH approach to problem solving was well received as a guide to dealing with issues faces by an older teenager. Some of the techniques could be employed by clinicians even if they do not subscribe to CT....The authors offer some lovely ideas for helping students identify their thoughts and emotions....This is a very useful book that could be helpful to a range of practitioners in schools.”

—Counselling Children and Young People


“A book that should be on every er's book shelf. It provides an understandable overview on how to do cognitive therapy in the school setting, including realistic case vignettes that help the reader start thinking about how to apply the basic concepts of automatic thoughts, intermediate beliefs, and core beliefs....I found it easy to read and very instructive as the case vignettes were used to identify cognitive concepts and subsequent dialogues between student and counselor....I did not find any weaknesses in this book and would recommend it for beginning ers as well as more experienced practitioners who are looking for additional activities to add to their tool kit. For those who are looking for research support regarding CT and cognitive-behavioral therapy, each chapter ends with a list of studies or a summary of supportive evidence.”

—School Social Work


“This book provides an extremely valuable resource for school-based mental health professionals at any level of experience. The case examples guide the reader very clearly and with great depth through all aspects of effective cognitive therapy with adolescents. Moreover, the book offers explicit suggestions for how to implement cognitive therapy treatment techniques within typical settings. This resource belongs on the bookshelf of every school psychologist and school counselor.”

—Diane Smallwood, PsyD, School Psychology Programs, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine


“This clearly written manual should prove invaluable to school psychologists, counselors, teachers, and administrators who are concerned about the behavior and mental health of students. Developed through experience in schools, and grounded in evidence-based therapeutic techniques, the book offers practical explanations, case studies, and reproducible materials. It tackles the tough question of why students behave in ways that undermine their social, emotional, and academic success. More important, it systematically offers concrete strategies for empowering students to make healthy, productive changes in the way they think about and interact with the world around them.”

—Jerry McMullen, PhD, school psychologist/behavior management consultant, Exton, Pennsylvania


“Creed, Reisweber, and Beck have crafted an outstanding clinical book that is highly relevant to mental health professionals who work with adolescents. The authors provide clear, step-by-step guidelines for administering cognitive therapy in school settings, as well as rich illustrative vignettes. The authors further enhance the applicability of their procedures by addressing common treatment obstacles that school-based practitioners encounter. A wealth of assessment and treatment worksheets and ancillary materials are supplied. This book is a 'must have.'”

—Christopher A. Kearney, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas


“Working with adolescents can be challenging, especially when dealing with the time constraints and other complications of school settings. This book addresses the challenges and provides strategies and techniques you can have confidence in. The authors present the latest advances in cognitive therapy with adolescents and show how to translate them into the 'real world' of schools. They take the clinician step by step through cognitive case formulation and describe a range of treatment techniques, providing flexible, practical, and effective guidelines for clinical practice. The approach is unique and highly engaging. This is a book that all clinicians who work with youth will want on their shelves.”

—Mark A. Reinecke, PhD, ABPP, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University

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Table of Contents

1. An Overview of Cognitive Therapy

2. Cognitive Therapy Case Conceptualization

3. Cognitive Techniques

4. Behavioral Techniques

5. Making Cognitive Therapy Happen in the Schools

Appendix 1.1: The Cognitive Model

Appendix 1.2. Thinking Traps

Appendix 2.1: Case Conceptualization

Appendix 2.2. Presession Quick Sheet

Appendix 3.1.Two-Frame Thought Bubble Exercise

Appendix 3.2. Three-Frame Thought Bubble Exercise

Appendix 3.3. Simple Thought Record

Appendix 3.4. Thought Record Table

Appendix 3.5. Three C’s Thought Record

Appendix 3.6. Evaluating Thoughts

Appendix 3.7. Road Map to Success

Appendix 4.1. Pleasant Activities List

Appendix 4.2. Reasons for Living

Appendix 4.3. Pros and Cons List

Appendix 4.4. Fear Hierarchy

Appendix 4.5. SUDS Rating Scale

Appendix 4.6. Progressive Muscle Relaxation Exercise

Appendix 4.7. Breathing Exercise

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About the Authors

Torrey A. Creed, PhD, is a clinical psychologist with the Psychopathology Research Unit at the University of Pennsylvania and the Center for Family Intervention Science at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She is also Project Director and Lead Trainer in the Child Expansion of the Beck Initiative, a collaboration between the University of Pennsylvania and the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Mental Retardation Services, which trains community therapists to conduct cognitive therapy for prevention and treatment of a variety of problems and disorders, including suicide, depression, trauma, substance misuse, depression, and anxiety in youth. Dr. Creed’s primary research interests include cognitive therapy, treatment outcome with youth and families, suicide, and trauma. She has provided direct intervention for children and adolescents in schools and trained mental health care professionals to practice cognitive therapy in a range of school settings.

Jarrod Reisweber, PsyD, is Acute Services Coordinator for veterans in Philadelphia and a program director in the Psychopathology Research Unit at the University of Pennsylvania. His clinical interests include suicide prevention, substance abuse treatment, intervention programs for externalizing males, and cognitive therapy for individuals with schizophrenia. Dr. Reisweber has trained clinicians to conduct cognitive therapy in school, correctional, and community mental health settings; presented internationally on anger management and suicide prevention programs for high school students; and published on interventions and consultation in high schools.

Aaron T. Beck, MD, until his death in 2021, was Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania and President Emeritus of the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy. Internationally recognized as the founder of cognitive therapy, Dr. Beck has been credited with shaping the face of American psychiatry and was cited by American Psychologist as “one of the five most influential psychotherapists of all time.” Dr. Beck was the recipient of awards including the Lasker–DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Psychological Association, the Distinguished Service Award from the American Psychiatric Association, the James McKeen Cattell Fellow Award in Applied Psychology from the Association for Psychological Science, and the Sarnat International Prize in Mental Health and Gustav O. Lienhard Award from the Institute of Medicine. He authored or edited numerous books for professionals and the general public.

• Author's website
• All titles by Aaron T. Beck

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Audience

School psychologists, counselors, and social workers; clinical psychologists working in school settings (grades 6–12).

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Course Use

May serve as a text in graduate-level courses.