Intrusive images occur in many disorders and, as well as causing distress, they frequently represent important negative meanings about the self, other people, or the world. Imagery rescripting describes a set of therapeutic techniques that are aimed at changing these negative meanings. This special series focuses on when and how to do imagery…

Imagery is a relatively novel area of interest in eating disorders (EDs). Clinical experience and some research work indicate that rescripting of early memories may be a useful way to modify core beliefs in EDs. Relevant constructs, as applied in the current paper, are defined and described, including core beliefs, imagery rescripting, and early…

The University of Washington Risk Assessment Protocol (UWRAP) and Risk Assessment and Management Protocol (UWRAMP) have been used in numerous clinical trials treating high-risk suicidal individuals over several years. These protocols structure assessors and treatment providers to provide a thorough suicide risk assessment, review standards of care…

There is substantial evidence for the effectiveness of psychological treatments for OCD, and various approaches have been widely recommended. These approaches tend to be characterized by exposure and response prevention (ERP) and also tend to be applied equally to all forms of OCD. Patients/clients (and some therapists) often find ERP to be a…

Psychotherapy research studies, which balance the pursuit of knowledge with the provision of treatment, can place unique demands on clinicians, patients, and research staff. However, the literature on ethical considerations in psychotherapy trials is minimal. The current paper depicts CBT community standards of practice in the context of two…

Although formal ethics classes provide a basic foundation in managing ethical dilemmas, professionals often point to their experiences on internship as an important training ground for consolidation of their ethical development. Clinical interns face many personal and professional transitions that can lead to a number of ethical dilemmas.…

What, exactly, do individuals with social phobia fear? Whereas fear of anxiety-related bodily sensations characterizes and defines panic disorder, is there a fundamental focus of anxiety that unifies individuals under the diagnostic category of social phobia? Current conceptualizations of social phobia suggest several possible candidates,…

Although prescription rates may be declining, benzodiazepines (BZs) are still very commonly prescribed for the treatment of anxiety disorders. Because many anxiety patients require assistance in successfully discontinuing BZs, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approaches have been specifically developed to target this issue, and an evidence base…

Many patients suffering from panic disorder do not receive adequate care. Advances in the conceptualization and treatment of panic disorder encourage innovative strategies for targeting core fears (fears of anxiety sensations) that underlie this disorder. In this article, we discuss the use of exercise as a potential strategy for therapeutic…

Patients suffering from health anxiety are difficult to engage in a psychological treatment, although it has now been empirically established that cognitive behavioral treatments are beneficial for many of these patients. A first important step is to change their orientation from a biomedical to a biopsychosocial perspective. One way of promoting…

Nonadherence with homework assignments and, by implication, "barriers" to homework assignments are a frequent occurrence in the practice of standard cognitive therapy (Beck, A. T., Rush, A. J., Shaw, B. F., Emery, G. (1979). "Cognitive therapy of depression." New York: The Guilford Press). The clinical examples in this article illustrate some of…

In chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), facilitating, initiating, and perpetuating factors are distinguished. Although somatic factors might have initiated symptoms in CFS, they do not explain the persistence of fatigue. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for CFS focuses on factors that perpetuate and prolong symptoms. Recently it has been shown that,…

The purpose of this paper is to outline considerations for adapting cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to Hispanic patients who have recently immigrated, particularly those presenting with depressive symptoms. Culturally competent CBT is framed within a model originally proposed by Rogler and his colleagues (1987). The considerations outlined by…

Patients with health anxiety often present challenges to assessment and treatment planning. The case of Mrs. A. provides examples of several clinical issues common to these patients. Her symptoms cross several "DSM" diagnostic categories, with a primary presentation of hypochondriasis and secondary presentation of illness phobia. In this article,…

This case report addresses assessment and treatment considerations for a patient suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the context of mild traumatic brain injury and ongoing pain. Management of this case is based on the application of evidence-based therapy, and of cognitive behaviour therapy, for PTSD reduction. Assessment and…