Why Not CBT?

This comprehensively revised and updated second edition of the 2008 classic Against and for CBT has lost none of its passion or power. Those `against' argue that CBT has been used by governments and health provider organisations to transform therapy into, at best, a quick-fix for stressed and unhappy workers (and workless), and, at worst, a form of neoliberal, state-sponsored thought reform. Those `for' CBT respond that to condemn it is to throw out an effective model that is liked by clients and has grown into compassion and meditative wisdom in its more recent modifications. For many of the contributors, the way forward lies in mutual respect between proponents of their respective modalities, and realisation that the therapy profession can only lose by engaging in these internal schisms. No single model can do everything for everyone: CBT is not the only game in town.