Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Psychosis
People living with schizophrenia may experience disorientation and experience hallucinations or delusions that are both distressing and disabling. Antipsychotic medications may be prescribed, but cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBTp) has proven more successful at treating these episodes.
Person-based cognitive therapy involves patients and their therapists working together to alter the patient’s perspective of themselves or others, which may help alleviate symptoms and enhance quality of life for all involved.
CBTp takes the patient’s perspective seriously and allows them to decide which treatment goals matter most to them. It may be particularly useful for young people who are showing early signs of psychosis but don’t yet need or want to take antipsychotic medication.
At the initial session, a therapist gets to know a patient’s unique experience of psychosis and helps them select treatment goals that matter most. This could include improving transportation skills or learning how to cope with negative feelings related to their illness.
This approach is founded on Vygotsky’s work and draws upon cognitive theory and therapy, mindfulness meditation and Rogerian principles. It utilizes a four-zone model to understand psychosis and the therapeutic process, with an aim of relieving distress and promoting well-being.
Chapters 1-4 provide the context for person-based cognitive therapy, while chapters 5-12 discuss its clinical application. Key features of the book include* integration of the author’s work on mindfulness for people with psychosis; the two-chair method; as well as a chapter on group therapy.
This book provides clinicians with a concise, practical and client-centric framework. It is essential for all academics and practitioners working with people suffering from psychosis or who have an interest in ‘Third Wave’ cognitive therapies.
