Collaborative Case Conceptualization: Working Effectively with Clients in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Presenting an innovative framework for tailoring cognitive-behavioural interventions to each client's needs, this accessible book is packed with practical pointers and sample dialogues. Step by step, the authors show how to collaborate with clients to develop and test conceptualisations that illuminate personal strengths as well as problems, and that deepen in explanatory power as treatment progresses. An extended case illustration demonstrates the three-stage conceptualisation process over the entire course of therapy with a multi-problem client.

The approach emphasises building resilience and coping while decreasing psychological distress.

Special features include self-assessment checklists and learning exercises to help therapists build their conceptualisation skills.

"An important and timely book that will be of great interest to clinicians and researchers. CBT texts rarely provide detailed guidance on conceptualization. Written by internationally recognized experts, this book fills the gap by providing clinicians with numerous insightful tips about how to develop conceptualizations, and, crucially, how to link those conceptualizations to interventions. Ways of teaching conceptualization are outlined, and a much-needed research agenda for the area is advanced. A major achievement."
- David M. Clark, DPhil, Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, United Kingdom

"This book sets a gold standard for how to develop individualized case conceptualizations with our clients. While cognitive therapy has always emphasized partnership between therapist and client, Kuyken, Padesky, and Dudley demonstrate a radical commitment to collaboration that brings new insights into how the client can be at the center of every therapy. I was especially delighted by the three-chapter demonstration of how conceptualization occurs over time with a single client. Offering a real-world illustration of the approach, this in-depth example shows how conceptualizations can evolve to become both more encompassing and simpler. Another innovative hallmark of the authors' model is its incorporation of client strengths at each stage. This book is destined to be one of the most important and widely used works on case conceptualization for many years to come."
- Aaron T. Beck, MD, University Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Medical School

"What a marvelous addition to the conceptualization literature! This intriguing book compellingly fuses theoretical acuity, in-depth research understanding, and true clinical creativity. Extended case examples bring the text vividly to life, and the innovative emphasis on fostering clients' resilience and strengths adds a unique dimension to conceptualization work. An essential guide for the novice and a rich source of new ideas and inspiration for experienced cognitive therapists."
- Melanie Fennell, PhD, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, UK