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The CBT Toolbox: A Workbook for Clients and Clinicians
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)
367 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2013
242 people are currently reading
861 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Riggenbach
140 books6 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 12, 2021
A workbook on CBT?
Indeed Dr Jeff Riggenbach has truly delivered on this objective.
There is less theoretical input as expected, but his is more than compensated by a large set of tool to apply to various mental states and related issues.
While it appears that certain tools are copy | pasted as they relate to different issues, this seems to be the better solution as it always shows the relevant set of tools that relate to one syndrome.
This resource is a training book for self-help behavioural change projects, but in the same way a support tool for therapies led by professionals to serve as a resource for the in between sessions practice time.
It also appears that the training, exercising and 'behavioural change' work is essential in generating permanent healing effects.
This book is one of the best companions identified so far in the relevant literature database. Interestingly also the fact that a newer version of this popular study and practice book has been released a short while ago.
Indeed Dr Jeff Riggenbach has truly delivered on this objective.
There is less theoretical input as expected, but his is more than compensated by a large set of tool to apply to various mental states and related issues.
While it appears that certain tools are copy | pasted as they relate to different issues, this seems to be the better solution as it always shows the relevant set of tools that relate to one syndrome.
This resource is a training book for self-help behavioural change projects, but in the same way a support tool for therapies led by professionals to serve as a resource for the in between sessions practice time.
It also appears that the training, exercising and 'behavioural change' work is essential in generating permanent healing effects.
This book is one of the best companions identified so far in the relevant literature database. Interestingly also the fact that a newer version of this popular study and practice book has been released a short while ago.
April 19, 2015
A heck a lot more verbose than it needed to be.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2023
One of the finest books, I ever read, to bring tranquility while traversing the crisscross of emotional turbulence.
Lack of Self-esteem creates Co-dependency which is exploited by toxic relationships. The modern day pre-occupation either keeps human so much distracted or exasperated that stress management becomes an uphill task. His uptake is impaired making his communication skills inadequate, soon abatedarms. He falls in the vortex of anxiety, depression, and other impulsive/destructive behaviors. Feeling himself drowning in emotional turbulence, he finds no way except anger for problem solving , but this tool is a proven counter-productive . Abundance of knowledge has been created on above issues. But this book has a special place as it is pithy, to the point, and it raises questions which are mind-boggling, giving you opportunity to create your own healthy healing and handling tools.
There are almost 20 tools given to unravel above issues. The concept of buttons being pushed or tape recorder running are very helping to understand what is going on in the mind of the man. Further the techniques of challenging the distorted thoughts also called automatic negative thoughts (ANTs) by Dr Daniel Amen is a technique par excellence. Similarly Cognitive Cue Cards can come in handy to deal when reaction time is too short to respond rationally. The best cue card I have liked is "Expectations of others are not duties of us or commands for us".
Key take aways of the book are
1) Hyper-perfections stems from low self-esteem especially the addictions to power, pelf, showcasing , and backbiting bare attempts to make up for the deficiency of self-esteem.
2) Some people tend to foster relationships too quickly against the wise speed.
3) In obsession to get what we want, we destroy the very relations which are helping us get what we want.
4)Personal Bill of Rights.
5) Requiring a lot of reassurances before making decisions instead of embracing uncertainty. This stems from fear of abandonment that other would leave me and I would be left to fend for myself.
6) Looking at problem as a situation where you have to make a decision instead of taking it as obstacle to life.
7) Core beliefs are our lenses to see the world, behaviors and develop understanding. These lenses need to be changed if these are not healthy.
8) Very often, we just fall on auto-pilot coping skills as "quick feel good" sort of things instead of genuine efforts for problem solving. I believe it is ego gratification and I have included it as one of 'Laws of Emotional Intelligence' I have discovered or articulated. It is drawing perverse value from the problem instead of quickly moving to the solution.
9) Embracing dialectic behavior. Though writer has not named it as such perhaps to keep CBT differentiated from DBT. It means healthy manner is acknowledging painful situations and not dwelling on it. In other words, it is forcing yourself to enjoy other aspects of life if some aspects of life are going terrible.
10) Many people live life on overdrive, overbooked, overscheduled and always rushed thus burned out. This robs us of our peace in life and keeps us from enjoying the moment. Live life with margins.
11) Anxiety is developed and perpetuated by our beliefs that something is more threatening than actually it is and discounting our ability to cope with it. The treatment of anxiety involves shedding so called safety behaviors e.g. if you feel you are being contaminated by bacteria and wash hands repeatedly, stop washing hands more than once. It is exposure based strategy which works on the premise that we get used to things.
12) The basis of anger are "should-ing". We do it with ourselves as well as with others. It essentially entails judging ourselves and others (off course negatively) and thus giving verdict of "not good enough" to the one being judged. It is better to accept the things as they are , even ourselves and people as they are like facts. Then gently trying to grow, improve especially ourselves.
The last but not least are Forgiveness thought log. Dr Jeff has emphasized that forgiveness is a gift for ourselves , contrary to the popular version that it is for others who wronged us. Dr Jeff has articulately challenged the common distorted thoughts about forgiveness and proven them wrong or better to say dysfunctional. My 5 distorted thoughts have crumbled down by his strikes, and you are no exception .
And above all, Dr Jeff has dedicated a section on "weathering the storm" as many times things are not in our control and we have to just bear those. This technique prepares the reader to face the bad days with grace and reach destination in the labyrinth of dark nights instead of ending abased, abashed, or aberrated. It is sort of what Victor Frankel has done in his famous "Search for Meaning". One having been aware of this concept would conflate his energy, time, wisdom and resources instead of conflagrating whatsoever he has by haggling, nagging, and abhorring. Personally I take this ingenious concept as godsend for me.
When you will finish this book, this would become the best self help book of yourself, written by yourself, and for yourself and you would enjoy as well as benefit very much by re-reading. It was a marathon to complete this book, but anyway I did it in 2 years because I had been chewing and digesting it to heal , and recover my heart from phenomenon narrated in Second Para . In the words of re-known Urdu poet Mir
کُنجِ حیرت سے چلے ، دَشتِ زیاں تک لائے
کون لا سکتا ہے ، ہم دِل کو جہاں تک لائے؟
Lack of Self-esteem creates Co-dependency which is exploited by toxic relationships. The modern day pre-occupation either keeps human so much distracted or exasperated that stress management becomes an uphill task. His uptake is impaired making his communication skills inadequate, soon abatedarms. He falls in the vortex of anxiety, depression, and other impulsive/destructive behaviors. Feeling himself drowning in emotional turbulence, he finds no way except anger for problem solving , but this tool is a proven counter-productive . Abundance of knowledge has been created on above issues. But this book has a special place as it is pithy, to the point, and it raises questions which are mind-boggling, giving you opportunity to create your own healthy healing and handling tools.
There are almost 20 tools given to unravel above issues. The concept of buttons being pushed or tape recorder running are very helping to understand what is going on in the mind of the man. Further the techniques of challenging the distorted thoughts also called automatic negative thoughts (ANTs) by Dr Daniel Amen is a technique par excellence. Similarly Cognitive Cue Cards can come in handy to deal when reaction time is too short to respond rationally. The best cue card I have liked is "Expectations of others are not duties of us or commands for us".
Key take aways of the book are
1) Hyper-perfections stems from low self-esteem especially the addictions to power, pelf, showcasing , and backbiting bare attempts to make up for the deficiency of self-esteem.
2) Some people tend to foster relationships too quickly against the wise speed.
3) In obsession to get what we want, we destroy the very relations which are helping us get what we want.
4)Personal Bill of Rights.
5) Requiring a lot of reassurances before making decisions instead of embracing uncertainty. This stems from fear of abandonment that other would leave me and I would be left to fend for myself.
6) Looking at problem as a situation where you have to make a decision instead of taking it as obstacle to life.
7) Core beliefs are our lenses to see the world, behaviors and develop understanding. These lenses need to be changed if these are not healthy.
8) Very often, we just fall on auto-pilot coping skills as "quick feel good" sort of things instead of genuine efforts for problem solving. I believe it is ego gratification and I have included it as one of 'Laws of Emotional Intelligence' I have discovered or articulated. It is drawing perverse value from the problem instead of quickly moving to the solution.
9) Embracing dialectic behavior. Though writer has not named it as such perhaps to keep CBT differentiated from DBT. It means healthy manner is acknowledging painful situations and not dwelling on it. In other words, it is forcing yourself to enjoy other aspects of life if some aspects of life are going terrible.
10) Many people live life on overdrive, overbooked, overscheduled and always rushed thus burned out. This robs us of our peace in life and keeps us from enjoying the moment. Live life with margins.
11) Anxiety is developed and perpetuated by our beliefs that something is more threatening than actually it is and discounting our ability to cope with it. The treatment of anxiety involves shedding so called safety behaviors e.g. if you feel you are being contaminated by bacteria and wash hands repeatedly, stop washing hands more than once. It is exposure based strategy which works on the premise that we get used to things.
12) The basis of anger are "should-ing". We do it with ourselves as well as with others. It essentially entails judging ourselves and others (off course negatively) and thus giving verdict of "not good enough" to the one being judged. It is better to accept the things as they are , even ourselves and people as they are like facts. Then gently trying to grow, improve especially ourselves.
The last but not least are Forgiveness thought log. Dr Jeff has emphasized that forgiveness is a gift for ourselves , contrary to the popular version that it is for others who wronged us. Dr Jeff has articulately challenged the common distorted thoughts about forgiveness and proven them wrong or better to say dysfunctional. My 5 distorted thoughts have crumbled down by his strikes, and you are no exception .
And above all, Dr Jeff has dedicated a section on "weathering the storm" as many times things are not in our control and we have to just bear those. This technique prepares the reader to face the bad days with grace and reach destination in the labyrinth of dark nights instead of ending abased, abashed, or aberrated. It is sort of what Victor Frankel has done in his famous "Search for Meaning". One having been aware of this concept would conflate his energy, time, wisdom and resources instead of conflagrating whatsoever he has by haggling, nagging, and abhorring. Personally I take this ingenious concept as godsend for me.
When you will finish this book, this would become the best self help book of yourself, written by yourself, and for yourself and you would enjoy as well as benefit very much by re-reading. It was a marathon to complete this book, but anyway I did it in 2 years because I had been chewing and digesting it to heal , and recover my heart from phenomenon narrated in Second Para . In the words of re-known Urdu poet Mir
کُنجِ حیرت سے چلے ، دَشتِ زیاں تک لائے
کون لا سکتا ہے ، ہم دِل کو جہاں تک لائے؟
October 15, 2020
Tons of CBT work sheets and forms
October 3, 2021
Short but long, easy but hard to read.
April 6, 2023
Pretty good book. Once you get the hang of it, addressing each "focus" feels pretty much the same. However, it is still useful in the application to practice.
October 5, 2024
Está bueno si ya estás familiarizado con un terapeuta TCC
January 7, 2025
A thorough book to work through CBT.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews