Overcoming Depression and Low Mood by Chris Williams

Overcoming Depression and Low Mood by Chris Williams

Now in its fifth edition, the highly commended Overcoming Depression and Low Mood uses the tried-and-tested Five Areas® educational life skills model of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) to help people work out why they feel as they do, and then plan changes in their life using cleverly designed workbooks and worksheets.

• Accessible and approachable method
• Effective and cost-effective in research
• Comes with a license to photocopy workbooks and worksheets for use in your own life or work setting
• Includes advice for family and friends on how to offer support
• Written by award-winning author Professor Chris Williams, a CBT expert and twice Past-President of the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP)
• Previous edition has been widely used in the UK. In North America, it is endorsed by the ABCT – the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies
• Available on Prescription: Overcoming Depression and Low Mood is one of three books written by Professor Williams that are part of the National Book Prescription scheme for depression, anxiety and wellbeing

'I have no hesitation recommending Overcoming Depression and Low Mood in adults that in many ways has set the standard for others to try to emulateWhilst written Cognitive Behavioural Therapy self-help resources have been available before this text, I believe this is the first that has placed the patient at the very heart of development with respect to reading age and usability. This better enables services to improve access to those seeking support with a broader range of background characteristics. The text is consistent with national guidance informing good quality written materials which can give comfort to people struggling with depression and low mood who may otherwise struggle to engage, and furthermore to the mental health practitioners providing support. Usability is enhanced through a focus on easy to use and engaging CBT worksheets which complements any support for the resources being provided and can help the user to understand more about their difficulties and enable them to work through a range of ways to overcome them. Further reassurance for adopting this text arises from it being one of a very small number of CBT self-help resources that have a published randomised control trial supporting its effectiveness. This approach represents an excellent platform for mental health services and community or voluntary services to build on to improve emotional wellbeing.'

Professor Paul Farrand, PhD, PGDip BSc (Hons), chartered medical psychologist and cognitive behavioural therapist is professor of evidence based psychological practice at the University of Exeter and trained as a CBT Therapist at the University of Plymouth. Has been clinically active for over 30 years working in medical settings, mostly specializing in applying CBT to patients in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery specialty. He has published over 100 peer reviewed publications and several books and book-based CBT self-help interventions for depression, generalised anxiety and panic disorder and edited Low Intensity CBT Skills and Interventions: A Practitioners Manual which is widely used across the world to inform low-intensity CBT training and wider service developments. He sits on national groups in England, Sweden and Australia focused on developing services to provide CBT self-help interventions within their mental health setting.

Dr Chris Williams is a professor of psychosocial psychiatry and honorary consultant psychiatrist at the University of Glasgow, Scotland. His main clinical and research interest is in the evaluation of self-help approaches that provide wider access to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) approaches. Dr. Williams developed the Five Areas® approach, and his books and resources are used nationally in the UK, and tested and used internationally in a series of major projects.