The Little Book on CBT for Depression - Nicola Ridgeway

Working clinically with individuals with depression, we searched long and hard for one really good book to lend to individuals with depression. What we found after handing out many mainstream self-help books was that over and over again most of them were either returned to us unread or with only small parts read. This occurred despite the valuable content of the books and the excellent qualifications of the authors.

Our clients told us that they did not have the energy or concentration to read the books. Some clients reported that the books were so large or heavy that they actually found the prospect of reading them depressing.

Reading when we are feeling depressed can often feel like a highly stressful process. This book has been written differently from others you may have read before. It has been especially constructed:

• To help you absorb information when your concentration is poor.

• To be kept with you wherever you go, to remind yourself of helpful information wherever and whenever you need it.

Our experience indicates that this book can be very effective when it is used to accompany therapy, and is most beneficial when individuals are experiencing mild to moderate depression.

We, the authors, love books, and appreciate that for some people self-help material alone is very beneficial. However, we also believe that self-help literature is greatly enhanced with consultations with a trained practitioner. If you believe that you are experiencing depression, we suggest where possible that you consult a suitably qualified professional for advice and treatment.

Finally, we hope that you will find the ideas within this book useful and that you enjoy reading it as much as we have enjoyed creating it.