Treating anxiety and stress - Jim White

The aim of this book is to describe a didactic, cognitive–behavioural group therapy approach to the anxiety disorders. 'Stress Control' is a robust six session 'evening class' designed for either small or large group format – anything between 6 and 60 on each course. It is designed to be flexible to better meet the needs of routine clinical work. The therapy has, as its basic premise, the goal of 'turning individuals into their own therapists'. It differs fundamentally from much therapy in that the role of the therapist becomes that of the teacher while the patient becomes the student. Re–conceptualising roles in this way helps the individual to take responsibility for change and to attribute change to the individual's own coping skills rather than to the skill of the therapist. It is designed for the treatment of heterogeneous anxiety disorders and assumes the presence of co–morbid problems, some of which are tackled in the course. It attempts to teach individuals to understand their problems within both a psychological and social context.

The approach is clinically effective and efficient and has been empirically tested. It attempts, within a 'scientist–practitioner' framework, to achieve the best compromise between best practice and best value in providing help to a large number of people. It relies heavily on the written material that accompanies the course. Course topics can be varied according to the composition of the group.

– Presents a clinically tested and cost effective group method of treating stress and anxiety

– Offers a flexible approach that can be used with small and large groups

– Supports the concepts and methods offered with good clinical examples

– Provides a wealth of useful illustrative and client orientated materials that the therapist can copy or adapt

This book is written for clinical psychologists, therapists, nurses and counsellors with a basic knowledge of CBT who will welcome this useful approach to what is a major problem area in most busy mental health services.

"This book is the culmination of years of systematic clinical practice during which Dr. White has developed and carefully evaluated a didactic CBT programme for stress and anxiety. It presents a thoughtful, well–written and practical guide to clinical management, as well as a challenge to conventional thinking on how best to deliver community–based services."

Professor Colin A. Espie, Head of Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Glasgow, Scotland.