"Personality disorders are debilitating conditions that, unfortunately, are far too commonly encountered in modern society. Fortunately, this remarkable volume shows just how far we have come in having the tools needed to successfully intervene when we encounter these conditions in the clinic. Particularly welcome in this third edition is the increased emphasis on connecting cognitive interventions with empirically based, dimensional models of personality disorder, such as the Alternative DSM-5 Model. An indispensable resource for students, practitioners, and researchers alike."—Robert F. Krueger, PhD, Distinguished McKnight University Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota “The editors have assembled an international group of experts who provide practical, evidence-informed guidance on effectively managing difficult clinical situations. Using rich clinical examples and offering useful strategies, contributors illustrate how to manage the challenges and comorbidity so common in patients with personality disorders. Synthesizing a theoretical framework for understanding the organization of personality from a cognitive therapy perspective, strategies are grounded in neurobiology and incorporate sensitivity to cultural norms. Sections on treatment planning and progress monitoring address the patient’s well-being, while sections on therapist self-care acknowledge the demands of this kind of work. This volume belongs on the bookshelf of clinicians and educators—even if you have the prior edition."—Donna M. Sudak, MD, Professor of Psychiatry, Senior Associate Training Director, and Director of Psychotherapy Training, Drexel University College of Medicine "I often say when lecturing to students that the most successful treatment for people with personality disorders is to send them (individually) to uninhabited desert islands. Without interaction with others personality disorder does not exist. So in treating personality disorders we are faced with a problem; how do we make the therapeutic relationship different from the client's previous relationships? This updated edition of a well-established book explains how—comprehensively and well. At the heart of cognitive behavior therapy is the building of collaboration and trust, a genuinely informed combination which the editors and authors of this volume show us ‘is probably more important when addressing personality disorders than in treating symptomatic problems.'"—Peter Tyrer, MD, Centre for Mental Health, Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom "Cognitive Therapy of Personality Disorders, Third Edition is a 'new classic.' This outstanding volume is completely updated, with extensive reviews of research as well as new conceptualizations and techniques, and it is filled with wisdom about the therapeutic relationship and other roadblocks to change. Every therapist interested in working with personality disorders—which should be every therapist—will want to read this volume and benefit from the clinical insights provided. I highly recommend this excellent resource."—Robert L. Leahy, PhD, Director, American Institute for Cognitive Therapy; Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College "This seminal work updates and elaborates on one of the most important applications of cognitive therapy. Describing how to understand and change individuals' self-defeating behaviors that annoy or harm those around them, the third edition is further enhanced by chapters on assessment and the neural underpinnings of such beliefs and behaviors.”—Steven D. Hollon, PhD, Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University "I used this book in an Advanced Clinical Practicum with clinical psychology doctoral students. My students found it very useful, as did I. Students appreciated the examples of different personality disorder presentations and the systematic descriptions of interventions. One student noted, 'I see myself referring to this book throughout my clinical training and beyond as I work with more complex cases.'"—Gregory H. Mumma, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Psychological Sciences, Texas Tech University
Brings cognitive therapy (first expounded by Beck and colleagues over a decade ago) to bear on the clinical problems of paranoid, schizoid, antisocial, histrionic, narcissistic, avoidant, dependent, and other personality disorders after a review of the literature and an introduction to cognitive therapy research and practice. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Reviewer: Christopher J Graver, PhD, ABPP-CN(Madigan Healthcare System)
Description: Cognitive behavioral therapy has proven to have broad applications for major psychopathology. This book discusses its use and effectiveness for personality disorders.
Purpose: This third edition provides updates in the literature and covers DSM-5 disorders. The previous edition was published nearly a decade ago to much acclaim.
Audience: It is intended for anyone involved in the clinical service delivery of behavioral health treatment, from psychologists and social workers to marriage and family therapists. The editors are well researched and clinically experienced in the area, and include the founder of the CBT approach.
Features: There are three main sections. The first is an empirical review of personality disorders and a discussion of the continuum between adaptive and pathological behaviors seen in these disorders. The second part addresses the use of CBT for 12 distinct disorders, and covers all aspects of the process from assessment and differential diagnosis to overcoming obstacles in treatment implementation. The third part focuses on clinician self-care and crisis management. Two obvious new additions are chapters on diversity and the therapeutic alliance. Coverage of specific disorders is largely the same as in the previous edition, with the addition of depressive personality disorder. In the final section, two new chapters cover crisis management and comorbidities. Although the latter chapter is well written to make the case for considering comorbidities, it is somewhat lacking in practical advice to manage them when they arise. The crisis management chapter has much better advice for approaching these complex cases. Overall, there are some worthwhile updates in terms of chapter content, as well as numerous additions of studies since the previous edition. Readers should be aware that this book is essentially a review of the literature with a theoretical focus rather than a nuts-and-bolts, step-by-step guide for delivering treatment.
Assessment: This edition continues to provide a well-rounded review of personality disorders from assessment to treatment and special considerations.
