Aaron Beck

My early work with depressed patients led me to question the prevailing psychoanalytic theories.

I found that depressed patients often had a consistent pattern of negative thoughts, regardless of their external circumstances.

The 'discovery' of automatic thoughts was a pivotal moment in the development of cognitive therapy.

The enduring legacy of cognitive therapy is its emphasis on empowering individuals to take an active role in their own mental health.

It's a very practical approach. It's not just talking about feelings; it's about doing something about them.

The beauty of cognitive therapy is its simplicity and its effectiveness.

We're teaching people how to think more clearly and more adaptively.

The mind is a powerful tool, and we can learn to use it to our advantage.

The core of cognitive therapy is helping people to challenge their own assumptions and beliefs.

My hope is that cognitive therapy will continue to evolve and reach even more people in need.

Cognitive therapy seeks to alleviate psychological stresses and mental illness by changing the distorted and maladaptive cognitions that the patient holds about himself, the world, and his future.

The cognitive model posits that the way individuals perceive and interpret events determines their emotional responses.

Depression is a disorder of feelings, but it is caused by distorted thinking.

Automatic thoughts are the stream of consciousness that runs through our minds.

The patient learns to recognize and challenge negative automatic thoughts.

Our emotions are not caused by events, but by our interpretations of them.

In cognitive therapy, the therapist acts as a collaborator with the patient.

Schemas are stable structures that organize and interpret information about the self, world, and future.

The goal of therapy is to help patients become their own therapists.

Negative cognitive triad: negative views of self, world, and future.