<p>This is a reference request. I'm looking for a solid introduction to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - i.e. what it is and the science behind it. I'm having trouble finding anything that isn't written by someone with pretty clear evangelical purposes. I don't want that. I'm not personally looking to use CBT. I don't want to feel like I'm being sold a bill of goods. </p>

<p>Honestly, the whole thing smells more than a little fishy, like just another self-help regime that people are getting caught up in, where profit-hunting sharks are taking advantage of people's misery. I'm not saying it is that, but that's just to lay out my own priors and biases. So I want a balanced, trustworthy account of the science behind it to evaluate its merits, i.e. whether nor not it's grounded in a successful (i.e. experimentally sound) scientific theory of psychology.   </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-08-28T08:34:24.820Z
Welcome! This seems like a good question. Perhaps you can find some relevant resources here: [What criteria decides whether a technique is CBT?](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/q/18926/21).
Steven Jeuris
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-08-29T07:10:07.010Z
The question is too broad to respond. If you have some specific disorders or scenarios, then the appropriate material can be discussed. My experience of CBT educational material is that they tend to be quite neutral and not overly "evangelical" as you stated.
Poidah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-08-30T03:05:07.103Z
Aaron Beck's book itself is quite good.  Obviously, it's the most "biased" of all, but very readable and goes into the rationale and clinical experiences.  There are a lot of evidence-based studies on outcomes of CBT, so it's not all fly-by-night, even if some have turned it into a marketing opportunity.
Chuck Sherrington
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-08-30T03:07:32.073Z
https://www.amazon.com/Cognitive-Therapy-Emotional-Disorders-Aaron/dp/0452009286/
Chuck Sherrington
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-08-30T13:16:18.310Z
As well as the suggestion from @StevenJeuris there is solid introduction to CBT and its differences to REBT is found in my answer to [Limitations of CBT](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/a/17325). The answer covers your concerns surrounding the effectiveness of CBT and the "science" behind it. There is also an extensive list of studies which support the write up.
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-08-30T13:18:32.713Z
Possible duplicate of [Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Limitations](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/questions/1977/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-limitations)
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-02T15:49:02.427Z
Possible duplicate of: https://psychology.stackexchange.com/q/12597/7001
Arnon Weinberg
<reference-request><cbt><cognitive-therapy>
Balanced Introduction to CBT and the Science Behind It
nothingIsMere
# Balanced Introduction to CBT and the Science Behind It

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-08-27)

This is a reference request. I'm looking for a solid introduction to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - i.e. what it is and the science behind it. I'm having trouble finding anything that isn't written by someone with pretty clear evangelical purposes. I don't want that. I'm not personally looking to use CBT. I don't want to feel like I'm being sold a bill of goods.

Honestly, the whole thing smells more than a little fishy, like just another self-help regime that people are getting caught up in, where profit-hunting sharks are taking advantage of people's misery. I'm not saying it is that, but that's just to lay out my own priors and biases. So I want a balanced, trustworthy account of the science behind it to evaluate its merits, i.e. whether nor not it's grounded in a successful (i.e. experimentally sound) scientific theory of psychology.

**Tags:** reference-request, cbt, cognitive-therapy

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Welcome! This seems like a good question. Perhaps you can find some relevant resources here: [What criteria decides whether a technique is CBT?](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/q/18926/21).  
> **username_2**: The question is too broad to respond. If you have some specific disorders or scenarios, then the appropriate material can be discussed. My experience of CBT educational material is that they tend to be quite neutral and not overly "evangelical" as you stated.  
> **username_3**: Aaron Beck's book itself is quite good.  Obviously, it's the most "biased" of all, but very readable and goes into the rationale and clinical experiences.  There are a lot of evidence-based studies on outcomes of CBT, so it's not all fly-by-night, even if some have turned it into a marketing opportunity.  
> **username_3**: https://www.amazon.com/Cognitive-Therapy-Emotional-Disorders-Aaron/dp/0452009286/  
> **username_4**: As well as the suggestion from @StevenJeuris there is solid introduction to CBT and its differences to REBT is found in my answer to [Limitations of CBT](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/a/17325). The answer covers your concerns surrounding the effectiveness of CBT and the "science" behind it. There is also an extensive list of studies which support the write up.  
> **username_4**: Possible duplicate of [Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Limitations](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/questions/1977/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-limitations)  
> **username_5**: Possible duplicate of: https://psychology.stackexchange.com/q/12597/7001  

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