Andrew Beck has been working as a cognitivebehaviour therapist since 1997 and has published several research papers on transcultural CBT, including work on clinical outcomes and the views of service users who have benefited from CBT. He is senior lecturer on the North West England IAPT training programme and Honorary Senior Lecturer on the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Manchester University. Beck is Chair of the Equality and Culture Special Interest Group of the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapists (BABCP) and has worked with colleagues in Chennai to establish the first stand-alone CBT training course in India. Twitter handle: @andrewbeck45
Dr Beck's masterful book on CBT brings therapy to life with multiple case examples. The book is timely, considering most societies are becoming more and more multicultural, and therefore therapists need to have a better understanding of their client's cultural backgrounds. Dr Beck has done an excellent job of emphasising the complexity of working across cultures, while simplifying the process of delivering culturally responsive therapy. We know that both the populations in low and middle income countries and ethnic minority groups in high income countries have less access to psychological interventions; in my opinion Dr Beck's book will make a significant contribution towards reducing the huge treatment gap. This is an important book for all who are involved in offering therapies across cultures. - Dr Nusrat Husain, Reader in Psychiatry, Lead Global Mental Health Institute of Brain, Behaviour & Mental Health, University of Manchester, Director Research Global Health, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre (MAHSC) Central to the CBT model is a bringing together of relationship and structure. Without relationship, CBT works poorly. Similarly, CBT provides a model to help people work out why they feel as they do, and make changes that they wish to make. But classical CBT is western-developed and can exclude, rather than engage, those from other backgrounds and cultures. That's why I am so excited by this essential book. It provides a wealth of ideas, tools and approaches to build relationships, and culturally adapt the CBT model to engage people from diverse backgrounds. It makes essential reading for clinicians, supervisors and service managers wanting to include all members of the community in health care delivery. - Professor Chris Williams, University of Glasgow and President of the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies, lead author of www.livinglifetothefull.com