The most recommended cognitive behavioral therapy books

Who picked these books? Meet our 19 experts.

19 authors created a book list connected to cognitive behavioral therapy, and here are their favorite cognitive behavioral therapy books.
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Book cover of An Introduction to Coping with Anxiety

James Withey Author Of How to Tell Anxiety to Sod Off: 40 Ways to Get Your Life Back

From my list on manage bloody anxiety.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have lived with anxiety all my life – it’s a real bugger. At school, I would worry about wearing the wrong shoes or forgetting my shorts for football. Anxiety can be paralyzing and often coupled with its BFF depression, which I have too. Nice eh? I also know that when you face up to anxiety and start swearing at it, not letting it rule you, understand what it is and how useless it is, things start to get easier. It’s not about getting rid of anxiety, it’s about managing it, not letting it rule you. That’s what my book does, with a large dollop of humour thrown in to help things. 

James' book list on manage bloody anxiety

James Withey Why did James love this book?

I love this small book. Often with anxiety reading lengthy, complicated, medicalized books are overwhelming when anxiety is thumping us in the head. This book is accessible, and you don’t sit there and think, ‘Gawd, I’m only on page 12 and there are 436 other pages to go. How am I going to get through it?’ It’s a really good starting point when you’re not sure why you’re feeling anxious but need some foundation knowledge about what’s going on. The people that have written it know what they’re talking about, our experts in their field but it doesn’t feel preachy or patronizing. 

By Brenda Hogan, Lee Brosan,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked An Introduction to Coping with Anxiety as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Overcoming app now available via iTunes and the Google Play Store.

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions worldwide, affecting millions of people each year. But it can be treated effectively with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

Written by experienced practitioners, this introductory book can help you if anxiety has become a problem. It explains what anxiety is and how it makes you feel when it becomes unmanageable or lasts for long periods of time. It will help you to understand your symptoms and is ideal as an immediate coping strategy and as a preliminary to fuller therapy.…


Book cover of The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook: Practical DBT Exercises for Learning Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, Emotion Regulation, and Distress Tolerance

Jacqueline Kademian Author Of Soul Therapy: A 365 day journal for self exploration, healing and reflection

From my list on start on a path of self-discovery and build a new you.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am Jacqueline Kademian, a licensed marriage & family therapist and author. With over 10 years of experience providing therapy, I am passionate about helping others. I am also passionate about making therapeutic concepts accessible and ready to utilize at home. I have taken my own teachings and created self-discovery journals for others to enjoy. Journaling is such an amazing skill and way to get to know yourself.

Jacqueline's book list on start on a path of self-discovery and build a new you

Jacqueline Kademian Why did Jacqueline love this book?

I am recommending this DBT workbook because it contains so many amazing skills and resources that you can apply to your personal life. If you are looking to learn therapeutic skills from home, I highly recommend this workbook.

DBT stands for dialectical behavior therapy, and it can truly be life-changing. The skills are for everyone. I personally use DBT skills daily. I recommend everyone familiarize themselves with mindfulness, radical acceptance, and emotion regulation skills.

By Matthew McKay, Jeffrey C. Wood, Jeffrey Brantley

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A clear and effective approach to learning evidence-based DBT skills-now in a fully revised and updated second edition.

Do you have trouble managing your emotions? First developed by Marsha M. Linehan for treating borderline personality disorder, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) has proven effective as treatment for a range of other mental health problems, and can greatly improve your ability to handle distress without losing control and acting destructively.
However, to make use of these techniques, you need to build skills in four key areas: distress tolerance, mindfulness, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.

The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook, a collaborative…


Book cover of The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook: An Integrative Program to Understand and Manage Your BPD

Miranda Newman Author Of Rough Magic: Living with Borderline Personality Disorder

From my list on living with Borderline Personality Disorder.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always had stronger and more intense emotions than my peers. In childhood, I spent hours poring over medical textbooks to try to figure out exactly what was wrong with me. At 28, after years of navigating the mental health industry, I was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. Now, as a writer, my lived experience informs my passion to educate others about the disorder and show the world that people who live with BPD aren’t all bad—in fact, there are many unique gifts people with the disorder possess. I hope this reading list helps others who are on similar journeys. 

Miranda's book list on living with Borderline Personality Disorder

Miranda Newman Why did Miranda love this book?

This book by Daniel J. Fox took my understanding of my own BPD symptoms to a deeper level. I loved how much this book allowed me to reflect on my attachment styles, triggers, and distortions. It helped me uncover my personal motivations to work toward positive change and recovery.  

By Daniel J. Fox,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Introducing a breakthrough, integrative approach to managing your borderline personality disorder (BPD). If you've been diagnosed with BPD you may feel a number of emotions - including shock, shame, sadness, abandonment, emptiness, or even anger. Even worse, you may be tempted to research your diagnosis online, only to find doomsday scenarios and terrible prognoses everywhere you click. Take a deep breath. You can get through this - and this workbook will help guide you. Despite what you may have read or been told, BPD is not the worst thing that can happen to you. Like many mental health issues, it…


Book cover of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Workbook for Dummies

Roxane Lapa Author Of How I Overcame Panic Disorder Without Drugs

From my list on overcoming anxiety.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve experienced crippling anxiety personally, to the point of nervous breakdown. I’ve researched this topic extensively and have been panic-free for over a decade due to the knowledge and coping skills accrued.

Roxane's book list on overcoming anxiety

Roxane Lapa Why did Roxane love this book?

If you are suffering from an anxiety disorder, depression, or similar mood disturbance, but don't want to take SSRI drugs and antidepressants, this book is incredibly helpful. It contains various psychological exercises to help you overcome negative thought patterns and behaviour, and shows you how to set goals so that you can move forward to emotional freedom.

By Rob Wilson, Rhena Branch,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Workbook for Dummies as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Dozens of practical exercises and easy to perform techniques for banishing negative thoughts before they take hold Whether you're trying to overcome anxiety and depression, boost self-esteem, beat addiction, lose weight, or simply improve your outlook, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) offers a practical, sensible approach to mastering your thoughts and thinking constructively. In this updated and expanded edition of the companion workbook to their bestselling Cognitive Behavioural Therapy For Dummies, professional therapists Rhena Branch and Rob Wilson show you, step-by-step, how to put the lessons provided in their book into practice. Inside you'll find a huge number of hands-on exercises…


Book cover of Starving the Anxiety Gremlin: A Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Workbook on Anxiety Management for Young People

Dawn Huebner Author Of Outsmarting Worry: An Older Kid's Guide to Managing Anxiety

From my list on for older kids who worry too much.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a Clinical Psychologist and the parent of a once-anxious child who grew up before I developed the expertise I now have, which means I did just about everything wrong. The silver lining, I guess, is that I see anxiety not only from a therapist’s perspective but also through the eyes of a child who is suffering and a parent who has no idea how to help. All of the books I have written, and all that I have recommended, speak respectfully to children and the adults reading with them about real struggles and real solutions. I feel privileged to be able to do this work.

Dawn's book list on for older kids who worry too much

Dawn Huebner Why did Dawn love this book?

This book manages to convey lots of information about anxiety without feeling overwhelming to tween readers, in part due to an effective layout and the use of workbook activities (quizzes, questionnaires, word searches, etc.) that encourage kids to personalize and practice what they are learning. Anxiety is externalized in the form of a gremlin, which readers are taught to recognize, challenge, and ultimately tame. There is the added bonus of a UK author – and plenty of British-isms - helping US readers remember the universality of anxiety.

By Kate Collins-Donnelly,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Starving the Anxiety Gremlin as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Children's Choice Winner at the School Library Association's Information Book Awards 2014

The Anxiety Gremlin loves one thing - to feed on your anxiety! But watch out, as the fuller he gets, the more anxious you get! How can you stop him? Starve him of his favourite food - your anxiety - and he'll shrink and shrivel away.

Starving the Anxiety Gremlin is a unique and award-winning resource to help young people understand different types of anxiety and how to manage them, including panic attacks, phobias, social anxiety, generalised anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder. Based on cognitive behavioural principles that…


Book cover of What to Do When You Worry Too Much: A Kid's Guide to Overcoming Anxiety

Brenda Ponnay Author Of It's Not About You, Little Hoo!

From my list on for littles with anxiety.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm not really an expert on anxiety other than being an adult who suffers from it. I thought I was normal and everyone felt the way I did until I started looking for books to help my daughter with her panic attacks and I realized I have it too! I've since been diagnosed and lead a pretty great life with the help of therapy and medication. What parents share with their children during nightly story reading or on the couch to read a few books is very bonding and intimate. I think that's the best time for kids to ask their parents questions and share their emotions. My goal is to help those conversations happen.

Brenda's book list on for littles with anxiety

Brenda Ponnay Why did Brenda love this book?

This workbook has a wealth of helpful tips on how to deal with overwhelming anxiety. It’s written simply with great illustrations that really help littles figure out the scary world that surrounds them. I love the example of worries growing like tomato plants. If we want the worries to stop growing, we stop watering them! At the time my daughter was four and we had a huge over-producing tomato garden so this was a perfect illustration for both of us. We set up a time to talk about worries and we kept to that time limit. It helped both of us go through the anxiety instead of getting overwhelmed by it. There is no cure for anxiety and medication is not really an option for small children so dealing with it head-on was the only way that worked for us. This book really gave us both tools. It’s practical and…

By Dawn Huebner, Bonnie Matthews (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked What to Do When You Worry Too Much as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

What to Do When You Worry Too Much is an interactive self-help book designed to guide 6-12 year olds and their parents through the cognitive-behavioral techniques most often used in the treatment of generalised anxiety. Engaging, encouraging, and easy to follow, this book educates, motivates, and empowers children to work towards change.

It includes a note to parents by psychologist and author Dawn Huebner, PhD.


Book cover of Fear of Flying Workbook: Overcome Your Anticipatory Anxiety and Develop Skills for Flying with Confidence

Joshua Fletcher Author Of Untangle Your Anxiety: A Guide To Overcoming An Anxiety Disorder By Two People Who Have Been Through It

From my list on managing and overcoming anxiety disorders.

Why am I passionate about this?

A self-confessed anxiety disorder nerd, I have a deeper level of understanding beyond the textbooks and training. I grew up in Manchester, UK, and was once diagnosed with crippling anxiety; suffering from panic attacks, agoraphobia, health anxiety, and generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), as well as intrusive thoughts, obsessive-compulsive behaviours, and all the other fun stuff that comes with a nasty anxiety condition. I’m now a qualified psychotherapist and it is my mission to help as many people as I can recover from anxiety disorder and live happy, healthy lives.

Joshua's book list on managing and overcoming anxiety disorders

Joshua Fletcher Why did Joshua love this book?

An extensive and powerful read. Whilst it focuses on the fear of flying (including in-depth worksheets and exercises that you can start using straight away) David breaks down exactly how this fear came to be and what you can do to break the anxious cycle. Even if fear of flying is not something you struggle with, all of the information in this book can be applied to various anxiety disorders. A great source of psychoeducation! 

By David Carbonell,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Fear of Flying Workbook as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Leads readers step-by-step with proven techniques that finally make it possible to conquer their fear of flying

You’ve tried to face your fear of flying, but the harder you try to control it, the worse it gets. This book teaches how to work constructively with your brain so you can address your anxiety in different ways that truly help you let go of the fear.

Packed with hands-on exercises, this book helps you better understand both the anticipatory anxiety prior to a flight as well as the fear experienced on board—and provides the tools needed to successfully fill the role…


Book cover of Winning the War in Your Mind Workbook: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life

Pierce Taylor Hibbs Author Of Struck Down but Not Destroyed

From my list on anxiety and faith.

Why am I passionate about this?

Pierce Taylor Hibbs (MAR, ThM Westminster Theological Seminary) has lived with an anxiety disorder for over fourteen years and offers a unique perspective on how anxiety and faith are interconnected. He is the award-winning Christian author of many books, including Struck Down but Not Destroyed: Living Faithfully with Anxiety. Other books he's written on anxiety include Still, Silent, and Strong: Meditations for the Anxious Heart and Finding Hope in Hard Things: A Positive Take on Suffering

Pierce's book list on anxiety and faith

Pierce Taylor Hibbs Why did Pierce love this book?

There’s always a lot going on in my mind that I’m probably unaware of. My thoughts or “conclusions” about how things are going or how things will go are often based on false assumptions or beliefs I have about myself and God. Those false beliefs break me in certain ways, wreaking havoc on my nerves. When I picked up Groeschel’s book, I was happy to find him focusing on some simple concepts from brain science that help us see how we can develop new helpful "thought paths" to direct us to the truth, hope, and peace of who God is and what he's done for us. The war that’s going on in our minds demands participation, even though I end up being an observer much of the time. This book gave me some concrete resources to break some of my destructive thought patterns and replace them with new ones, provided…

By Craig Groeschel,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Winning the War in Your Mind Workbook as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In this twelve-lesson workbook, pastor and New York Times bestselling author Craig Groeschel pairs modern psychology and biblical teaching to reveal how to win the war in your mind and restore daily peace in your life.

What you think shapes who you are.

If your thoughts are out of control, your life will be as well. Both the Bible and modern science provide evidence that this is true.

In recent years, a discipline of psychology called cognitive behavioral therapy has gained popularity. This discipline is rooted in an understanding that many problems--from eating disorders to relational challenges, addictions, and even…


Book cover of Power Your Mind: Tools to Build Resilience

Em Lyons Bouch Author Of Moving the Chains

From my list on to conquer anxiety.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was born an anxious person and spent the first 18 years of my life trying to ignore panic attacks and anything to do with mental health. When I finally hit rock-bottom, I joined the CBT group Recovery International and discovered how freeing it was to be in control of my mental health. I now passionately talk and write about mental health, lead a weekly Recovery meeting, and teach CBT techniques to teens. Stigmatized portrayals of mental health in books - hospitalizations, suicide attempts, violent insanity, or being a pathetic burden - kept me from pursuing help, so I wrote my own novel with a positive, realistic take on anxiety and depression.

Em's book list on to conquer anxiety

Em Lyons Bouch Why did Em love this book?

I use this book with my teen groups and have seen them take control of their stress, drama, and anger. Power Your Mind takes the CBT tools and techniques that I love so much from Recovery International, and applies them to young people. The workbook features colorful comic pages and high school characters who apply the tools to situations relevant to modern teens. The conversational writing, journaling activities, and clear progression of the key concepts make the workbook perfect to do alone or in a group setting. 

By Abraham Low, Recovery International (editor),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Power Your Mind as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Power Your Mind is a simplified introduction to the Recovery Method, an evidence-based cognitive-behavioral program to help individuals manage symptoms of stress, anger, anxiety and depression. This workbook teaches life skills to control anger, alleviate anxiety, foster peaceful relationships at home, school, or work, and establish realistic expectations and beliefs. This program helps young people learn to gain control of themselves rather than being controlled by the people and events around them. Designed for teens and young adults, graphic novel pages and real-life situations teach tools for coping with everyday events that may trigger symptoms. It can be used as…


Book cover of Enchiridion

Eve Poole Author Of Leadersmithing: Revealing the Trade Secrets of Leadership

From my list on what you really need to know about leadership.

Why am I passionate about this?

It is shocking how many leaders suffer from imposter syndrome, and how little practical advice is out there about how to help. It’s been my mission to identify not only precisely what leaders need to be able to do well, but also how can they learn these things in the most efficient and durable way. Leadersmithing sets out a practical path to mastery and provides the toolkit leaders will really need. After I wrote it, I took on some senior leadership roles of my own. Even before Covid I had stress-tested the wisdom of this book, and post-covid I am even more confident that this leadership book really helps.

Eve's book list on what you really need to know about leadership

Eve Poole Why did Eve love this book?

Epictetus is the Stoic who inspired the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Stoicism is the intellectual origin of cognitive behavioral therapy and a way for leaders to train themselves to focus on the things they can change, rather than breaking their hearts over things over which they have no control. The Enchiridion has the virtue of being much shorter than Aurelius’ Meditations, and contains pithy observations and advice like ‘it is not events that disturb people, it is their judgment concerning them,’ and ‘don’t hope that events will turn out the way you want, welcome events in whichever way they happen: this is the path to peace.’ Leaders need to be good at detachment, and Stoicism can provide valuable tools to help.

By Epictetus, George Long,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Enchiridion as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Although he was born into slavery and endured a permanent physical disability, Epictetus (ca. 50–ca. 130 CE) maintained that all people are free to control their lives and live in harmony with nature. We will always be happy, he argued, if we learn to desire that things should be exactly as they are. After attaining his freedom, Epictetus spent his career teaching philosophy and advising a daily regimen of self-examination. His pupil Arrian later collected and published the master's lecture notes; the Enchiridion, or Manual, is a distillation of Epictetus's teachings and an instruction manual for a tranquil life. Full…


Book cover of An Introduction to Coping with Anxiety
Book cover of The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook: Practical DBT Exercises for Learning Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, Emotion Regulation, and Distress Tolerance
Book cover of The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook: An Integrative Program to Understand and Manage Your BPD

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