Written by two excellent and experienced therapists, [Rapid Cognitive Therapy joins] the ranks of modern publications in the domain of psychotherapeutic approaches.

If you had to choose, would you rather be rich or popular?

And if you were rich, would you rather be quietly so or evidently so?

And where in your body do you actually live?

Having bought this hardback book on E-bay for ten pounds (twenty Rrp.), I never had a chance to look through it at all before I got it. I was fooled by the title into thinking it was actually about Cognitive Behaviour Therapy or some splinter discipline. To my delight when it was delivered I found it was actually about Cognitive Therapy within a Hypnotherapeutic approach. However my delight only counteracted my initial horror upon opening the book, My God, where are all the pictures?

Phillips and Watts are never less than pragmatic in their attention. The whole work is geared to practise of the techniques. The book assumes some knowledge but each technique stands alone and is set out in a straightforward manner. Having said this the book takes you roughly through the chronological stages.

Part one: Pre-therapy

After beginning with an interesting (if possibly misplaced) first chapter regarding the structure of memory, belief, and distracted clients, the book launches straight into the techniques.

Firstly a couple of novel techniques to pre-empt “resistance” to change. The authors then propose a Brief but Accurate personality test. Seemingly, the answer to the above three questions can give relevant enough clues to your clients “personality” to help choose appropriate inductions and therapy techniques.

I am personally quite sceptical even about classification of static trait-clusters. However, I overcame my initial cynicism and found the model quite useful, especially heterogeneously. Strangely, it seems easier for me to classify others than myself. I wonder why that can be? - A puzzle indeed - But seriously, I found this triad taxonomy to be a useful model through which to view people. Personality profiles are given of the types: abreaction type, personality, areas of conflict, physical / negative / positive traits. Then a quick recognition guide.

The next few chapters deal with preparing your client, firstly to persuade them to disclose all via a nice informal script. Secondly a little metaphorical ego strengthening (inner-child dissociation).

Thirdly, the private place of relaxation. Heard it before? Yes and No. I'm not sure I'd give every client inner-child work, but I really like the idea of this style of private place though. It is an area containing objects such as mirror, phone, books, TV etc. This place is then used as launch pad / landing pad to all the therapeutic techniques.

Then we come to the inductions, three inductions (each being a single example of a particular style e.g. “Active distraction”) for three personality types. I've heard more outlandish metaphysical reasoning for choosing inductions before so, hey why not? What could possibly go wrong?

Part two: Analytical work

In part two, we look at regression, dissociation, linguistics, recognizing and confronting mis-information, repressed emotion and memories. A lot of the techniques here will be familiar, but I believe all the techniques in this book are particularly elegant as stand alone pieces. Moreover, when combined with the meta-technique of the launch / landing pad place of relaxation, I feel these techniques will coagulate and gain extra grounding and clarity.

Part three: Non-analytical work

Here we see some nice pattern breaking techniques, utilization of symptoms, archetypes (who relate to our three basic types above) and metaphor. As with the whole book, each of these techniques is explained according to it's indications, it's rationale and of course it's execution. There are plenty of novel interpretations on classic ideas and some very good scripts. Even out-of-trance work is scripted to some degree. This section ends with four end-of-therapy routines that further encourage the client to perceive therapy as a top-down gestalt.

Part four: Tidying up

Explicated here is an expansion to the end-of-therapy routines described late in part three, an unusual technique called the courtroom of the mind?, this technique allegorically seeks an inner “justice”.

Part five: Miscellaneous

Symptoms of psychosis, an interesting enough section. The reality of abortion; if you decide to buy Brief Cognitive Therapy and you understand why this anachronistic chapter has been tacked on, please tell me. It's a six-page (2.4% of the book, or 48 pence worth), anecdotal, value-laden description of abortion. When the whole book only uses specific cases to illustrate general principles, why grind this personal axe here?



This is one of the best practical guides I've read on the subject and recommend you buy a copy. It's 97.6% good.