Originally Posted by jillio

CBT is an adjunct to pharmeceutical treatment. It is just a theoretical perspective of therapy. Some counselor's operate from this theotetical perspective, some don't. I personally am more of a Gestalt therapist. It is most important to choose your therapist based on your ability to develop a relationship and therefore, derive some benefit from the sessions. You, as the client, do not need to be concerned with the therapist's theoretical perspective. Even strict CBT practitioners will integrate facets from other theoretical perspectives that are useful in helping individual clients. This book was written for those studying to be praticing therapists. Chances are, it will do you more harm than good, as you don't have the prerequisite understanding that you need of the counseling process prior to studying theory. That is evidenced by your statement that the book claims that bi-polar disorder can be "controlled" through CBT alone. Any therapy only teaches one to deal with the symptoms of mental illness on a more functional level. Disorders such as Bi-polar Disorder, that are rooted in abnormalities in brain chemistry, are never "controlled" through therapy alone.