Ann Hackmann has been one of the leading clinical researchers on imagery in psychopathology during the past 15 years. Her research includes studies on intrusive memories in depression (with Jon Wheatley and Chris Brewin), in PTSD (with Anke Ehlers) and on early memories in social phobia (with Jennifer Wild and David Clark). In 2004, she edited a special edition of the journal Memory on imagery with Emily Holmes. Ann has worked as a therapis iin many randomised controlled trials with the research teams of David Clark and Anke Ehlers, and recently worked with Mark Williams researchingmindfulness-based cognitive therapy in depression and other disorders. She was one of the editors of the Oxford Guide to Behavioural Experiments in Cognitive Therapy (2004), and has co-written Cognitive Therapy for the Anxiety Disorders: Mastering Clinical Challenges (2008) with Gillian Butler and Melanie Fennell.

James Bennett-Levy is Associate Professor in Mental Health at Sydney University's Department of Rural Health (Northern Rivers) in northern New South Wales, Australia. As soon as he was appointed to the position, he saw the potential of low intensity CBT interventions for rural and remote communities, where access to evidence-based psychological therapies tends to be very poor. Recognising the absence of a useful low intensity CBT textbook to guide practitioners and decision makers, he initiated and co-ordinated the Oxford Guide to Low Intensity CBT Interventions. He has co-edited another important clinical text for CBT practitioners: the Oxford Guide to Behavioural Experiments in Cognitive Therapy (Bennett-Levy, Butler, Fennell, Hackmann, Mueller & Westbrook, 2004); and has co-written the Oxford Guide to Imagery in Cognitive Therapy with Ann Hackmann and Emily Holmes. In his research work, he is one of the world's leading researchers on CBT training.

Dr Emily A. Holmes is a Clinical Psychologist with a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience. She is currently a Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellow and Senior Research Fellow at the University of Oxford's Department of Psychiatry, UK. She is also a clinician, specialised in the treatment of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) using cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). Dr. Holmes is known for her clinical expertise and research in mental imagery - particularly trauma memory, with current work also reaching into depression and bipolar disorder. Dr Holmes' present work in experimental psychopathology seeks to understand cognitive mechanisms underlying distress across psychological disorders. In particular she is interested in the impact of mental imagery on emotional processing, and the impact of processing biases in the way people interpret information. Dr Emily Holmes receives research grant support from the Royal Society, ESRC and Wellcome Trust in the UK.

• Foreword


• Preface: How to use this book


• Invited Essay: From ancient shamanic healing to 21st century psychotherapy: The central role of imagery methods in effecting psychological change


• Part One: Imagery in context


• 1: Imagery in the tradition of Beckian cognitive therapy


• 2: The phenomenology of imagery in clinical practice


• 3: Experimental research on imagery: Implications for clinical practice


• 4: The effective components of imagery interventions in clinical practice


• Part Two: Preparation for imagery interventions


• 5: Establishing the platform for imagery interventions: General principles and practices


• 6: Assessment of imagery


• 7: Micro-formulation of imagery


• Part Three: Imagery interventions: Removing and transforming negative imagery


• 8: Working with intrusive day-time images


• 9: Using imagery to work with upsetting memories


• 10: Working with night-time imagery


• 11: Working with metaphorical imagery


• Part Four: Imagery interventions: Creating positive imagery


• 12: Positive imagery: Creating goals, developing new skills and problem solving


• 13: Positive imagery: Creating new ways of being


• Part 5: Concluding comments


• 14: Future directions in working with imagery in cognitive therapy