Judith Beck, Ph.D.

About

Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., is President of the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy, where she oversees all clinical, training and outreach activities, and serves as a steward of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) now and into the future. She is also Clinical Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, where she teaches psychiatric residents. She has made hundreds of presentations nationally and internationally on various applications of CBT, and maintains a clinical caseload, helping clients who are experiencing a range of challenges. Beck has written over 100 articles and chapters on different aspects of cognitive therapy, as well as books, workbooks, and pamphlets for professionals and non-professionals. She is the primary developer of Beck Institute’s core online courses, which have now been taken by health and mental health professionals in over 130 countries.

Books by Judith Beck, Ph.D.

Recent Posts

5 Ways to Gain Weight When You Don’t Want To

Are You a “Normal” Eater?

Stress and Emotional Eating: Using Cognitive Behavior Therapy to Break the Habit

Most of the dieters whom I treat overeat when they're feeling stressed or experiencing a negative emotion such as anxiety, sadness, anger, shame, and so on. They often have one or both of the following unhelpful ideas:"There's nothing I can do to calm down when I'm upset.""I deserve to eat when I'm upset."

Jennifer's Struggle

Jennifer recently shared with me her struggle over whether to eat certain foods, particularly during evenings. Jennifer would finish dinner, and then, it was as if the treats and desserts would start calling out to her from her refrigerator.

Inflexible Eating

When I introduced the notion of following a food plan inflexibly to Robert, he initially experienced both anxiety and skepticism. Robert asked me why he couldn’t just make substitutions when he felt like it as long as the calorie count remained the same. Here’s what I told Robert:

When I introduced the notion of following a food plan inflexibly to Robert, he initially experienced both anxiety and skepticism. Robert asked me why he couldn’t just make substitutions when he felt like it as long as the calorie count remained the same. Here’s what I told Robert:

Amy's Business Trip

Amy came in this week feeling quite defeated. Although she had previously been doing quite well with making food plans and sticking to them, she had been on a business trip earlier this week and hadn't been able to write down her food. She viewed the trip as a complete "failure," which left her feeling demoralized and unmotivated. 

Amy came in this week feeling quite defeated. Although she had previously been doing quite well with making food plans and sticking to them, she had been on a business trip earlier this week and hadn't been able to write down her food. She viewed the trip as a complete "failure," which left her feeling demoralized and unmotivated. 

Cindy's Anxiety

Cindy has been having some anxiety about the future. She successfully lost 43 pounds and has been maintaining that loss for over 8 months, but she still has negative thoughts and images that pop into her head from time to time. The most common one is that she sees her future self standing in front of the mirror, trying to zipper her jeans, and realizing that they have become too tight.

Cindy has been having some anxiety about the future. She successfully lost 43 pounds and has been maintaining that loss for over 8 months, but she still has negative thoughts and images that pop into her head from time to time. The most common one is that she sees her future self standing in front of the mirror, trying to zipper her jeans, and realizing that they have become too tight.

Katherine's Changing Tastes

Katherine was also surprised by the fact that her tastes have really changed. She said she used to eat a lot of fast food and fried foods, but ever since she started eating less but enjoying her healthy food more, she can't really stomach her old way of eating.

Katherine was also surprised by the fact that her tastes have really changed. She said she used to eat a lot of fast food and fried foods, but ever since she started eating less but enjoying her healthy food more, she can't really stomach her old way of eating.

When Did Special Treats become the Everyday Norm?

When did it happen? When did we Americans go from an occasional piece of pizza to having multiple slices throughout the week? When did we go from the occasional soda to drinking sugary soft drinks throughout the day? When did we go from a weekly overindulgence, such as a big dinner on Saturday night, to excess food every evening?

When did it happen? When did we Americans go from an occasional piece of pizza to having multiple slices throughout the week? When did we go from the occasional soda to drinking sugary soft drinks throughout the day? When did we go from a weekly overindulgence, such as a big dinner on Saturday night, to excess food every evening?

Planning to Eat More and Gain Weight

I asked Julie what was the hardest part of sticking to her maintenance diet. "I'm just tired of what I'm eating. I want to eat more. I want to eat different things for lunch and dinner. I want to have a glass of wine when I go out with friends and dessert every night. I want to have an afternoon snack, like pretzels or crackers or chips. But I know if I do," she said glumly, "I'll gain weight."

I asked Julie what was the hardest part of sticking to her maintenance diet. "I'm just tired of what I'm eating. I want to eat more. I want to eat different things for lunch and dinner. I want to have a glass of wine when I go out with friends and dessert every night. I want to have an afternoon snack, like pretzels or crackers or chips. But I know if I do," she said glumly, "I'll gain weight."