The THINK BOOK: An interactive CBT workbook / lapbook

The Think Book is a mini-lapbook / workbook for children who are receiving CB (cognitive behavioral) treatment. The purpose of the Think Book is to support the children in applying cognitive-behavioral strategies in their daily lives. Even for children who easily grasp CBT concepts while working with their clinician, it can be a huge challenge to apply those concepts in the midst of upsetting events in their day-to-day lives. The Think Book provides an interactive, hands-on tool that helps the child to recall and utilize CB strategies. When something upsetting has happened–whether at home, in the classroom, in the car, or on the playgrouond–the Think Book can provide scaffolding to help the child slow down and process their reactions in a thoughtful and productive way. Think of the book as CBT-to-go!

Workbooks (or worksheets) are often included in CB treatment as a way for clients to reinforce concepts and practice strategies. But let’s face it–workbooks can be a bit on the boring side (and perhaps too much like school work for child clients.) A lap book is an engaging alternative to a workbook. The Think Book is a lap book designed especially for children who are receiving CBT.

Advantages of the Think Book over traditional CBT workbooks:
● Because the Think Book is three-dimensional (with folding parts and pockets filled with cards) it is more engaging and appealing than a traditional CBT workbook or worksheets.
● The layout is very intuitive, making the complex process of cognitive-emotional awareness easier for the child to navigate.
● Rather than having the child complete pages in a workbook, the writing is done on small cards, so the lap book itself can be used again and again.
● The written components (cards) are varied and also easy to complete, making it more likely that a child will persevere in completing the tasks. (Only one of the cards requires writing a complete sentence; the others require drawing faces and writing feeling words, coloring in a “stressometer,” and completing a simple checklist.
● The completed cards can be kept on file as a record of the child’s progress.
● Creating a THINK Book is relatively low-cost, requiring only file folders, tape, glue and copies of the graphics in this volume.
● The THINK Book can be used in group (or family) sessions, with each person completing his or her own set of cards.
● The THINK Book provides an excellent way for the child to explain CB concepts to parents and/or school staff.
● The THINK Book is very portable: it be taken in the classroom or carried in a book sack and used as the need arises.
● The THINK Book is more than just a workbook for practicing CB strategies. It’s a hands-on tool that can be used by the child as an aid to self-calming. It provides scaffolding that helps the child put into practice the concepts learned in CB treatment.
● Because the THINK Book is low cost and easy to make, the child could have multiple copies for different households, for the classroom, etc.
● A Think Book can be created at any time during the treatment process, even as part of the termination process, as a way of reviewing progress and providing a concrete reminder of what has been achieved.