Abstract
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Although emotions have always been significant in the application of cognitive-behavioral therapies in mental health settings, feelings have not traditionally received much emphasis. This book provides an overview of the psychology of subjective feelings from the perspective of therapeutic change. It argues that clients seek psychotherapy on account of distressing feelings driving undesirable action tendencies and employing cognitive and behavioral avoidance strategies providing initial relief, but which are ultimately dysfunctional. The book links the early conditioning and learning foundations of behavior therapy to currently popular versions of cognitive-behavioral therapy, confirming the importance of models of emotion competence and emotion regulation. The connections between different elements of affective experience—feelings, moods, likes/dislikes, and attitudes—are analyzed to show their underlying commonalities and influences on past and present thoughts and behaviors. The development of children’s feelings, the importance of basic concepts of pleasure, approach, and avoidance, the role of triggers and urges, as well as the conundrum of having feelings about feelings, are all considered. The book is not a technical manual. It provides both trainee therapists and more experienced practicing psychologists with the essential coverage of how feelings are influenced to foster their incorporation in routine clinical treatments. Physiological underpinnings of subjective feelings are relevant, and the importance of research in affective neuroscience being linked to personality, development, and other psychological domains is affirmed. Early experiences, learning opportunities, powerful social and cultural influences, provide the explanatory context for enhancing positive feelings and reducing negative ones in clinical practice.</jats:p>