Psychology Biographies
Aaron Beck
1921 -
Aaron Beck was born in Providence, Rhode Island. He completed hi undergraduate studies
at Brown University and received his M.D. in Psychiatry at Yale University in 1946. He was
initially trained as a psychoanalyst and conducted research on the psychoanalytic
treatment of depression. With out the strong ability to collect data to this end, he began
exploring cognitive approaches to treatment.
During these experiments, Beck identified patterns of thinking that correlated with
symptoms of depression. In an effort to better understand depression and related illness,
he developed the Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Scale for
Suicide Ideation. Beck is best known for his cognitive approach to the treatment of
disorders, especially depression, and for doing much of the initial research on the theory that
distorted or inaccurate thoughts are a precursor in the development and maintenance of
depression.
Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research
The Beck Institute, under the leadership of its President, the founder of Cognitive
Therapy (frequently referred to as "Cognitive Behavior Therapy"), Aaron T. Beck,
M.D., University Professor of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of
Medicine, and Director Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., Clinical Associate Professor of
Psychology in Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, has various cognitive
therapy / cognitive-behavior therapy training programs for mental health and medical
professionals who work in outpatient, inpatient, academic, or research settings.
Beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels are offered.
Biography of Dr. Aaron T. Beck
Aaron T. Beck, M.D., is the President of the non-profit Beck Institute for Cognitive
Therapy and Research, and University Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at the
University of Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of Brown University (1942) and
Yale Medical School (1946). Dr. Beck developed cognitive therapy in the early
1960s as a psychiatrist at the University of Pennsylvania. He had previously
studied and practiced psychoanalysis. A researcher and scientist at heart, Dr. Beck
designed and carried out a number of experiments to test psychoanalytic concepts
of depression. Fully expecting research would validate these fundamental precepts,
he was surprised to find the opposite. This research led him to begin to look for
other ways of conceptualizing depression. Working with depressed patients, he
found that they experienced streams of negative thoughts that seemed to pop up
spontaneously. He termed these cognitions “automatic thoughts,” and discovered
that their content fell into three categories: negative ideas about themselves, the
world and the future. He began helping patients identify and evaluate these
thoughts and found that by doing so, patients were able to think more realistically,
which led them to feel better emotionally and behave more functionally.
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Since that time, Dr. Beck and his colleagues worldwide have researched the
efficacy of this form of psychotherapy in treating a wide variety of disorders
including depression, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, drug abuse, anxiety
disorders, personality disorders, and many medical conditions with psychological
components. Some of his most recent work has focused on cognitive therapy for
schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder and for patients who are repeat
suicide attempters
The recipient of numerous awards and honorary degrees, Dr. Beck is the only
psychiatrist to receive research awards from both the American Psychological
Association and the American Psychiatric Association. He is also a senior
member of the Institute of Medicine and a recipient of the 2003 Sarnat
International Award in Mental Health and the 2004 Grawemeyer Award for his
role as “a revolutionary in psychology”. Dr. Beck has published over 450
articles, authored or co-authored seventeen books, and lectured throughout the
world. He has been named one of the “ten individuals who shaped the face of
American Psychiatry”1 and one of the “ten most influential psychotherapists of all
time” by The American Psychologist (July 1989).
Dr. Beck is the Honorary President of the non-profit Academy of Cognitive
Therapy, an organization of over 500 cognitive therapists worldwide. As part
of its mission, the Academy supports continuing education and research in
cognitive therapy, provides a valuable resource in cognitive therapy for
professionals and the public at large, and actively works towards the identification
and certification of clinicians skilled in cognitive therapy.
Among his many activities, Dr. Beck is currently involved in a number of research
studies at Penn, and conducts biweekly Case Conferences at Beck Institute for area
psychiatric residents, graduate students, and mental health professionals.
1
Talbott, J.A. (2002). Dix Personalité Qui Ont Changé le Visage de la Psychiatric Américaine. L’Information Psychiatrique, 78(7),
667-675.
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Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research
One Belmont Avenue, Suite 700
Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004-1610
Phone: 610-664-3020
Fax: 610-664-4437
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Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
