Introduction

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the big success stories of contemporary psychology. The most recent development in the United Kingdom (UK) is a very clear example of the enormous influence CBT has gained. In October 2007, the UK Health Secretary announced that the UK will spend £300 million ($600 million) to initiate a six-year program with the goal of providing people with psychological problems, such as anxiety disorders and depression, with better access to empirically supported therapies, especially CBT. The plan is to train a total of 8,000 new therapists in these evidence-based interventions for depression and anxiety disorders. This change in healthcare delivery was based on economic data showing that provision of CBT for common mental disorders is more cost efficient than pharmacotherapy or other interventions (for more information). Similarly, the Australian government recommended in 1996 the provision of CBT and introduced a plan to provide better access to these services.