Blending the Good With the Bad: Integrating Positive Psychology and Cognitive Psychotherapy

The deficit model in clinical psychology is important, but has missed critical opportunities that have been brought to light by the emergence of positive psychology. By focusing on sources of strength and resilience, positive psychology can add new perspectives to ideas about dysfunctional behavior, and has important implications for the theory and practice of cognitive therapies. This special issue of the Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy reflects the growing recognition of the importance of positive psychology. The articles in this special issue present an array of topics that blend positive psychology with cognitive therapy in ways that are articulate and insightful. Taken together, these articles suggest that the yield of positive psychology and cognitive therapies may well exceed that of either alone.