How Psychology Works ― Theories and Therapies for Everyday Life

Explore the human mind and understand the science behind how people think and act in a wide variety of everyday situations with this brand-new visual guide to applied psychology.

Using straightforward definitions and clear, striking visuals, this book makes the workings of the brain easy to understand and shows what happens when things go wrong, with information on disorders such as anxiety and paranoia, as well as explanations of the different therapies that are used to treat them, from CBT to psychoanalysis, group therapy to art therapy.

How Psychology Works explains hundreds of psychological terms clearly and simply, such as neurosis, psychosis, psychopathy, self-efficacy, flow, human factors, and false memory syndrome. It also includes an introduction to the different approaches psychologists use to understand how we behave and think and a detailed look at how the brain influences behavior and psychological health.

With its combination of bold infographics and clear, easy-to-understand text, this book explores and explains the various approaches that psychologists use to study how people think and behave, such as behaviorism, cognitive psychology, and humanism, and shows how these approaches can be applied to real-world situations. With examples from the workplace to the sports field, the courtroom to the classroom, How Psychology Works shows how psychology plays a huge role in all of our lives and offers a greater understanding of what influences behavior, thoughts, and feelings in a variety of environments and scenarios.

Clinical psychologist Catherine Collin is an associate professor (senior lecturer) in clinical psychology at Plymouth University. She is a chartered psychologist and British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies accredited supervisor and practitioner. Catherine's interests lie in primary care mental health and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Joannah Ginsburg, MSW, LCSW, a clinical psychologist and journalist; works in community treatment centers in New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, and Dallas; and regularly contributes to psychology publications. She is coauthor of This Book Has Issues: Adventures in Popular Psychology.

Merrin Lazyan is a writer, editor, and classical singer who studied psychology at Harvard University and has contributed to several fiction and nonfiction books. Alexandra Black is an international writer on a range of subjects.