About Us
The people behind the MindOverMood.com website are Christine A. Padesky, PhD and Kathleen A. Mooney, PhD.
In April 1983, Padesky and Mooney developed and founded the Center for Cognitive Therapy after Dr. Aaron T. Beck, MD (the founder of cognitive therapy) asked them to open a therapy and training center in Southern California. The Center was in Newport Beach from 1983-2000. In November 2000, they relocated to their present site in Huntington Beach.
On September 29, 1999, the www.MindOverMood.com website was launched. It is specifically designed for the public and provides mental health education and resources which are consistent with evidence-based psychotherapy practices as taught in the bestselling CBT workbook Mind Over Mood, Second Edition.
In December 2016, they ceased client services to focus on Cognitive Behavior Therapy consultation and education for mental health professionals through their Padesky.com website and YouTube channel.
Christine A. Padesky, PhD
Kathleen A. Mooney, PhD
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT THE CENTER FOR COGNITIVE THERAPY
Christine A. Padesky, PhD
- Google Scholar Profile
- Co-Founder, Center for Cognitive Therapy in 1983
- Licensed psychologist in California since 1982 (CA license PSY7635)
- Distinguished Founding Fellow of the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (A-CBT)
- Certified cognitive therapist through the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (A-CBT)
- Fellow, Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT)
- Visiting Professor with the School of Psychology, University of East London (UEL) – 2022
- Co-author of the best-selling self-help book, Mind Over Mood: Change How You Feel by Changing the Way You Think which has sold 1,200,000 copies in in 23 languages
- Author of eight professional books and dozens of professional articles and book chapters
- Consultant to mental health clinics, hospital programs, and educational video projects
- Consultant to the Cognitive Therapy Unit at Mesa Vista Hospital in San Diego which was the first inpatient cognitive therapy unit west of the Mississippi River
- One of the most prominent instructors of cognitive therapy worldwide. Early in her career she taught over 25 workshops with Dr. Aaron T. Beck, founder of cognitive therapy. Since then, over 45,000 mental health professionals have attended her workshops.
- Internationally recognized among mental health professionals as a creative innovator and leader in cognitive therapy practice and teaching
- Founding Member of the World Aging and Brain Health Institute (WABHI). The Institute consists of prominent international leaders and researchers, whose research contributions provided the inspiration and academic substance behind the Fountain of Health Initiative for Optimal Aging.
- Appearances or primary roles in more than a dozen film, video and television projects including PBS psychology telecourses; educational films for both public and professional audiences
- Frequent interviews in the print media: women’s magazines, teen magazines, health magazines, and major newspapers
- Cognitive therapist since 1978
- President, International Association for Cognitive Psychotherapy (IACP), 1995-1998
- Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the University of California, Irvine (1998-2003)
- B.A. Yale University 1974; M.A. University of California, Los Angeles 1975; Ph.D. University of California, Los Angeles 1981
Books (Padesky)
- Dialogues for Discovery: Improving Psychotherapy’s Effectiveness edited by Christine A. Padesky and Helen Kennerley. Oxford University Press (in press).
- The Clinician’s Guide to CBT Using Mind Over Mood (2nd edition) by Christine A. Padesky with Dennis Greenberger (Guilford Press, 2020)
- Mind Over Mood, 2nd Edition: Change How You Feel by Changing the Way You Think by Dennis Greenberger and Christine A. Padesky (Guilford Press, 2015)
- Mind Over Mood (1st Edition) by Dennis Greenberger and Christine A. Padesky (Guilford Press, 1995)
- Clinician’s Guide to Mind Over Mood (1st Edition) by Christine A. Padesky with Dennis Greenberger Guilford Press, 1995)
- Collaborative Case Conceptualization: Working Effectively with Clients in CBT by Willem Kuyken, Christine A. Padesky, and Robert Dudley (Guilford Press, 2009)
- Cognitive Therapy of Personality Disorders (2nd edition) by Beck, Freeman, Davis, and Associates (Guilford Press, 2003)
- Cognitive Therapy with Couples by Frank Datillio and Christine A. Padesky (Professional Resource Exchange, 1990)
Awards (Padesky)
- 2022: Appointed as Visiting Professor with the School of Psychology, University of East London (UEL). Acknowledging the contribution you have made to UEL. “We really appreciate your valuable contribution to our students through previous invited talks. These have enriched the learning environment through providing direct access to your world-leading professional and practical expertise and experience.” (Professor Ian Tucker)
- 2017: Elected Honorary Fellow of the British Association of Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies.
- 2016: The second edition of Mind Over Mood received second place in the American Journal of Nursing (AJN), 2016 Book of the Year Awards, in the Consumer Health category. The Book of the Year Awards are defined as “the most valuable texts of 2016, as chosen by AJN’s panel of judges.”
- 2007: Recipient Aaron T. Beck Award from the Academy of Cognitive Therapy (now called the Lifetime Achievement Award from The Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies). The award is presented each year to an individual who has made significant and enduring contributions to the field of cognitive and behavioral therapies.
- 2007: Recipient Aaron T. Beck Award from the Aaron T. Beck Institute for Cognitive Studies at Assumption College (www.assumption.edu)
- 2007: Recipient 24th Annual Feldman Lecture, Grey Nuns Community Hospital, Edmonton, Canada (www.feldmanlecture.ca): “A New Paradigm for Cognitive Therapy of Personality Disorders.” The Feldman Lecture Series was created in 1983 and has been offered for over 30 years. It was made possible as a result of a generous donation from Zane Feldman, former President of the Edmonton Oil Kings and recipient of the Order of Canada Medal in 1992.
- 2003: Recipient of the “Distinguished Contribution to Psychology” award from the California Psychological Association: The Distinguished Contribution to Psychology award honors a psychologist or non-psychologist who has improved the image of psychology by increasing the public’s understanding of the discipline and/or the profession of psychology. This award is open to all Californians and is intended to promote good will and broader understanding of the field. The person nominated might be a writer (both print and electronic), teacher, manager/administrator, health professional, mental health advocate or the like. The important factor is that the public’s understanding and awareness of psychology is increased in some significant way by the nominee’s contribution.
- 2002: Named the “Most Influential International Cognitive Behavioural Therapist” by the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies
- 2002: the British Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Psychotherapy named Mind Over Mood: Change How You Feel by Changing the Way You Think the most influential cognitive therapy book of all time
Kathleen A. Mooney, PhD
- Google Scholar Profile
- Co-Founder, Center for Cognitive Therapy in 1983
- Licensed psychologist in California since 1990 (CA license PSY11811)
- Over 25 years of clinical experience and highly specialized training in cognitive therapy
- Founding Fellow of the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (A-CBT)
- Certified cognitive therapist through the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (A-CBT)
- Fellow, Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT)
- Clinical specialties include anxiety, health worries, work pressures, relationship issues, stress, lesbian & gay issues, panic attacks, and problem-solving
- Worked in an emergency inpatient psychiatric ward, outpatient community clinic, physical medicine & rehabilitation ward, a family medicine setting, and at the Center for Cognitive Therapy
- Conducts cognitive therapy workshops for mental health professionals in Canada, England, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Scotland, Sweden, The Netherlands and the United States on anxiety, personality disorders, complex issues, relationship issues, therapist beliefs, creativity and resilience
- Co-produces cognitive therapy audio and video training materials for mental health professionals
- Designs and manages two web sites, one exclusively for mental health professionals (www.Padesky.com) and one for the general public (www.MindOverMood.com)
- Volunteer webmaster and website designer for the Lawrence County Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania (www.LawrenceCHS.com and www.LawrenceCHS.org)
- 2025-03: Appointed as a Director Emerita to the Board of the Lawrence County Historical Society
- B.A. Case Western Reserve University, Flora Stone Mather College, 1968; M.A. California School of Professional Psychology, 1984; Ph.D. California School of Professional Psychology, 1988.
Publications (Mooney)
- Padesky, C. A. & Mooney, K.A. (2012). Strengths-based Cognitive- Behavioural Therapy: A four-step model to build resilience. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 19 (4), 283-90.
- Mooney, K.A. & Padesky, C.A. (2004). Construindo Possibilidades e Tolerando a Dúvida e a Ambiguidade. In: Knapp, Paulo (Ed). Terapia cognitivo-comportamental na pratica, pp 496-507. Porto Alegre: Artmed [Translation of 2000 article].
- Mooney, K.A. & Padesky, C.A. (2000). Applying client creativity to recurrent problems: Constructing possibilities and tolerating doubt. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy: An International Quarterly, 14 (2), 149-161.
- Persons, J. B., Mooney, K. A., & Padesky, C. A. (1995). Interrater reliability of cognitive-behavioral case formulations. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 19 (1) 21-34.
- Padesky, C.A., & Mooney, K.A. (1991). Clinical tip: Presenting the cognitive model to clients. International Cognitive Therapy Newsletter, 6, 13-14.
Web, PowerPoint & Media (Mooney)
- 1989-current: Designer & developer of PowerPoint CBT presentations (originally developed in Microsoft Publisher).
- 1989-current: Designer & developer of Digital Padesky (formerly known as Cognitive Therapy Training on Disc™). Audio and Video CBT training exclusively for mental health professionals.
- 1998-current: Designer & developer of www.padesky.com. A website exclusively for Mental Health Professionals.
- 1999-current: Designer & developer of www.MindOverMood.com. A website for the Public.
- 2008-current: Redesign & maintenance of www.LawrenceCHS.org. A nonprofit 501(c)(3) historical society in Western Pennsylvania.
- 2007-current: Designer & developer of www.Store.Padesky.com. A web store exclusively for Mental Health Professionals.
- 2010-current: Design & develop YouTube videos featuring CBT.
- 2010-current: Design Twitter / X account for padesky.com.
- 2019-current: Design & develop webpages and videos for PopUpCBT.com and their YouTube and Instagram accounts.
Photo credits: Copyright Kathleen Mooney. All rights reserved.
Center for Cognitive Therapy
Huntington Beach, California
- WE NO LONGER PROVIDE CLIENT SERVICES (since December 2016)
- Use our Find a CBT Therapist webpage and read helpful information on how to find a CBT therapist
- For mental health professionals and students in a mental health field, we offer CBT Training Resources. Visit our website exclusively for Mental Health Professionals at https://www.padesky.com/
- We provide Consultation to Licensed Mental Health Professinals. For information about our consultation services, visit: https://www.padesky.com/cbt-consultation/
