At the present time "Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies" (CBTs) arguably have the strongest evidence-base for effectiveness with the elderly when considering the wide variety of mental/behavioral disorders experienced by this population. It seemed to us that the "time had come" for this information to be shared with the larger community of mental health practitioners working with older adults. We would like to express our sincere appreciation to Antoinette Zeiss, Ph.D., whose vision for this book was what really initiated this project. Dr. Zeiss, past president of ABCT, is a psychologist who is well known for strongly promoting the dissemination of evidence-based and empirically supported mental health treatments. Unfortunately, due to her current pressing employment commitments, she was not able to continue with the project, but her inspiration and support have been there for us throughout this process. We would also like to give special acknowledgement to Peter Lewinsohn, Ph.D. University of Oregon and Aaron T. Beck, M.D. University of Pennsylvania, for their mentoring during the early years of the CBTs, and for their conceptual and empirical contributions that have provided a rational and generative foundation for the range of useful CBT modifications subsequently developed, many of which are represented in this book. Knowing these individuals personally, learning from them, and maintaining positive relationships with them over the years, have greatly enhanced our expertise in this field. We also wish to thank the authors for their enthusiasm about this project, and for sharing their wisdom and practical experience with all of us. Lastly, we wish to acknowledge our patients, from whom we have learned so much over the years, and our many other colleagues whose collaborations and lively discussions have informed our clinical thinking and practice. It is our sincere hope that this book will address many current gaps in the treatment of late-life mental health issues of older adults, and that it will "stand the test of time" in its usefulness to the field.
