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The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Workbook For Leaders

How Improving Your Mental Health Is Essential to Avoiding Burnout and Leading More Effectively

A powerful, first-of-its-kind, evidence-based guide to help you manage stress, show up as your best self, and lead more effectively—even under intense pressure.

What You'll Learn

Recognize how your mental health directly shapes your leadership; even subtle issues—like boredom, workaholism, or poor work-life balance—along with more intense struggles such as anger, depression, or relationship strain, can quietly erode leadership quality and decision-making.
Navigate the unique psychological challenges of leadership; learn to identify the emotional toll leadership takes—professionally and personally—and develop practical tools to manage stress, conflict, and self-doubt with composure and clarity.
Apply proven CBT techniques to boost emotional resilience; master evidence-based tools such as identifying and correcting cognitive distortions to improve mood, reduce anxiety, and even enhance sleep in the short term.
Use DBT skills to reconnect with your values and boundaries; explore evidence-based practices like value alignment and mindfulness to limit workaholism, strengthen work–life balance, and lead with authenticity.
Build lasting habits for mental and leadership growth; Just a few minutes of daily practice can help you regain control over your mental health—and become the respected and effective leader you aspire to be.

An illustration of a ladder, representing professional growth.

Publication date

January 2, 2026

Format

Paperback and Digital

Publisher

New Harbinger Publications

Print Length

196 pages

Praise

"The CBT Workbook for Leaders is an 'essential' resource for all leaders. It provides leaders with support for a range of issues (eg. burnout, sleep, anxiety, anger, work-life balance, etc.) which are intrinsic problems which confront all leaders. The book fills a significant gap in the literature, the 'personal care of our leaders' in all walks of life. It is a 'must buy', for anybody in any kind of leadership role. Take the workout, you won't regret it!”

Professor Sir Cary Cooper, CBE
Professor of Organizational Psychology & Health, ALLIANCE Manchester Business School, Chair of the National Forum for Health & Wellbeing at Work & co-author of *Healthy High Performance: Unlocking Employee Wellbeing* (Routledge, 2025).

"To lead and care for others, you must first care for yourself. The Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Workbook for Leaders is an effective resource for all leaders. In business, ‘shit happens’ and many leaders are ill equipped to deal with the challenges this puts on them, both personally and professionally. This book provides essential tools for all leaders to balance between a High Performance and High Care culture.”

Calvin McDonald
Executive Officer of lululemon athletica inc.

"The greatest leaders I've worked with that excel in high pressure, high impact roles relentlessly pursue the wellbeing AND performance of their team (and themselves) to be able to sustain this over the long haul. This book provides an excellent evidence-based roadmap to accomplish this.“

Erica Wiebe MBA
Olympic Champion in Freestyle Wrestling, TedX speaker, and Manager, Canadian Olympic Committee

"This outstanding workbook offers solid psychological guidance for leaders in relation to their work and life. Throughout the workbook, the authors thoughtfully and purposefully weave theory, research, and practical guidelines. The reader is challenged to work at and use their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors as personal assets in their leadership roles. I recommend this workbook to leaders in sport organizations, business entities, health care, and educational systems.”

Charles A Maher, PsyD, CMPC, FAASP
Sport and Performance Psychologist, Cleveland Guardians Baseball, Professor Emeritus of Applied Psychology Rutgers University, author of Consulting in Sport Psychology

"This workbook brings cognitive behavioral principles into the real world of leadership—skillfully going beyond mental health into issues of performance, stress resilience, and communication in the workplace. Rooted in classical CBT, it also reflects the spirit of newer developments—mindfulness, values, and emotional flexibility—but without straying from its strong evidence-based foundation. A practical, science-informed guide for those who want to lead with psychological insight and behavioral skill. Highly recommended."

Steven C. Hayes, PhD
Foundation Professor Emeritus of Psychology, University of Nevada, Reno and author of "A Liberated Mind"

"Leaders are more successful when they can effectively manage their own emotions and those of others, and this book is one of the best ways for leaders to learn how to do so. It draws on state-of-the-art techniques that have been rigorously evaluated; and with many excellent case studies and exercises, as well as lucid prose, the authors show how leaders can use these techniques to thrive."

Cary Cherniss, PhD
Emeritus Professor of Applied Psychology, Rutgers University, and co-author of Optimal: How to Sustain Personal and Organizational Excellence Every Day

"Julian Barling and Simon Rego’s The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Workbook for Leaders is a concise, evidence-based guide that empowers leaders to manage stress, enhance decision-making, and foster resilience through CBT techniques. Its practical exercises are grounded in psychological rigor, offering actionable strategies for navigating leadership challenges. While very insightful, it also demands commitment to self-reflection. A must-read for leaders seeking mental clarity and emotional intelligence in high-pressure environments."

Juggy Sihota
Senior Vice President - TELUS

"The best leaders, first and foremost, are emotionally healthy humans. Healthy leaders foster more dynamic, thriving organizations. “The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Workbook for Leaders” provides a comprehensive, evidence-based (utilizing CBT, DBT, and ACT) guide for those in charge to overcome mental health challenges and thrive in their leadership roles. An indispensable resource for leaders in every field.”

Matthew McKay, PhD
Co-author of “Thoughts & Feelings” and “The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook”

"As a former student of Professor Barling, I always valued his incisive approach to leadership. This workbook profoundly applies that rigor to mental health, something that we need to pay more attention to in executive ranks. It's a vital guide for leaders navigating today's complex landscape, offering evidence-based tools to cultivate resilience and drive positive change.”

Steven Goldbach
Sustainability and Infrastructure Practice Leader, Deloitte US

"Barling and Rego combine their decades of expertise beautifully synthesizing key principles of leadership with evidence-based mental health strategies. This practical and engaging workbook helps leaders prioritize their own mental health and supplies them with easy-to-apply skills and strategies from CBT, DBT and ACT, to effectively manage a range of challenging emotions and behaviors that impact both their work and personal lives. It's a must-read for current and future leaders!”

Dr. Alec L. Miller
Co-Founder of Cognitive & Behavioral Consultants, LLP, and Co-Founder of the Access Psychology Foundation

"As leaders, the way we think shapes the way we lead. The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Workbook for Leaders is a powerful, practical guide that helps you master your mindset, reframe challenges, and bring out the best in yourself and your team. If you’re serious about growing as a leader this book is a must-read.”

Jairek Robbins
Performance Coach & Bestselling Author