Review of the Book “ Embodied Hot Cognitive Vulnerability to Emotional Disorders . From Theory to Treatment ” , written by Alexandru Tiba

This review presents a book that brings a fresh perspective on emotional disorders. The author of the book starts from renowned models in psychological counseling and psychotherapy and identifies the need for a different focus on factors that lead to vulnerability, namely the embodied hot cognition. Each chapter of the book carefully indicates the current state of research in the field (hot cognitions, distorted hot cognition, stress-related neuroadaptations, disturbed motivation, irrational beliefs), including recent neuropsychological findings. The final chapter presents an evidence-based treatment of emotional disorders. The book could be challenging for the beginners in psychological counseling, but also a delight for professionals in this field.

Book review of "Embodied hot cognitive vulnerability to emotional disorders. From theory to treatment." 266 Psychological Thought 2021, Vol. 14(1), 265-268 South-West University "Neofit Rilski" https://doi.org/10.37708/psyct.v14i1.608 The book focuses on a new way of understanding and treating the vulnerability to emotional disorders. Although this direction has emerged in the last couple of decades, the description of cognitive appraisals from an embodied perspective received less attention (Tiba, 2020). So, the book offers a fresh view on the psychological treatment of emotional disorders.
Starting from renowned models that focus on the relations between cognition, emotion and behavior (e.g., the Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy -REBT), the author searched for processes identified in affective neurosciences that in fact are considered vulnerability factors in psychological treatment. As a result, he concludes that rigid appraisals (i.e., the tendency to claim that life should go on as desired despite adversities) are core psychological vulnerabilities to emotional disorders and he suggests a new line of guidance for psychological interventions. This new perspective could impact the way medication is described and the way future interventions will be carried out.
In the first chapter of the book, Tiba identifies the need for a fresh view on vulnerability to emotional disorders. The second chapter is dedicated to a comprehensive description of hot cognitions (i.e., cognitions influenced by emotions or cognitive processes that result in emotion, for example evaluating a stimulus as bad for the person) and their importance for psychotherapy; previous theories on this topic are presented, together with a large body of complex research that offer a strong empirical support for embodied hot cognitions and the importance of language in controlling embodied emotional stimulations.
Chapter three discusses the topic of distorted hot cognition, describing a revised ABC model and the connection with disturbed emotions. Catastrophizing, criticism, frustration and emotional intolerance are presented, together with their neurologic basis.
Chapter four focuses on embodying hot cognition in stress-related neuroadaptations, bringing advanced evidence-based conclusions from the field of neuropsychology. The author emphasizes that cognition plays an important role in the process of neuroadaptation during the development and "destruction" of emotional experience.
In Chapter five, the embodying rigid motivational appraisals are presented, together with empirical arguments, because "disturbed motivation is a central symptom of emotional disorders" (Tiba, 2020, p. 81). Again, a special attention is dedicated to the biologic basis of motivational processes. Demandingness is identified as an embodied rigid motivational appraisal. The author conceived this book in a logical manner, starting from the need for a new understanding of emotional disorders, continuing with a detailed description of the new concepts, including their connections with traditional models, and finishing with offering a viable solution that he already uses in his private practice.

Drugaș, Marius
The book presents a solid evidence-based treatment for emotional disorders. State-of-the-art research in the field of neuropsychology is presented to support each general idea presented in each chapter, making it a little difficult for the beginner in psychological counseling or psychotherapy, but a real delight for the researcher and practitioner in this domain.

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