This first person account of a clinical psychologist's work is a guide to the use of cognitive techniques with seriously mentally ill clients. Although it is written in nontechnical language accessible to the beginning therapist, it includes enough detailed material about the unusual thinking of seriously ill clients to expand the repertoire of the experienced therapist as well. It covers a wide range of possible applications-from individual sessions to alleviate the desperation of hospitalized patients, to the development of group preventive workshops and psychoeducational tools using interactive media.