Aaron Beck, MD

Aaron T. Beck, MD, was University Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and President Emeritus of the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy. Widely regarded as the father of cognitive therapy and cognitive behavior therapy, Beck transformed the understanding and treatment of depression, anxiety, suicide, personality disorders, schizophrenia, and other psychiatric conditions through research on the role of thoughts, beliefs, and cognitive processes in emotional distress. He authored or co-authored 25 books and published more than 600 scientific articles, and his work helped establish CBT as one of the most widely practiced evidence-based psychotherapies in the world. In his later career, Beck and colleagues developed Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy, an approach designed to help people with serious mental health conditions access strengths, goals, motivation, and meaningful community life. His honors included the 2006 Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research, the National Academy of Medicine’s Lienhard Award, the Kennedy Community Mental Health Award, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness Lifetime Achievement Award.