Chairwork in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: A Narrative Review

Chairwork represents an assembly of versatile experiential interventions which have been incorporated into many evidence-based psychotherapies. This narrative review explores the applications, efficacy and mechanisms of action of chairwork techniques utilised in cognitive and behavioural therapies. Relevant literature was acquired through research database searches and manual reviews of leading cognitive behavioural manuals. The clinical literature indicates that chairwork has multifarious applications in second-wave, third-wave and integrative cognitive therapies, and provides a powerful medium within which the tasks of CBT can be achieved. Preliminary research also suggests that chairwork is an effective therapeutic technique although limited evidence currently exists for its efficacy in CBT. Based upon these findings, and drawing upon theories of cognitive science, possible mechanisms of action underlying chairwork in CBT are presented. Preliminary guidelines for implementing cognitive behavioural chairwork and future directions for research are proposed.