CBT: From American Innovation to European Therapeutic “Monoculture”?—Transatlantic Transfer of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and its British Afterlife

This article critically examines the historical, philosophical, and socio-political trajectory of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), tracing its evolution from a distinctly American psychological innovation to its hegemonic institutionalization in the United Kingdom. It situates CBT within three successive “waves” and highlights its philosophical roots in American empiricism, pragmatism, and individualism. The analysis underscores CBT’s compatibility with neoliberal ideals, particularly its emphasis on personal responsibility, cost-effectiveness, and quantifiable outcomes. Through a socio-historical lens, the article explores CBT’s transatlantic transmission into the UK, detailing its development through academic institutions, government-backed initiatives such as IAPT, and policy frameworks like NICE. It further contrasts the British embrace of CBT with the more resistant reception in France, underscoring how national intellectual traditions and political cultures mediate therapeutic adoption. The article also assesses the philosophical and methodological critiques surrounding CBT’s dominance, including concerns about therapeutic monoculture, reductionism, and the marginalization of alternative approaches. Finally, it explores emerging trends such as third-wave and process-based therapies, arguing that CBT’s structured and protocol-driven nature makes it particularly adaptable to contemporary challenges, including the digitalization of mental healthcare. The study offers a timely reflection on how psychotherapy practices become entangled with broader epistemological, political, and cultural forces.