Abstract
While we now have a strong evidence base for cognitive behaviour therapy in managing mental health problems, the challenge is to disseminate it into real-world settings. Two dissemination approaches exist: the dominant ‘research to practice’ model, a linear sequence, taking interventions from the research laboratory and overcoming barriers so as to apply them in the real world and a more collaborative approach, in which researchers work together with clinicians and patients to adapt existing treatments for real-world settings. This article provides a detailed example of a collaborative approach to adapting cognitive behaviour therapy, by developing a very brief mental health intervention for patients in a primary-care (family doctor) setting.