Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - CBT is a well researched evidence based talking therapy. The National Institute for Care and Health Excellence (NICE) recommend CBT for the treatment of the following difficulties:

There is also good evidence that CBT can help with the following:

In CBT, we are particularly interested in thoughts (cognitions), feelings and behaviours and believe the way we are thinking impacts on how we are feeling and behaving. We can get trapped in vicious cycles of unhelpful thoughts and behaviours which then impact how we are feeling. CBT helps you identify these cycles, evaluate them and explore if there are alternative more helpful perspectives and behaviours. It is a myth that CBT is just about positive thinking.

CBT is a collaborative therapy, in which the client and therapist work together to develop a shared understanding or formulation of the client's difficulties. This formulation is like a map which helps us understand what is maintaining the difficulties and what factors influenced their development.

Depending on the nature of the difficulties, it may be that factors from our past might be influencing how we are now. If this is the case it may be helpful to spend some time exploring this in order to understand how this affects us and be able to move forward.

CBT is very much about making changes in your life and so early on in treatment you will need to set goals of what you would like to be different in your life. Your individual formulation and goals will be a guide to your treatment strategies. Strategies may include both cognitive and behavioural techniques. In sessions, you will learn new skills and techniques to practice in between sessions to help you work towards your goals.

One of the aims of CBT is for people to learn to become their own therapists. Skills and techniques you will learn in CBT can help you to maintain your mental wellbeing in the future. I can also help you develop a relapse plan to help support you with this.

For more information on CBT please have a look at the BABCP website - https://www.babcp.com/Public/What-is-CBT.aspx