What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)?

CBT is a talking therapy, based on scientific principles and backed by strong research evidence.  Its primary principle is the relationship that exists between how we think, feel and behave and how when problems occur in one of these areas a vicious circle can develop and a problem can result. Very often it’s the interpretations we make of events that sets off the vicious circle.  This then becomes reinforced and a biased way of thinking about yourself, other people and the world can develop.

In essence, how we think affects how feel and what we do, which can then affect how we feel and reinforce an original unhelpful thought and way of thinking.

It is a structured, goal orientated therapy that aims to provide you with the tools to overcome your difficulty and manage future ones.  It does this through empowering you to draw on and develop psychological and practical skills and techniques discovered collaboratively with your therapist.

Problems are drawn out, or formulated, into pictures of the relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviours.  Where helpful, we can look to past experiences to inform problem development, but this is not always necessary.  What is discovered in therapy can then be tested and practised out of sessions as homework tasks.

Assessment & Treatment

Your first appointment will be an assessment of your difficulty and will usually take one hour.  If we agree together that CBT would be the right approach for you, we will identify a target number of sessions that are subject to review.

Sessions will be structured and focused on reaching goals set during assessment so you can achieve the best treatment results.  Out of session tasks (homework) are a very important aspect of this therapy.  These tasks will generally be information gathering to inform the original assessment, tasks designed to change thinking and behaviours and practising new helpful ones.  All these tasks help you on your way to becoming your own therapist!

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommend CBT for the treatment of anxiety and depression. Check out the “problems” tab …………. see the difficulties I may be able to help you with.   Please feel free to contact me without any obligation if you wish to find out any further information or discuss what you would like help with in confidence.

Further information about CBT can be sourced at the following websites: