CBT

Understanding Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a psychological treatment that has been shown to improve mental health for people experiencing a wide range of difficulties. It is a dynamic approach that works across cultures, age groups and also supports sexual and gender minority individuals (Martell, 2004). CBT is recommended for people with mental health problems (Compton et al., 2004) and focuses on identifying, evaluating, and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviours.

CBT can also be adapted for people from specific cultural backgrounds or for those with mild learning difficulties. In cases where someone has multiple diagnoses, cognitive restructuring can be combined with exposure therapy to help challenge and correct negative expectations about facing fears. Research shows that cognitive restructuring is effective for many anxiety-related disorders (Safren & Heimberg, 1998).

CBT is a structured, collaborative approach that focuses on the present. It helps individuals manage their own mental health, act as their own therapist, and improve overall wellbeing. It is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) for many emotional health problems.
Although the name “Cognitive Behavioural Therapy” may sound complicated, it is a practical, structured, problem-solving approach. Scientific research has shown it can help with anxiety, post-traumatic stress, obsessive-compulsive disorder, low mood, and depression (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, 2005; Beck, 1993; Hoffman & Smits, 2008). Studies also show that CBT can significantly improve functioning and overall quality of life.

CBT is usually a short-term therapy that focuses on behaviour and thinking patterns. It helps people understand their stressors and think more rationally about the causes of anxiety. Developed by Aaron Beck in the early 1960s, CBT quickly became one of the leading psychological therapies in Western countries, used widely in both mental health and medical practice. Its popularity and effectiveness come from the strong connection between theory and practice, which has been proven in many scientific studies for treating disorders such as depression and anxiety.

How CBT Can Help You

With Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), people can change how they view past and present events and develop strategies to cope with challenging situations. CBT is based on the idea that thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are connected, and by adjusting how we think and act, we can influence how we feel. The therapy recognises that distress often leads to repeating patterns of unhelpful thinking and behaviour, and it helps identify the thoughts and actions that contribute to and maintain difficulties, such as depression. CBT then teaches alternative, more flexible coping strategies, making it a widely recommended and effective approach for a range of mental health challenges.

CBT is generally short-term, with most clients benefiting from 6 to 20 sessions, though long-standing interpersonal or complex issues may require longer-term treatment. The therapy provides insight into specific difficulties and what maintains them and equips people with practical strategies to manage unhelpful thinking and behaviour. This prevents emotional difficulties from holding you back and supports a more satisfying and meaningful life, whether you are struggling with mood, anxiety, stress, or relationship issues.

CBT is a collaborative therapy: you bring your expertise about your own experiences, and the therapist works with you to apply CBT strategies and tools to your difficulties. While it may consider past experiences, the primary focus is on what can be changed in the present. One of CBT’s key strengths is that it empowers you to become your own therapist, giving you the skills to handle future challenges independently. By using cognitive and behavioural techniques, CBT helps you examine thought processes and overcome unhelpful beliefs and patterns that contribute to difficulties.

A strong, collaborative relationship between client and therapist which is built on trust and active engagement is central to CBT’s effectiveness.

Key skills and Goals

Key skills and goals developed through CBT include:

  • Recognising unhelpful thinking patterns and evaluating them against reality
  • Building self-confidence and increasing self-assurance
  • Using problem-solving strategies to manage challenging situations
  • Confronting fears in a structured and safe way
  • Improving understanding of other people’s motivations and behaviours

The difference between CBT and Counselling

Many people confuse counselling with CBT, but they are different approaches. So, what sets them apart? CBT focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful or destructive thought patterns and behaviours, which helps people overcome their mental health difficulties. In contrast, counselling involves listening carefully and empathetically, exploring the causes of mental health issues, and supporting individuals to work through them.

CBT is based on the idea that our thoughts, emotions, and behaviours are interconnected. The way we feel and act is strongly influenced by our thinking. When our thoughts are negative or irrational, they can cause distress and contribute to mental health problems.

Issues treated with CBT

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) was originally developed by Aaron Beck to treat depression, but it has since been expanded to address a wide range of mental health issues. Here are some of the key conditions for which CBT is commonly used:

Depression – CBT is a goal-oriented and effective therapy for all types of depression. It works by reducing negative and destructive thought patterns. Therapists use a combination of cognitive and behavioural techniques to help change unhelpful thinking and improve mood.

Anxiety – CBT for anxiety involves functional analysis, psychoeducation, experimenting with new behaviours and emotional responses (such as relaxation techniques and exposure), and cognitive strategies to manage symptoms. These techniques are often applied to conditions such as Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD).

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – CBT for OCD primarily uses exposure and response prevention. This involves gradually exposing individuals to triggers for their compulsive behaviours while helping them develop coping strategies to manage stress and anxiety.

Phobias – CBT helps develop effective strategies for overcoming phobias. Simple phobias are often treated by gradually exposing you to the source of your fear, a process known as desensitisation or exposure therapy, which helps reduce anxiety over time.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – CBT can be used to address trauma by examining how past traumatic events have influenced thoughts and behaviours. Treatment focuses on changing harmful thought and behaviour patterns to alleviate PTSD symptoms.

Panic Disorder – CBT teaches patients about the causes of panic disorder, helps establish coping strategies for panic attacks and breaks the cycle of anticipatory anxiety, panic episodes, and avoidance behaviours.

Health Anxiety – CBT is effective in managing health anxiety by providing strategies to reduce worry and regain control. Therapists are trained to help individuals understand how thoughts and behaviours affect feelings, enabling better self-management.

Self-Esteem – CBT can improve self-esteem by helping individuals identify and challenge negative thoughts and behaviours that limit their confidence. Therapists work collaboratively to replace self-limiting beliefs with more realistic and constructive ones.

How I might use CBT

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a structured, goal-focused, and time-limited approach. Together, we will stay clear about what we’re working towards, why certain issues are being addressed and the purpose behind trying new behaviours or responses to situations.

I offer CBT as part of a comprehensive therapy plan that includes:

  • A detailed assessment to understand your difficulties
  • Using the CBT framework to make sense of your experiences
  • Setting realistic and achievable goals
  • Teaching practical strategies to manage emotions more effectively
  • Assigning between-session tasks to help you apply new skills in daily life
  • Supporting you in using CBT as a self-help approach once therapy ends

An important part of CBT is relapse prevention, where you will learn and practise techniques to reduce the risk of depression or anxiety returning. We can also arrange a future review session to check your progress and strengthen what you’ve learned.

During our sessions, you will practise ways to manage difficult feelings, consider alternative perspectives, and experiment with new ways of responding. Between sessions, you may work on tasks such as monitoring thoughts, problem-solving, relaxation or breathing exercises, and other activities we agree on.