Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

This is the approach now recommended by GPs and throughout the NHS as it has been scientifically proved to be an effective treatment option.

CBT looks primarily at:

• how you think about yourself, the world and other people
• how what you do affects your thoughts and feelings

CBT works with you to modify your thinking ("Cognitive") and what you do ("Behaviour)". These changes can help you to feel better. Unlike some of the other talking treatments, it focuses on the "here and now" problems and difficulties. Instead of focusing on the root causes of your distress or symptoms in the past, it looks for ways to improve your state of mind now.

It has been found to be helpful for many problems and issues such as: Anxiety, Stress, Depression, Assertiveness, Panic attacks, Low self esteem, Agoraphobia and other phobias, Social phobia, Social Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive compulsive disorder, Post traumatic stress disorder, Confidence Building

How does it work?

CBT can help you to make sense of overwhelming problems by breaking them down into smaller parts. This makes it easier to see how they are connected and how they affect you.

CBT looks at:

• situation/event
• thoughts
• feelings
• physical symptoms
• reactions/behaviours

For example, a situation occurs which is problematic or difficult for you. Your thoughts about it may cause you to feel angry or upset, this in turn may lead to feeling physically sick or tense, you may then react by withdrawing and feeling bad about yourself or alternatively lashing out verbally or physically and this will then lead to a chain of events that far outweighs the original problematic event.

By learning to understand yourself better you will begin to notice what triggers upsets for you and how to avoid them.

How you think about a problem can affect how you feel physically and emotionally. It can also alter what you do about it. There are helpful and unhelpful ways of reacting to most situations, depending on how you think about them.

Homework is quite a big part of cognitive therapy so it works well for people that want change and are prepared to put in the work.

CBT can be very effective for most problems and issues and is particularly helpful for people that have negative thinking or keep repeating life patterns.

I am a CBT trained counsellor and can work in this way if appropriate to your needs.

If you are particularly interested in this specific approach then please contact me to discuss.

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