What is Cognitive Behaviour Therapy?

Cognitive behaviour therapy [CBT] is based on the notion that the way a person thinks about a situation, influences how they feel and behave.

CBT can help people to identify and challenge their thoughts and behaviours and learn to adopt more helpful ways of thinking and behaving.

The principles of CBT are:
  • It is a structured, problem-solving approach to emotional and behavioural problems.
  • It is collaborative, in that the client and therapist work together to find solutions.
  • It is goal-oriented and involves setting specific, measurable and achievable goals.
  • It is an active type of therapy as the therapist's role is to teach the client new skills to help overcome current difficulties and the client's role is to be prepared to have their current style of thinking challenged and have a willingness to experiment with new ways of behaving and thinking in everyday life.
  • It is time-limited, typically 6 to 20 sessions. 

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence [NICE] recommends CBT  as an effective psychological treatment for the following problems:

  • Anxiety
  • Panic attacks
  • Agoraphobia
  • Specific Phobias
  • Generalised Anxiety Disorder [GAD]
  • Social Anxiety Disorder [SAD]
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder [OCD]
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD]
  • Health Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Acute Stress

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