What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)?

CBT is a form of therapy that deals mostly with your thoughts and how they affect your behaviour. A typical course of private CBT lasts between 10-15 sessions. It's typically defined as talking therapy that's designed to help you rationalise how you're thinking. The outcome of CBT is usual a change in attitude and behaviour and this is achieved through talking through your beliefs, attitudes and thoughts. CBT is most commonly used to treat anxiety and depression, but it might be used for other mental health conditions too.

What does a CBT session involve?

Your therapist should listen to you to find out exactly what's troubling you. They should empathetic and non-judgemental. The will aim to find out about situations or issues that are troubling you and help you identify your emotional responses to these situations. They will help you identify patterns of negative or inaccurate thinking and will work with you to challenge these beliefs, fears and potential phobias.

CBT places an emphasis on helping individuals learn to be their own therapists. Through exercises in the session as well as keeping a thought diary outside of sessions, patients/clients are helped to develop coping skills, whereby they can learn to change their own thinking, problematic emotions, and behaviour.