What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)?

 

​CBT is a talking therapy and a recommended treatment for a variety of mental health difficulties and disorders. Like all talking therapies, relationship is vital, and therefore I strive to provide a non-judgemental and compassionate space where we build a rapport and where you can feel safe to work on yourself. Together we will gather an understanding of your difficulties, looking at the development of them (your history) and the maintenance of them (what keeps them going). I then teach you strategies and techniques to tackle them. CBT involves looking at the way you think and why you think that way. We might identify unhelpful thinking habits or update negative beliefs. We also look at behaviour and its role in the maintenance of your difficulties; this might be addressing avoidance, reducing unhelpful behaviours, even skills development. Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT) is a recommended treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. This involves processing traumatic memories (to reduce flashbacks and/or nightmares), updating unhelpful beliefs, tackling problematic thoughts and behaviours and rebuilding your life.