Let's chat about CBT!

What is CBT?

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is based largely on Aaron Beck’s Cognitive Theory (CT) which was based on Albert Ellis’s Rational-Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT).

CBT is a form of therapy that helps an individual to understand the origin of their problem and helps the patient to connect their thoughts with their emotions and their resulting behaviour. By linking how they think to their feelings and actions, it helps them to pinpoint and understand their unhealthy thinking patterns and behaviour; evaluate them, and change them for the better. It can be used as a stand-alone treatment or in conjunction with other methods and medication.

As well as being an effective treatment for alcohol and drug addictions, CBT has proven effective in treating:

• anxiety disorders

• post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

• depression, panic attacks

• mental illness

• marital problems

• eating disorders

• psychosis

• schizophrenia

• obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

• bipolar disorder

CBT has also shown evidence of working in the treatment of chronic pain, chronic fatigue, sleep problems, anger management and behavioural difficulties in children, and physical symptoms that have no medical diagnosis.

So how is it used in therapy?

CBT can be offered in individual sessions with a therapist or as part of a group. The number of CBT sessions needed depends on the presenting issues. Often it is between five and 20 weekly sessions - usually lasting about an hour.

CBT is mainly concerned with how we think and act now, although sometimes our current difficulties are related to things which have happened in our past, and so these might also be part of what we talk about.

Goals for therapy are set together with the therapist after talking things through to properly understand the problem.

CBT works best when it involves working on things in between sessions as well as during them. As the therapy comes to an end we will think together about to continue using CBT techniques in daily life after treatment.

There is a marvel of information and CBT-based self help books (e.g. Mind Over Mood: Change How You Feel By Changing the Way You Think by Christine A. Padesky) and techniques you can acquire and adopt. However, research has shown that these work better when a therapist can support you, especially with more complex situations and low moods.