What is Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy?

Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy (CBT) aims to help you to change the way that you think, feel and behave.

It is a form of psychotherapy which is short term and has been shown to be effective in helping both adults and children overcome a range of difficulties (including depression and anxiety).

CBT basis itself on the understanding that our emotional difficulties and behaviours are as a result of our 'cognitions' (i.e. our thoughts, beliefs, interpretations) about the situation.

Therefore, it is not the situation itself which results in difficult feelings and behaviours; it depends upon the way we interpret the situation.

 

CBT is the recommended first line treatment for a number of conditions, as outlined by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE).

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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is generally a short-term treatment and we usually recommend between 8-14 sessions, although this depends on what issues you bring to the sessions.

 

Therapy sessions last for 60 minutes and initially, are on a weekly or fortnightly basis, then we gradually decrease them to three weekly and so on as you start to address and deal with your problems more effectively.

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CBT has been shown in clinical trials to help ease symptoms of various health problems. For example, research studies have shown that a course of CBT is just as likely to be effective as medication in treating depression and certain anxiety disorders. There may be long-term benefits of CBT, as the techniques to combat these problems are skills for you to draw upon to help keep symptoms away. So, for example, depression or anxiety is less likely to recur in the future

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