Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Therapy is based on the work of Aaron Beck in the early 1960s. Beck maintained that how one thinks largely determines how one feels and behaves.

The core idea of any therapy calling itself ‘cognitive’ is that people’s emotional reactions and behaviour are strongly influenced by cognitions (in other words, their thoughts, beliefs and interpretations about themselves or the situations in which they find themselves – fundamentally the meaning they give to the events of their lives). CBT takes the view

CBT views four aspects of the person;
cognitions
behaviour
feelings
body reaction
CBT attempts to discover how these four aspects are linked together.
During the course of therapy, individuals are firstly taught to identify in themselves these four systems and how they influence their everyday lives.

What can I expect from treatment?

Usually a client brings a problem list to the therapy session. The first few sessions focus on assessment of the issues causing concern and a case formulation is created. Psycho-education follows and depending on the issues the therapist and client work collaboratively to find solutions.

CBT involves a cooperative and solution orientated approach with oftentimes involves homework on the clients part. Clients normally are also informed about the number of sessions they are expected to attend in order to complete the therapy.

CBT is a very effective short term solution focused therapy. It has proven an effective therapy for the following disorders:

• Anxiety Disorders to include; generalised anxiety disorder, OCD, Panic Disorder, Social Phobia, Specific Phobia, PTSD and Acute Stress Disorder, Health Anxiety or Hypochondriasis.
• Depression
• Eating Disorders
• Anger
• Psychosis (medication resistant symptoms in schizophrenia)
• Relationship Difficulties
• Substance misuse
• Personality Disorders