CBT is a talking therapy that is practical, and teaches you new skills to manage life’s ups and downs
Thoughts influence feelings.
Actions influence thoughts and feelings.
Learn skills to manage your thoughts and actions differently so that you can feel better.
What is CBT?
It is a practical, evidence-based talking therapy that helps you understand how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are connected.
When we get stuck in unhelpful thinking patterns, it can affect how we feel and how we respond to life. CBT helps you gently notice these patterns, question what’s keeping them going, and develop more supportive ways of coping.
CBT is a collaborative, structured, and supportive therapy. We focus sessions on building awareness of current problematic patterns of thinking and behaving that keep you feeling stuck, and learn alternative techniques to move you in the direction of your important goals, and more in alignment with your values and what matters to you.
CBT focuses on taking positive actions each week. In every session we set home tasks for you to complete which could range from monitoring diaries, reading psychology handouts, to completing thought challenging techniques or experimenting with some changes to your usual behaviour. We always set aside time in sessions to review how you’ve used the strategy that week, and reflect on the learning you’ve taken from this.
This type of talking therapy offers you a chance to learn a new toolbox of strategies that you can continue using long after therapy ends. The aim is to support you to develop the skills and confidence to become your own therapist through life’s ups and downs, and gain greater flexibility in your thinking, more able to regulate your emotions and choose helpful actions to take.
In CBT we work very collaboratively. I am an expert in CBT, but you are an expert in your own life. We combine our shared knowledge and use this to improve your quality of life.
Modern CBT also includes newer “third-wave” approaches
I weave these approaches into therapy sessions when I think these will benefit you. These techniques focus less on changing thoughts and more on changing how you relate to them.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps you make room for difficult thoughts and feelings while moving towards what really matters to you.
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) supports you in developing self-compassion, particularly if you’re very self-critical or struggle with shame.
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) approaches help you stay grounded in the present, rather than getting caught up in worries about the future or dwelling on the past.
We don’t just talk in therapy. We talk, plan, do and review. This is how meaningful change happens.
What to expect in therapy sessions
I offer an initial assessment to explore your symptoms, the impact of these symptoms on your daily life, and your therapy goals.
Treatment mainly focuses on your present life and where you want to get to. We may talk a little about the past, but mainly to help you make sense of how earlier experiences have shaped your current difficulties.
The sessions are structured so there’s time to learn techniques, understand the psychology behind them, and review how they’re working in your everyday life. We reflect together and problem-solve as a team.
CBT is a short-term therapy, as it focuses on learning a skill set rather than open-ended exploration (which is more typical in counselling and other types of psychoanalytical therapies). A course of CBT is usually 12–20 sessions, although this can vary depending on the presenting problems that we are working on.
Therapy is reviewed regularly (every 6 sessions) to reflect on progress, revisit goals, and decide together whether further sessions would be helpful.
I always reflect on The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance when planning and reviewing treatment, as this provides evidence-based guidelines for health and psychological treatments in the UK. These guidelines are based on extensive research and help ensure that therapies offered are safe, effective, and supported by scientific evidence.
Therapy is an investment in your overall health. The skills you learn will benefit you for the rest of your life.
Contact me
Book a free 15-minute consultation to see whether we could work well together.
I look forward to hearing from you.