WHAT IS COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY?

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or CBT is one of many different types of Psychotherapy or “talking treatments” and is based on scientific principles with treatment methods that have been well researched. Because it is an evidence based psychotherapy it continues to evolve as practitioners seek to find new ways to treat old problems.

CBT is the psychological treatment recommended by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) for the treatment of Obsessive compulsive Disorder, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Generalised Anxiety Disorder and mild to moderate Depression.

Click here to visit the NICE website

The main concept behind CBT is that there is a relationship between a person’s thoughts, feelings and behaviours and that any one or more of these, if based on wrong information, a misinterpretation or bias, can set up a vicious circle of thoughts feelings and behaviour that become identifiable as a problem.

However knowing that these relationships exist is one thing but what can you do about them?

CBT works a little like a key that you have to turn in order to escape from your problem prison. By learning how to turn around the ways in which you think and behave you can start to undo the lock. And, as you start to make these changes you will begin to notice that you start to feel different too.

Click here for a brief overview of some different anxiety disorders, low self esteem and depression.