What is CBT?

cognitive behaviorl therapy (CBT) is a short-term, goal-oriented psychotherapy treatment that takes a hands-on, practical approach to problem-solving. Its goal is to change patterns of thinking or behaviour that are behind people’s difficulties, and so change the way they feel. It is used to help treat a wide range of issues. It works by changing people’s attitudes and their behaviour by focusing on the thoughts, images, beliefs and attitudes that are held. (credit)

CBT works to change cognitive problems, 

Common cognitive errors and their associated dysfunctional assumptions include:

• Self-references: Each person always focuses his or her attention on me, especially when I fail.
• Selective abstraction: Only my failures matter. I am measured by my failures.
• Overgeneralizing: If something is true in one setting, it is true in every setting.
• Excessive responsibility: I am responsible for every failure and every bad thing that happens.
• Dichotomous thinking: Viewing the world in extremes, black or white, with nothing in between. (Credit)

CBT sessions

CBT can be carried out with a therapist in one-to-one sessions or in groups with other people in a similar situation to you.

Your CBT therapist can be any healthcare professional who has been specially trained in CBT, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, mental health nurse or GP.

First sessions

The first few sessions will be spent making sure CBT is the right therapy for you, and that you’re comfortable with the process. The therapist will ask questions about your life and background.

the therapist will ask whether it interferes with your family, work and social life. They’ll also ask about events that may be related to your problems, treatments you’ve had, and what you would like to achieve through therapy.

Further sessions

After the initial assessment period, you’ll start working with your therapist to break down problems into their separate parts. To help with this, your therapist may ask you to keep a diary or write down your thought and behaviour patterns.

You and your therapist will analyse your thoughts, feelings and behaviours to work out if they’re unrealistic or unhelpful and to determine the effect they have on each other and on you. Your therapist will be able to help you work out how to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviours.

After working out what you can change, your therapist will ask you to practise these changes in your daily life. This may involve:

• questioning upsetting thoughts and replacing them with more helpful ones
• recognising when you’re going to do something that will make you feel worse and instead doing something more helpful

You may be asked to do some “homework” between sessions to help with this process. (credit)

CBT video