What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy?

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based talking therapy that can help you to identify patterns and strategies to help you to change the way you think, feel and act.

CBT is based on the concept that your thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and actions are all  interconnected. CBT combines two types of therapy to help you to understand and make changes to your thoughts and behaviours:

Cognitive therapy, understanding and making changes to the things you think

Behaviour therapy, understanding and making changes to the things you do.

CBT will teach you useful and practical strategies that can be used in everyday life, even after the treatment has finished, empowering you to feel confident in continuing to manage your mental health.

 

How can Cognitive Behavioural Therapy help?

CBT has proven to be effective in the treatment of numerous mental health conditions including:

Anxiety disorders such as Generalised anxiety, health anxiety and panic

Depression

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Phobias

Adjustment to long-term health conditions such as Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia and IBS

Anger management

 

What is a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy session like?

You will meet one-to-one with one of our expert therapists who will work with you to help you create a detailed and personalised understanding of your difficulties, including how they developed and how they are maintained. This is often referred to as a formulation or “map” and will be something you and your therapist use throughout the sessions to help guide your sessions.

CBT is a collaborative, structured approach to therapy, with you and your therapist identifying strategies or behavioural and cognitive changes that you can make together. It is not a therapy that is “done to” you, but “with you”.

Your therapist will work with you to address ways of making meaningful changes – tailored to you – and together you will set goals for you to achieve, which you will work on within and outside of your sessions. The number of sessions will depend upon your needs and preferences, as well as the personal issues that you need help with

We understand that seeking therapy can be daunting and that taking the first step can be challenging. We have a team of trained experts available at our clinics in York, Manchester and online.

If you are unsure whether you need therapy within our general adult’s service or our Neurodiversity service, please get in touch using the form below for more information about our different sorts of therapy. We would be delighted to discuss your situation and needs with you.