What is CBT?

 

CBT or Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy is a focused, time-limited therapeutic approach, with a widely researched evidence base. CBT is the treatment of choice recommended by NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) for most mental health problems and emotional difficulties. CBT involves a range of psychological therapies based on concepts and principles derived from psychological models of human emotion and behaviour.

 

HOW CAN CBT HELP?

 

CBT looks at problems in the “here and now”, trying to understand and break vicious circles. CBT works by understanding the relationship between three main elements: the way we think (Cognitions), what we do (Behaviours) and how we feel (Emotions). It is by understanding this relationship, and how this interacts with our physiology and the environment, that we can make sense of our difficulties and learn ways of freeing ourselves from suffering.

CBT aims to help a person to become their own best therapist, and as such is helpful both in the short term and the long term. CBT helps clients to understand how their difficulties have developed and are maintained, and to find practical ways to overcome their problems.

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CBT has been proven effective to help people overcoming a wide variety of problems such as anxiety and depression, as well as promoting personal development.

 

HOW DOES CBT WORK?

 

In CBT, clients and therapists work together to identify and understand problems in terms of a relationship between thoughts, emotions and behaviour. Once a common view of problems is reached, specific goals are identified and both therapist and client work together to develop and implement strategies to achieve these goals.

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By developing and implementing practical skills, CBT helps a person to overcome their problems and to achieve change. There is emphasis on putting what is learned into practice. This involves active work by the client between sessions (“homework”), which is expected and encouraged.

 

Source: British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) Mapping Psychotherapy – What is CBT? – Available online: http://www.babcp.com