What is cognitive behaviour therapy?
Many people find the idea of seeing a therapist rather daunting, so here is some information about CBT.
A central idea in cognitive therapy is that our perception of an event or experience powerfully affects our emotional, behavioral, and physiological responses to it.
CBT is a form of talking therapy that combines cognitive therapy and behaviour therapy. It focuses on how you think about the things going on in your life – your thoughts, images, beliefs and attitudes (your cognitive processes) – and how these impact on the way you behave and deal with emotional problems. It then looks at how you can change any unhelpful patterns of thinking or behaviour that may be causing you difficulties. In turn, this can change the way you feel.
CBT tends to be a short- term therapy. You will usually attend a session once a week, each session lasting approximately 50 minutes. Together with the therapist you will explore what your problems are and develop a plan for tackling them. You will learn a set of principles that you can apply whenever you need to. You may find them useful long after you have left therapy.
CBT may focus on what is going on in the present rather than the past. However, the therapy may also look at your past and how your past experiences impact on how you view the world now.
What is CBT