Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a hugely popular approach used in counselling and psychotherapy. It has fantastic results, I myself love CBT and always see the amazing results first hand.
WHAT IS COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY (CBT)?
CBT is a type of talk therapy that helps you to manage your issues by changing the way you think and behave. CBT works to teach you that your thoughts and actions can affect the way you feel. CBT is based on the premise that our thoughts cause our feelings and behaviours, and not external things, like people, situations, and events. CBT is very much a techniques orientated approach therefore it has very positive long term benefits.
For example, imagine you are on your way to work and you start thinking of all the “what if” worries or the worst case scenarios that could happen, as a result you start to feel very anxious.
In this example, it’s not just the situation causing you to feel anxious, it’s your interpretation of the situation causing the most of the anxiety that you’re experiencing. In this example we are using, what CBT call Cognitive Distortions, or what I like to call Thinking errors.
It’s basically an error in your thinking, you’re trying to predict your day, when the truth is you may be worrying about something that may never happen or that is completely out of your control.
The really good thing about this fact is that we can change the way we think and CBT shows you how you can do that. CBT is designed to equip you with the necessary tools and strategies for the future. CBT would not be an ongoing process, they are usually designed to end after 12 to 15 sessions or less.
WHAT CAN CBT BE USED FOR?
CBT can be used for a wide range of problems including anxiety, depression, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), sleep problems, substance use disorders, low self-esteem and anger problems.
THE BENEFITS OF CBT
CBT can lead to a range of benefits such as:
- Identifying negative thoughts and emotions
- Evaluating your thinking
- Prevent low moods
- Control anxiety
- Resolving relationship difficulties
- Managing anger
- Coping with grief and loss
- Managing chronic pain
- Overcoming sleep disorders
- Preventing addiction relapse
- Overcoming trauma and dealing with PTSD
How I can help
How I can help as a CBT Therapists, is to help teach you to identify your thoughts (thinking patterns), to evaluate your thoughts and will provide you with techniques to help combat anxious or depressed thoughts. One important part of CBT is helping clients change their unhelpful thinking and behaviours so they can have an enduring impact on your mood and functioning.
Niamh-Psychotherapist
Niamh Lynch's CBT & Mental Health Centre 