WHAT IS Cognitive Behavioural Therapy?

 

There are many different types of therapy, so it’s important to understand what Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) involves and whether it feels like the right approach for you.

There are two main CBT approaches: Cognitive Therapy (CT) and Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (REBT). I am trained in REBT.

REBT is based on the idea that our emotional responses are influenced less by events themselves and more by the beliefs we hold about ourselves, others, and the world. These beliefs shape how we interpret situations and how we respond to them.

For example, if you believe that flying is dangerous, it’s understandable that you may feel anxious when travelling by plane. Or if you hold rigid expectations about how others should behave, you may experience anger or distress when those expectations aren’t met.

The aim of REBT is to identify and gently challenge unhelpful beliefs and work towards developing more flexible, compassionate alternatives.

While we cannot always change what has happened to us or control what lies ahead, we can learn to change how we relate to our thoughts and experiences.

CBT is an active, collaborative therapy. Alongside talking, we will work together to reduce avoidance and experiment with new ways of responding to life. This may include exercises or behavioural experiments, both in sessions and between sessions, to help you test out beliefs and build confidence in new ways of coping.

Towards the end of therapy, we will bring together what you’ve learned and develop a plan to help you continue making progress independently.