Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), is a talking therapy that helps you to understand how your thoughts and feelings impact on your bodily sensations and how you behave. CBT also, importantly, helps you to develop strategies to cope better.
Everybody has thoughts and sometimes you may get stuck in them, going back and forth and not being able to resolve an issue, when you are thinking you may find you feel in a particular way; sad, low, anxious, angry, regret, shame, guilt. You may also find that you have physical sensations; tiredness, hot, sweaty, cold, clammy, your breathing may have increased along with your heart rate, you may have butterflies sensation in your tummy or heaviness in your chest. You may then find your behaviour will have changed, you are sleeping more, avoiding tasks, social situations, family and friends, you may be crying more, hurting yourself, working more than normal. The examples given are not exhaustive and you may experience something not listed but you may well be able to recognise your brand of experiences.
Much of the way we do things is a result of our past, CBT acknowledges your past but unless warranted it’s focus remains in the present day. Part of your issues may be due to the relationship you had with your family, peers, or teacher, your solutions tend to lie in what you are thinking today.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a mode of psychotherapy that focuses on the relationship you have with your thoughts (cognitions), emotions, physical sensations and your behaviour. CBT is evidence based and focussed, research has found it useful for a wide range of psychological issues including: depression, anger, fears, post – traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), relationship conflicts, low self- esteem and confidence.
Therapy is collaborative and you are seen as the expert in your life. The crux of CBT is learning to be able to manage your thoughts better, to be able to deal with your fears and emotions in a much more productive way, determine and challenge your behaviours and where possible, reduce the bodily sensations you experience. This is achieved by self-help tasks set with you during your session. To promote change in your life, it is necessary for you to engage with doing and completing the tasks outside of therapy, to enable you to have a new experience.
