Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
What is CBT?
CBT is a type of talking therapy which is based on the idea that how you think about a situation can affect how you feel emotionally and physically, as well as how you behave. So, if you have negative thoughts about a situation, you may experience negative feelings as a result. This in turn may lead you to behave in an unhelpful way.
Example
The example below shows two different responses to the same situation.
SITUATION: Your partner is late home from work and is not answering their phone:
The above is a simplified example that highlights how the same situation has led to two very different outcomes, depending on how you think about the situation.
Response A shows that by jumping to conclusions without very much evidence, can lead to experiencing strong feelings, and behaving in an unhelpful way, that makes you feel worse.
Whereas, Response B indicates that a more balanced thought can lead to less distressing feelings and a more helpful response.
Therefore, there are helpful and unhelpful ways of reacting to most situations, often determined by how you think about them.
CBT helps you to recognise negative patterns in how you think or behave and helps you to develop new ways of thinking and behaving, and therefore improve the way you feel.
In other words, by changing the way you think or behave, you can change the way you feel.
What issues can CBT be helpful for?
Studies have shown CBT to be helpful for many mental health conditions such as:
- Anger management
- Anxiety
- Appearance concerns
- Depression
- Generalised Anxiety and Worry
- Low self-esteem
- Perfectionism
- Procrastination
- Post-partum depression
- Menopause
How is it different to counselling?
Counselling can be particularly helpful if you are adjusting to difficult circumstances, such as a bereavement, or if you’re not sure what the problem is. It is also recommended for more complex issues or for those in crisis.
CBT, on the other hand, focusses on a specific problem and is usually short-term. It is a much more structured approach that requires goal setting, and may require you to complete tasks in between sessions.
I offer both counselling and CBT and we can discuss which type of therapy would be most suitable for you at your first session.
If you would like further information or would like to book an appointment, please contact me.
About me
My name is Nabeelah Khan-Cheema and I’m a counsellor and psychotherapist. However, before I became a therapist I worked as an Orthoptist (eyes) in the NHS, for over 30 years. So, how did I get from Orthoptics to a career in counselling? Read More…