Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is based around helping you to understand, manage and change your thoughts (cognitions) and actions (behaviour).

CBT looks in detail at the pattern of your thoughts, feelings and behaviours and then teaches you ways of overcoming any problems with the aim to break any negative cycles. This form of therapy has been shown to be very effective for a range of things but is particularly effective if you have depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and panic attacks.

Cognitive behavioural therapy works in three ways:

1. It helps you identify and change negative thinking associated with negative feelings.
2. Helps to focus on positive things.
3. Helps to manage your problems.

Cognitive behavioural therapy is a counselling technique that is used by many clinical psychologists, psychiatrists and counsellors. Some therapists will specialise in this form of therapy while others will use some of the techniques to help you work through particular difficulties.