Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is particularly useful in helping people to modify their cognitions (thought patterns). Through CBT a client learns how their thoughts and their attitudes affect their behaviour and ultimately their lifestyle. They learn that these destructive thought patterns are serving them no good and in turn learn to replace them with more appropriate and positive thought patterns.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is all about challenging and changing faulty thinking patterns and is used widely in the treatment of depression, marital problems, stress management, anxiety, panic attacks, abuse, assertion training and eating disorders.

With the help of the therapist the client gains an insight into their negative thought patterns and their problems and then must actively practice in changing self defeating thinking and acting. Through identifying and understanding these dysfunctional beliefs the client discovers alternative rules for living and functioning that are more appropriate.

The client discovers that these negative thought patterns can be altered even if they have been with them for a very long time. With the help of the therapist the client has a better understanding of where these thought patterns have come from and what purpose if any they have so far served.

Clients are confronted through contradictory evidence that they gather and evaluate in order to help them become aware of their habitual thoughts that have been with them for so long. The client learns to debate these irrational beliefs and learns through CBT how to react differently to certain situations and as a result hopefully lead a happier and more fulfilled life.

Therapists use a variety of cognitive, emotive and behavioural techniques to suit the individual client. CBT is very structured and focuses essentially on the individual. The client learns to become fully involved and engaged in their own well being and improving their situation or at very least modifying their inappropriate behavioural patterns.

Clients are given homework and set goals to help them make these positive changes that can be used in everyday life for the remainder of their life. These goals are essential for evaluating a clients progress, for making appropriate changes should they be needed and for assessing their effectiveness in relation to the clients situation.