So what is CBT?
CBT helps people understand the links between thoughts, feelings and behaviour. The therapist and client work together to identify the thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs that are associated with particular problems, and to discover if there are more realistic and helpful ways of seeing things. With the support of the therapist, clients are then encouraged to try out new ways of dealing with problems and to evaluate what works best for them.
The client’s role during sessions
The CBT approach is easily learned, and patients are encouraged to use it in their own way. CBT works best when the client is actively involved in treatment, with a good working r, professional relationship with the therapist. There are usually assignments and goals for the client between treatment sessions, and these help to move treatment forward. You may wish to bring a therapy notebook to sessions, to note down any useful material from the sessions, although it is not essential.
Who does it help?
The effectiveness of short-term CBT is well established for anxiety disorders, depression, obsessional problems, reactions to trauma, and eating disorders. The results of treatments for more complex problems requiring longer-term treatment are also showing very positive results.
