Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy?
The core theory of CBT is that what you think (cognitive) and what you do (behavioural) affects the way you feel. CBT is ‘present focused’; that means it works with thoughts and feelings in the here-and-now but also recognises how these can be influenced by our past.
When we are struggling we can find that we become stuck in ‘vicious cycles’, where our thinking patterns and the things we're doing (or not doing) to try and cope with difficulties are unintentionally keeping our difficulties going.
CBT can help you to understand your own vicious cycles to then be able to make some helpful changes to overcome your difficulties. I will be working with you and helping you along your journey of working towards your own personal goals and getting back to the person you want to be.
I have worked with many clients using CBT and I have seen first-hand the life changing difference it can make to people’s lives and I want the same to happen for you. I am keen to follow the recommended treatment protocols but equally I understand that not everyone fits into the same boxes so I am willing to use my experience to tailor treatment to meet your specific needs.
We will start together by discussing your problems, breaking things down to try and understand and make sense of everything initially. I often find it is helpful to focus on one smaller thing at a time rather than lots of larger things, so we may agree to prioritise what is most important. I am happy to be guided by you and work in a way that suits you best, such as taking things at your own pace and being mindful of when life throws a curveball or unexpected difficulties.
What can CBT help with?
CBT is an evidenced-based treatment recommended by the NICE guidelines and it is the first line treatment for anxiety and depression in the NHS. I am aware that CBT isn't everyone’s cup of tea so if that is the case, I will be happy to recommend any other types of therapy (and where to find trusted therapists). Sometimes it is the case that another type of therapy will be useful prior to starting CBT, all of which I would be happy to discuss with you.
Why choose online therapy?
I'm based Cornwall but due to offering online therapy I am not confined to only seeing clients who are in my local area. I feel this has been a positive step as clients now have more choice as to the therapists they can choose from – so you are more likely to find a therapist who is the best fit for you.
Research has shown that there is no difference in the effectiveness of online therapy compared to face to face therapy. You will not receive any different treatment online as you would in a face to face setting.
There are many advantages of online CBT: no travel time (especially in rural places like Cornwall), no anxiety about trying to find a new location, no parking charges and less impact on your day – meaning it is more accessible. You can choose wherever you would like to have your CBT session, whether it is in the comfort of your own home, in your car or in a private office at work.
What should I expect?
We will have our first session together for me to assess your difficulties; we will discuss your current situation and more detail about how you are feeling to work out whether CBT is the best option for you. This session will also give you a chance to see whether you think I am the best fit for you. After this we will usually plan to meet on a weekly basis, but this can be tailored to your individual needs.
Together, in the first few sessions, we will start to develop a written understanding of your difficulties (called a Formulation) focusing on your thoughts, feeling, behaviours and any physical symptoms that you may have noticed. We can also look at any historical triggers which may have contributed to how you are feeling now. Although this stage is not technically classed as treatment, clients often report it to be very therapeutic as they begin to make sense of what has been going on for them and feel reassured that something can be done to change their future.
After this, we will move into treatment where we will methodically look at things one by one, discuss them in detail whilst also discussing tips, tools or techniques to overcome these difficulties. This will then give you something to reflect on and hopefully practice in between each session. This is why I am so passionate about CBT – it is not simply talking about your problems but also doing something about them.
When we move towards the end of treatment we will work together to develop a relapse prevention plan so you are less likely to find yourself back at square one again. We can also discuss the possibility of regular check in sessions to keep you on track if this is something you would benefit from.