What is CBT and how can it help me?

CBT stands for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, a talking therapy which focuses on the interaction between how we think, how we behave and how we feel. CBT is a highly evidence-based approach to psychotherapy, with thousands of studies showing its effectiveness for mental health and wellbeing.

CBT tends to be goal-focused, with an emphasis on the ways in which we are viewing ourselves, others and the world around us and how this impacts us emotionally. There is also a focus on re-framing our relationship with challenging thoughts and feelings and behaving in ways which align with our personal values.

CBT also lends itself well to integration with mindfulness practice and acceptance-based therapies, and this is something I am particularly interested in as a practitioner-researcher.

There is no limit to the number of CBT sessions you can have, but generally speaking, most people find that between 6 and 24 sessions is about right.

The ultimate goal with CBT is for you to become your own therapist/psychologist, because you will have acquired the mental skills to better manage the problems you face in your life.