Halton Therapy What_is_CBT

CBT, or “Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy”, is a short-term, structured therapy that has been designed from extensive research and has been found to be highly effective. With CBT, it can take only 2 sessions to overcome a simple phobia, 5 to 12 sessions to overcome panic attacks, and 10 to 20 sessions to overcome most other forms of anxiety and depression.

CBT helps people recognize what they are thinking when they are upset. An overly strong emotional reaction to an event suggests that a person is having some biased, or “distorted”, thoughts. CBT increases people’s awareness of these thoughts and then helps them look at situations in a more objective manner. This objectivity improves mood and reduces anxiety. Behavioural activation (or, adding pleasant events into one’s life), behavioural experiments, exposure to feared situations, and social skills training are some examples of the additional behavioural aspects of CBT that are extremely helpful for recovery. Between sessions, clients practice what they have learned in session, e.g., how to first recognize and then change negative thoughts. Behavioural homework, e.g., behavioural experiments, exposure, is also completed between sessions.

CBT is equally effective to medication in treating depression. CBT helps people learn how to identify and change the negative thinking associated with depression. Because negative thoughts lead to negative feelings, CBT helps people develop skills to change these thoughts and skills to cope with stress. CBT is one of the most effective types of therapy for depression and for reducing associated sadness, numbness, irritability, and anger.

In the long-term, most people who have used medications but have not had been through CBT are more likely to relapse into another episode of depression when they have completed their medication than those people who have completed CBT. We believe this is because people who have completed CBT learn to be more self-aware, recognize sooner when they are slipping into a negative mood, and are more likely to use new strategies to feel better than people who have only used medication to treat their depression.

CBT is also more effective than medication for most people in the short and long-term in treating anxiety. This is because people learn strategies to reduce their anxiety. If people have not learned strategies and complete their medication, then they are more likely to become anxious again. CBT is the most effective therapy for all types of anxiety, including social, worry, panic, phobias, trauma, and obsessions/compulsions.

CBT is also effective for eating disorders. Research indicates that CBT can reduce the problematic black and white thinking often associated with eating disorders. CBT is also very effective for first understanding and then changing the strong feelings (e.g., anxiety, disgust, guilt) and biased thoughts (e.g., “I am going to lose control of my eating” or “I am/will become fat”) present before and/or after eating. The treatment for eating disorders can be complex and may require a team approach with involvement from a dietician, family physician, and psychiatrist to provide and monitor medication. Where required, we ensure we work with other professionals when working with a client with eating disorders.

Finally, CBT improves low self-esteem, relationships with partners, family and friends, and motivates people to engage in positive activities. Anger problems in children and adults, as well as associated behavioral problems, are also very effectively treated with CBT.