CBT, also known as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, is a talking therapy which aims to tackle emotional and mental health problems, by challenging your perceptions about yourself and other people. It aims to change any negative perceptions which you may have, allowing you feel better about yourself and the world you live in.

CBT works by challenging two particular areas; your 'behaviour' and your 'cognitive' functions. The 'behaviour' part of the therapy, deals with challenging any behavioural issues which you may have. This can include aggression, anger management or any other issue which affects your relationships with other people. The 'cognitive' part of the therapy, deals with your cognitive functions, which determine how you see and perceive certain situations. CBT aims to change these negative perceptions and enable you to look at situations in a much more positive light.

Unlike traditional talking therapies, CBT is designed to change your behaviour and cognitive perceptions. It gives you an opportunity to look at alternative coping strategies for situations which have the potential to be stressful. You may assume that CBT involves sitting back in a chair, whilst a therapist lets you discuss your problems for an hour long session. This is just one part of CBT! The therapy also requires you to undertake written exercises, which give you the opportunity to look at new coping strategies for everyday life.

A course of CBT typically lasts around 60 minutes for each individual session. The length of a full course of treatment will depend on your progress and commitment to the treatment. It will be fully dependant on the individual and their current circumstances but a course of CBT can last between 7-10 sessions.

Many people think that CBT is a quick fix solutions for the problems in life. That would be wrong! In order for CBT to be successful, it involves a significant investment of time and commitment, due to the exercises and methods which must be learnt. CBT also involves reading and writing assignments in between sessions, meaning that you must be able to manage your time, in order to complete the full course of treatment.

CBT has been proven to work for a number of emotional and mental health issues, including;

• Stress
• Anger Management
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Borderline Personality
• Eating Disorders

 

There are no known side effects of CBT, although the full benefits can only be gained by receiving the right treatment. You should ensure that you work with a practitioner who has relevant qualifications in CBT and who is accredited by the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies.

Recent studies show that CBT is a highly effective treatment for a range of issues, such as anxiety and depression. CBT has rapidly become a therapy of choice, due to it's high success rate amongst patients. It is commonly being used in private sector clinics and public sector hospitals and is now widely recognised as a successful treatment in its own right. It is considered a highly effective treatment for disorders which can be difficult to treat through conventional medicine, such as Borderline Personality Disorder.