If you’ve ever visited a psychologist, or even considered it, you’ve probably heard of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
And while the name might sound a little complex, it’s actually one of the most practical, simple, and commonly used approaches to dealing with many types of emotional, behavioural and psychiatric problems.
Plus there’s lots of scientific evidence to support its effectiveness.
But what is it, exactly?
CBT is a problem-focused, action-oriented talking therapy that helps you to change the way you think, feel and act (for the better!).
It’s about becoming more aware of your thoughts, and understanding how your thoughts affect your emotions and, ultimately, your behaviour.
CBT helps you to develop coping skills and strategies that can be used in all aspects of daily life, but is particularly helpful in minimising the symptoms of anxiety, depression, stress and phobias.
CBT has proven to be particularly beneficial in school-age children, teaching them coping mechanisms and problem-solving skills from an early age – skills that they’ll have for life.
These skills really come in handy when it comes to dealing with all the stresses of adolescent life, including study and socialising.
And although CBT involves a structured approach, it is a collaborative and personalised process. Each individual can use the principles in a way that works best for them.
Importantly, CBT is a relatively short-term therapy, so you can learn the basic skills within weeks rather than months.
It’s also an ‘active’ therapy, so an important aspect is practicing and improving the skills you learn on your own from the first visit.
Our psychologists use CBT in our child counselling services – along with a tailored combination of other evidence-based psychological treatments, such as mindfulness, exposure therapy and psycho-education.
However, in general, our approach to counselling is best summarised as practical and solution-focused. 🙂
We’ll be delving deeper into our counselling approach in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!