CBT

 CBT is based on the idea that thoughts(cognitions), feelings, bodily sensations and behaviours are all connected. What you think can influence how you feel, how your body reacts, and what you do—and the things you do can influence your thoughts and feelings in return. When unhelpful patterns develop, they can become a cycle that is hard to break without support.  
CBT is a practical, collaborative therapy that helps you explore these patterns with your therapist.  You look at how certain thoughts might trigger strong feelings, how behaviours might keep a problem going, and how small changes can lead to improvements in how you feel day-to-day. 

  CBT is recommended for a wide range of difficulties. You choose CBT if you are struggling with:

• Anxiety problems, such as excessive worry, separation anxiety, social anxiety, panic symptoms or phobias
• Low mood or depression, including loss of interest, loss of energy  or feeling hopeless
• Obsessive thoughts or repetitive behaviours often linked with obsessive-compulsive      disorder (OCD)
• Difficulties with managing strong feelings, such as anger, guilt or fear
• Post-traumatic stress reactions, including distressing memories or avoidance following a frightening event
• Body image concerns, eating-related anxieties or problems with self-esteem
• Sleep difficulties, including insomnia.
• Stress related to work, relationships or family situations
• Adjustment to significant life changes, such as health issues, bereavement, relationships or job circumstances. 

CBT focuses mainly on what is happening now in your life and how your current patterns of thinking or behaving may be keeping difficulties going. Although your past experiences are important and may be discussed, the main aim is to find ways to change things in the present so you can feel better.

As therapy continues, you learn practical skills to understand difficult thoughts, reduce unhelpful behaviours, and build confidence in managing strong emotions. Over time, these new skills can help you feel more in control and more able to take part in everyday life.

If you and your therapist decide that CBT is right for you, the first step is usually to agree on goals—what you hope will be different by the end of treatment. Sessions usually last between 50 and 60 minutes and often take place weekly. 

During each session, you talk together about how things have been since you last met. You might look at situations that were difficult for you, the thoughts you noticed, the feelings you had, and what you did in response. 

CBT is an active form of therapy, which means you practise skills both in and between sessions. You might be asked to keep notes about certain thoughts, to try a new technique, or to experiment with doing something differently. These tasks—often called “home practice”—are agreed together so they feel achievable and relevant. Throughout therapy, you gradually learn new ways of responding to situations that previously felt overwhelming. This may involve developing more balanced ways of thinking, practising coping strategies, or gradually facing situations you have been avoiding so you can build confidence. These changes take time and effort, and some sessions may feel challenging, but this is a normal part of the therapeutic process.

Most CBT programmes last between 8 and 20 sessions, depending on the nature of the difficulty and how severely it is affecting day-to-day life. Your progress is reviewed regularly, and therapy is adapted to your needs as you go along.