Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy that can help you manage your problems by observing and changing the ways you think and behave.
It’s most commonly used to treat anxiety and depression but can be useful for other mental and physical health problems.
How CBT works
CBT is based on the concept that your thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and actions are interconnected, and that negative thoughts and feelings can trap you in a negative cycle.
CBT aims to help you deal with overwhelming problems in a more positive way by breaking them down into smaller parts.
You’re shown how to change these negative patterns to improve the way you feel.
Unlike some other talking treatments, CBT deals with your current problems, rather than focusing on issues from your past.
It looks for practical ways to improve your state of mind on a daily basis.
How we deliver CBT
- Through our psychoeducation courses.
- Through our online CBT programme.
- We also offer one-to-one guided-self-help support with a psychological wellbeing practitioner, a PWP will guide you through an intervention to implement this outside of the sessions in your daily life.
- The main aim of guide self-help CBT is for you to make positive changes in your life that you can implement in the long term without support.
- You may also be offered more intensive one-to-one treatment which is delivered over a longer period with a cognitive behavioural therapist.
Pros and cons of CBT
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is effective in treating common mental health problems, but it may not be successful or suitable for everyone.
Some of the advantages of CBT include:
- it can be completed in a relatively short period of time compared with other talking therapies.
- the highly structured nature of CBT means it can be provided in different formats, including in groups, self-help books and online.
- it teaches you useful and practical strategies that can be used in everyday life, even after the treatment has finished.
- it focuses on the person’s capacity to change themselves (their thoughts, feelings and behaviours).
- it can be as effective as medicine in treating some mental health problems and may be helpful in cases where medicine alone has not worked.
Some of the disadvantages of CBT to consider include:
- you need to commit yourself to the process to get the most from it – a therapist can help and advise you, but they need your co-operation.
- attending regular CBT sessions and carrying out any extra work between sessions can take up a lot of your time.
- it may not be suitable for people with more complex mental health needs or learning difficulties.
- it involves confronting your emotions and anxieties – you may experience initial periods where you’re anxious or emotionally uncomfortable.
- it does not address any wider problems in systems or families that may have a significant impact on someone’s health and wellbeing.
Some critics also argue that while CBT addresses current problems and focuses on specific issues, it does not address the possible underlying causes of mental health conditions, such as an unhappy childhood.
Online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
What is Silvercloud? Silvercloud is an informative online therapy programme, proven to support wellbeing and help you learn ways to manage low mood and anxiety.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a 1-1 talking therapy which is recommended by NICE guidelines to address a range of presentations including anxiety, depression, OCD…
Courses
Our courses are based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and support people to understand their difficulties while teaching them tools and techniques to overcome them.
Guided self help
Where a therapist coaches you as you work through a self help course in your own time, either using a workbook or an online course.