Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
As human beings we sometimes find ourselves stuck in difficult cycles of thoughts and behaviours that can lead to emotional distress. Cognitive Behavioural therapy works towards helping a individual understand their unique unhelpful patterns and to find more adaptive ways of thinking and responding to our experiences.
Formulation:
An essential component of CBT is the gathering of information to make sense of a problem and how it is maintained. The process of formulation pulls together key pieces of information about a persons early experiences, beliefs, thoughts, emotions, behaviours and physical symptoms to understand a problem and consider areas of change.
Collaboration:
CBT is a collaborative therapy and focuses strongly on the therapeutic rapport between the therapist and client. This approach views the patient as an expert in their own lives and the therapist as a person with acknowledge and understanding of psychological processes. Sound therapeutic rapport, transparency and feedback are central components to the success of CBT as a treatment approach.
Treatment:
CBT is an evidence-based, present focused, formulation driven therapy. After gathering key pieces of information during the formulation stage, a therapist will collaborate with a client to consider important cognitive and behavioural changes. They will work with a client to create change by adjusting previously unhelpful cognitive and behavioural patterns. CBT is designed to help you understand your unique process and to guide you in making the changes necessary to alleviate emotional distress. CBT sessions are typically 50 - 60 minutes in length.
Maintenance:
The end goal of this therapeutic approach is to empower an individual to develop adequate insight to their internalised processes with the hope that they can learn to adjust and adapt without the need for guidance or long-term support.
