Cognitive Behavioural Therapy ~ CBT

What is CBT?

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or CBT was developed in the 1960s by Aaron T Beck at the University of Pennsylvania.

CBT is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on the present, on problem solving and addressing distorted thinking, and maladaptive coping strategies.

The basic idea is that it is not simply the situation that causes a person to develop cognitive and emotional problems but the way in which he or she processes the experience, based upon how they see themselves, other people, and situations. Past relevant life experiences and the resulting coping strategies that a person developed in order to deal with these can lead to issues in how that person now thinks, in their emotional responses and their behaviour.

What can CBT do for you?

I combine CBT methods with Hypnotherapy if, together with the client, we agree the client’s conscious thoughts are an obstacle to achieving their solution state. Using CBT we will test your automatic thoughts – those are the ones that pop into your head spontaneously without any conscious prompting. The Automatic Thoughts that we will focus on are those negative and unhelpful thoughts about how we see ourselves, how we think other people see us, and our experiences. The therapist works with the information the client gives in order to create a Cognitive Conceptualization Diagram of the client, known as the CCD.

The CCD is then used as a basis for treatment, and continues to evolve throughout the sessions to decide how best to help the client move forward in his or her life. Through collaboration the therapist and client create an action plan together or homework as it used to be known, to help bring about small regular changes. CBT improves how the client processes thoughts and experiences, which in turn improves how the clients feels emotionally and changes their behavioural responses.

Whatever you would like to achieve with CBT please contact me, with no obligation, to ask any questions you may have  or to discuss further how CBT can help you.

Hypnotherapy Preston Lancashire