Integrated Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Message from Don Charnock  When assisting a person with their problems, my aim is to work together, as I assess their needs and work towards their personal goals.  Cognitive Behavioural Therapy may be used either on its own, or as part of an integrated therapy process. 

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a short-term psychological treatment which is particularly suitable for specific, focussed problems.  Examples are phobias, stress problems,  anxiety,  panic attacks,  post traumatic stress, depression, eating disorders.    

What is CBT?

CBT is a combination of Cognitive Therapy, which examines unwanted thoughts, attitudes and beliefs (called cognitive processes) and Behavioural Therapy, which focuses on behaviour in response to those thoughts.

How you think, effects how you feel and what you do.

CBT is based on the belief that most unhealthy modes of thinking and behaving have been learned over a long period of time.  Using a set of structured techniques, a CBT Therapist aims to identify thinking that causes problematic feelings and behaviour.  As a client you work with the Therapist, learning to change this thinking which, in turn, leads to more appropriate and positive responses.

CBT can help you to make sense of overwhelming problems by breaking them down into smaller parts.  This makes it easier to see how they are connected and how they affect you.  These parts are:
A Situation - a problem, event or difficult situation
Thoughts
Emotions
Physical Feelings
Actions

Each of these areas can effect the others.  How you think about a problem can effect how you will feel physically and emotionally.  It can also alter what you do about it.


Example:  There are helpful and unhelpful ways of reacting to most situations, depending on how you think about them.  Negative thoughts usually lead to upsetting or angry feelings which then affect our mood and our behaviour.  If a person is unable to stop such thoughts, a negative spiral may begin to make the situation worse.  CBT encourages the person to challenge their beliefs about themselves and their abilities so that they can achieve a more realistic view of the situation.

Negative Automatic Thought Patterns

"I'm so fat and so useless and I'll never manage to do anything about it."
"What's the point in taking my driving test, I will mess up and fail."
"I want to stop smoking, but I can't cope without my cigarettes."

Aims of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

CBT challenges negative beliefs and thinking, aiming to help people make positive changes.  The aim of CBT is to provide the client with the insight and skills to improve their quality of life.

For assistane contact:  Don.Charnock@googlemail.com