Starting therapy

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Research suggests empathic listening and non-judgemental understanding are the fundamental basis for all therapy.

I incorporate traditional CBT with recent developments which have extended its scope, including metacognitive therapy, compassion focused therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy and mindfulness.

I remain up to date on research and neuroscience, which can provide useful insights for therapy.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is a practical, problem solving approach, based on the idea that our thoughts, feelings, actions, physical sensations and environment are all interconnected, so a change in one will lead to a change in the other areas. Most people come into therapy because they are feeling anxious or depressed, but it can be quite hard to change our feelings directly.

Cognitive behaviour therapy focuses on:

• Cognition: thoughts and styles of thinking e.g. worrying, self-criticism, dwelling on the past
• Behaviour: what we do, or avoid doing

By identifying what triggers and maintains the problem, we can use a range of techniques to manage our thoughts and behaviours in a different way.

It is important to spend the first 1-3 sessions doing a detailed assessment to develop a clear understanding of what the underlying issues are and what it is keeping the problems going. This clarifies the areas which need to change and the most useful strategies and techniques to try.

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It is useful to start with weekly sessions. Once you feel confident to practise techniques in a range of settings you can book the next appointment in a few weeks or months, as it suits you.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is the treatment of choice, recommended by the NHS and NICE guidelines, for depression and anxiety. If you would like to try CBT, it is important to find a therapist who is accredited by the British Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Psychotherapists (BABCP).

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BABCP accredited therapists have a thorough training in CBT theory, research evidence and techniques and must remain up to date through ongoing CBT professional development. They can accurately identify the most relevant cognitive model, adapt it to the client’s individual experiences and then suggest the most appropriate CBT techniques for clients to try out.

Clearly no therapeutic approach is right for everyone or for every problem, and it is important to have a detailed assessment to establish if CBT is right for you.

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An accredited CBT therapist would start with a detailed assessment to develop a formulation (a diagram for you to take away) to identify what triggers the problem and what maintains it, before choosing the most appropriate techniques to manage that specific problem. Unfortunately, there are several therapists who “use CBT” but only have a limited number of CBT techniques, which may or may not be appropriate.

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It is great that CBT is readily available on the NHS. However, the NHS is not always able to fund the enough sessions required for CBT to be effective or to provide access to a psychologist who can identify and manage more complex issues.