What is CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is based on the idea that our thoughts, emotions, behaviours, and physical sensations are all closely connected. When we are struggling with anxiety, trauma, or low self-esteem, it’s common to get caught in unhelpful patterns that can keep us feeling stuck.
Often, these patterns develop earlier in life as ways of coping. While they may have made sense at the time, they can continue into adulthood and start to affect how we think, feel, and respond to situations.
CBT helps you to understand these patterns and where they come from, while also focusing on how to change them in the present. Together, we work to identify and challenge unhelpful beliefs, and to develop healthier, more supportive ways of coping.
CBT is a practical, goal-oriented, and collaborative therapy. Sessions are focused on helping you build skills and confidence, with gentle exercises to try between sessions so you can begin to see real change in your day-to-day life.
Trauma-focused CBT is a specialised form of CBT that is designed to help people recover from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), supporting you to safely process difficult experiences and reduce their ongoing impact.
I offer CBT in Swaffham, Norfolk, and online across the UK.
If you’re considering CBT and would like to explore whether it’s right for you, you’re welcome to get in touch to arrange a free intro call to ask any questions.
For more information about CBT, you can visit my blog or learn more via the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies.
What to expect from CBT sessions?
In our CBT sessions, we’ll begin by focusing on the difficulties you’re experiencing right now, whether that’s anxiety, low mood, low self-esteem, or symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Together, we’ll map out what’s sometimes called a “vicious cycle”. This looks at what triggers your difficulties, the thoughts that arise, how these affect you emotionally and physically, and how you respond. This helps us clearly understand what is keeping the problem going, and most importantly, what needs to change for you to start feeling better.
We may also explore earlier life experiences that have shaped how you see yourself, others, and the world. Many of the beliefs we carry were learned for good reasons, but they can become unhelpful over time. CBT helps you to gently question these patterns, so you can respond to situations with more flexibility, confidence, and self-compassion.
A key part of CBT is putting new skills into practice. We’ll work together to develop more helpful ways of thinking and responding, and you’ll have the opportunity to try these out in your day-to-day life between sessions. This is where real, lasting change begins. While this can feel challenging at first, I'll support you at a pace that feels manageable for you.
CBT is a practical, collaborative, and personalised therapy. My approach is to understand your unique experiences and tailor each session to your goals, so therapy feels relevant, focused, and effective.
If you’re ready to start making changes, you’re welcome to get in touch to arrange an initial appointment or ask any questions about CBT.