The term Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a combination of 2 types of therapy, cognitive therapy, which helps with thinking processes such as unwanted thoughts, attitudes and beliefs (called cognitive processes). Behavioural therapy, which focuses on behaviour in response to those thoughts.

CBT is based on the belief that most unhealthy ways 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 how you are thinking and how this can cause problematic feelings and behaviours.

You will then learn in therapy to change this way of thinking. This in turn will help you to react more realistically and will boost your self esteem and self confidence.

CBT helps you to make sense of overwhelming problems by breaking them down into smaller parts which most typically include the situation, thoughts, emotions and actions. There are both helpful and unhelpful ways of reacting to most situations depending on how you think about them. Once you are thinking more realistically you are encouraged to imagine how you would go about confronting a feared situation. You will then be gradually exposed to real life situations.

The aim of CBT is to provide you with a timescale for overcoming a problem and to give you insight and skills to improve your quality of life. You will then be able to cope and progress on your own once therapy is finished.

The CBT approach is not for everyone. CBT trials suggest that it has been successful in addressing various mental health problems. It has been shown in the short term to be as affective as medication for the treatments of many mild depressive and anxiety based disorders.

The success of CBT depends on your active participation in the whole process. There is an initial consultation usually lasting 1-1.5 hours which not only allows the therapist to assess whether this type of therapy is suitable for you, but if so then for you to decide if you want to go ahead with therapy.

At this initial assessment session you and the therapist will work together to identify patterns of thought and behaviour which are causing you problems. Together with your therapist you will then plan a structured way forward with agreed practical objectives. This informs future sessions, including treatment aims and tasks. Common CBT techniques used in therapy include challenging irrational beliefs, replacing them with alternative ones, stopping unhelpful thoughts, gradual exposure to situations, assertiveness and social skills training.

A key part of the treatment is the homework assignments you will choose with the therapist which may include reading materials or specific tasks. The assignments will give you the opportunity to test out and practice techniques you will have learned, or to expose yourself gradually to feared situations. You will not be asked to do things you do not want to do - you decide the pace of treatment and what you will and won't try. The strength of CBT is that you can continue to practise and develop your skills even after the sessions have finished. This makes it less likely your symptoms or problems will return.

CBT is a short term treatment which typically lasts for 6-15 sessions although the number of sessions will depend on the type of problem and your commitment. Each treatment session usually lasts an hour.