Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of talk therapy that involves becoming aware of irrational or unhelpful thoughts and learning strategies to respond to them in a more effective way. It is one of the most studied therapy approaches and has been shown to be effective for a wide range of mental health conditions. The foundation of CBT is that thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, and actions are interconnected and that having maladaptive thoughts can keep you stuck in a vicious cycle. 

As mentioned above, CBT has been shown to help with many different mental health conditions, which include:

• Mood disorders: Depression and Bipolar Disorder
• Anxiety, panic, and phobias
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Eating Disorders
• Psychosis
• Sleep difficulties
• Stress
• Anger
• Low self-esteem
• Physical health problems (e.g. pain and tiredness)

CBT works for people of all ages, including children.

Generally, CBT is considered a short-term therapy.  Typically, a traditional course of CBT is between 5 to 20 sessions, with sessions being once a week or once every two weeks.