Psychological Therapies

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

According to the cognitive behavioural approach, developed by Aaron T. Beck,people’s emotions and behaviours are influenced by their thoughts. How people interpret and perceive a situation effects how they feel and consequently how they will behave about it. Cognitive behavioural therapy helps people to identify their negative thoughts and thinking errors, in order to formulate alternative rational thoughts. This will consequently allow the person to stop having negative feelings and symptoms and to stop rumination, avoidant or self-destructive behaviours.  In therapy patients learn techniques to manage their difficulties better. These can consist of visualization techniques, imagery, relaxation, and behavioural techniques. During therapy patients are required to do “homework”, which simply means applying what is learnt in therapy sessions to their everyday life. Often the homework consists  of keeping a thought and emotion diary, practicing relaxation and other behavioural strategies regularly.

CBT is a collaborative approach between the patient and the therapist and it is an effective psychological therapy empirically supported for the treatment of many mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders and addictions.

other types of psychological therapies

• Eye Movements Desensitisasion and Reprocessing (EMDR Therapy)
• Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
• Motivational Interviewing (MI)