Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) 

CBT explores how a person’s thinking patterns influence their emotional reactions to events, and how these patterns inform choices about how to respond (behaviours). It aims to identify unhelpful thought-feeling-behaviour cycles, and to help you develop alternative ways of thinking about and/or responding to trigger situations. Treatment is based on a personalised formulation, and CBT is a collaborative, structured and time-limited type of talking therapy, which suits many people.

There is a great deal of research evidence to support the use of CBT to treat many common mental health problems, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, OCD, and sleep difficulties, for example. The British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapists (BABCP) is the body responsible for accrediting CBT practitioners, and the website (www.babcp.com) includes lots of useful information for members of the public, including an online register of accredited CBT therapists (www.cbtregisteruk.com).