Cognitive Behavioural Therapy — CBT — is a practical, structured form of talking therapy. Rather than focusing only on the past, CBT looks at what is keeping a problem going right now, and gives you tools to change it.
Thoughts, feelings, behaviours
CBT is built on a simple but powerful idea: our thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and behaviours are all connected. A thought like 'I'll embarrass myself' creates anxiety, the anxiety creates physical tension, and we respond by avoiding the situation — which confirms the original thought. Change any part of the cycle, and the whole pattern begins to shift.
What sessions look like
CBT sessions are collaborative. Together we set goals, understand your personal patterns, and practise new strategies — both in sessions and between them. It is an active therapy: the skills you learn become yours for life.
The evidence
CBT is the most researched form of psychotherapy, with decades of clinical trials supporting its effectiveness for anxiety, depression, panic, PTSD, phobias and more. It is recommended by NICE and used across the NHS and private practice worldwide.