Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

A practical approach that focuses on thoughts and behavioural change. Depression, anxiety and other issues that clients bring to therapy are seen as resulting from unhelpful thoughts, which are then challenged in the therapy, the aim being that changing the thoughts will lead to changes in emotional state and behaviour. CBT is used extensively in helping the client to deal with phobias and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD); CBT often involves exposing clients to what it is that they are frightened of or obsessed with.