“All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think, we become.” ~Buddha
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is often recommended by GPs to help patients with a wide range of mental health difficulties. There is a great deal of research-based evidence showing that CBT works effectively in treating depression, anxiety, stress, sleep difficulties and anger management. This research has been carefully reviewed by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).
So, what is CBT? Well, it’s a form of psychotherapy in which the therapist and the client work together as a team to identify and solve the client’s problems. It is based on the idea that our cognitions (how we think), our emotions (how we feel) and our behaviour (how we act) are interconnected – more specifically, our thoughts determine our feelings and our behaviour.
People with mental health problems often have well-established unhelpful thinking patterns that can make them feel bad. CBT aims to identify and break these negative thought cycles and replace them with more useful or realistic ones. This often leads to more positive emotional experiences.
Making changes in what you think will affect what you do and feel, and changing what you do, affects the way you think and feel – in a nutshell, making these changes can help you to feel better.
As we all know, on some days it’s easier to brush off irritating comments than on other days. Sometimes a headache is just a headache yet sometimes we’re convinced it’s a sign of something much worse! CBT says that it’s not the event itself which determines our emotions, but how we interpret that event – what we think about, or what meaning we give to that event or situation. CBT provides a range of techniques that you can use to combat more irrational or distorted thinking thereby enabling you to make better decisions and feel better.
Whilst it is helpful to discuss the past and understand how our pasts have influenced our lives and how problems have arisen, CBT mostly focuses on looking for ways to improve your mental wellbeing now.
If you’re interested in seeing how CBT could be helpful for you, go to www.morency.co.uk and request a free 50 minute session with one of our psychologists at our monthly community support ’drop-in’ clinics running throughout 2015.
Morency Therapy is a team of experienced psychologists and psychotherapists based in Alvechurch, specialising in short and long-term counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy and psychotherapy for a range of issues. Clinical Director Julie Hannan can be contacted on 07530 854530 or via the website at www.morency.co.uk
FREE CBT AND COUNSELLING CLINIC
Think CBT might work for you? Arrange a FREE SESSION with one of our psychologists at our new monthly clinics held in Alvechurch on:
THURSDAY 19th MARCH 2015
THURSDAY 23rd APRIL 2015
THURSDAY 21st MAY 2015
THURSDAY 25th JUNE 2015
Appointments are necessary so please contact Julie Hannan on 07530 854530 or email julie@morency.co.uk/morency-rooms.
Morency Therapy
Supporting the community
The Mill, Radford Road, Alvechurch Birmingham B48 7LD
Further details at www.morency.co.uk