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Appointments
Monday to Friday
08:00 to 20:00
Saturday
08:00 to 13:00
Home visits, telephone and online appointments availble
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What is CBT?
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) represents a unique category of psychological intervention because it derives from cognitive and behavioural psychological models of human behaviour including theories of normal and abnormal development, and theories of emotion and psychopathology.
Behaviour therapy, the earliest of the cognitive and behavioural psychotherapies, is based on the clinical application of researched theories of behaviour, such as learning theory. Cognitive therapy is based on the clinical application of the more recent and extensively researched role of 'thought' in the development of emotional disorders.
The term ‘Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy’ (CBT) is variously used to refer to behaviour therapy, cognitive therapy, and to therapy based on the pragmatic combination of principles of behavioural and cognitive theories.
What happens in therapy ?
Clients and therapists work together to form a therapeutic alliance and identify and understand problems in terms of the relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviour. The approach usually focuses on difficulties in the here and now, and relies on the therapist and client developing a shared view of the individual’s problem.
The intervention is inherently empowering in nature, focusing on developing specific psychological and practical skills (e.g. in reflecting on and exploring the meaning given to events and situations and re-evaluation of those meanings) aimed at enabling the client to tackle their problems by harnessing their own resources.
Gaining and utilisation of such skills is seen as the main goal, and the active component in promoting change with an emphasis on putting what has been learned into practice between sessions (“homework”).
Cognitive and/or behavioural psychotherapists work with individuals, families and groups. The approaches can be used to help anyone regardless of ability, culture, race, gender or sexual preference.
Cognitive and/or behavioural psychotherapies can be used on their own or in conjunction with medication, depending on the severity or nature of each client’s problem.
Levels of Practice
Cognitive and/or Behavioural Psychotherapists are usually health professionals such as specialist mental health nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, general practitioners, social workers, counsellors or occupational therapists who have received additional cognitive and/or behavioural therapy training and supervision.
There are different levels of the practice of CBT, which require very different skill levels on the part of the person talking to the 'client'.
Level 1.
Formulation driven CBT is a psychotherapy. Clients are not able to help themselves and have sought help from a trained professional and require expert interventions from an appropriately trained and supervised CBT psychotherapist. The relationship between the therapist and the client is paramount and expert skills are required to engage the client in a therapeutic alliance. Once this is established therapy can proceed collaboratively through assessment, formulation and intervention. The therapist will use various cognitive and/or behavioural techniques, evaluating the efficacy of any intervention and adapt if necessary.
Sensus Psychotherapy only employs psychotherapists who are trained to Level 1 practice standards.
Level 2.
CBT approaches - Specific CBT interventions for specific problem areas (e.g. concordance training; relapse prevention work in people with a diagnosis of Schizophrenia; identification of symptoms, specific CBT intervention in post-partum depression; anger management groups, anxiety management groups, pain management etc). This is not a form of psychotherapy as the workers are implementing a technical intervention, they are not required to formulate and adapt the treatment. The workers will have received training in specified CBT interventions for particular problem areas, and should be receiving supervision from a CBT psychotherapist (Level 1 practitioner).
Level 3.
Assisted self-help (computerized CBT, self-help material presented to a support group or individuals by a health worker, such as a graduate mental health worker or assistant psychologist) – This is not a form of Psychotherapy and only limited, if any, formal CBT skills or training are required by the individual introducing the approach, such individuals should not be claiming that they are ‘doing’ CBT.
Level 4.
Self-help (books, bibliotherapy) – This is not a form of psychotherapy and no CBT skills or training are required by the individual reading the self-help material.
Adapted from information written for the British Association for Cognitive and Behavioural Psychotherapies by Katy Grazebrook and Anne Garland. |
