CBT stands for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and is recognised to be an effective form of psychotherapy for treating a range of health problems. Whether you are struggling with anxiety, stress, depression, eating disorders or just want to learn how to improve your mental health, CBT can help.
Introducing Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Cognitive behavioural therapy looks at the relationships between thoughts, behaviours and feelings. CBT may be undertaken through a variety of different methods, including:
- Self-help books;
- Computerized CBT programs;
- One-to-one therapy; and
- Group therapy.
Top CBT Skills and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Techniques
CBT involves learning a whole range of new skills to help you cope with thoughts, moods, emotions and feelings in a more effective manner. Here is a list of some essential CBT skills, which I have found to be useful:
- Task Concentration;
- Socratic Questioning;
- Thought Records;
- Behavioural Experiments;
- SMART Goal Setting;
- Challenging Core Beliefs;
- Downward Arrow Technique;
- Positive Data Log;
- Theory A versus Theory B Technique;
- Distraction Techniques;
- Homework for Effective CBT;
- Grounding Techniques; and
- How to Strengthen Helpful Beliefs.
CBT Treatment for Mental Health Problems
The major advantage of cognitive behavioural therapy is that it may be used to treat a wide range of different mental health conditions. This makes CBT more flexible and is particularly helpful for those affected by multiple health problems, such as those suffering from anxiety and an eating disorder.
Below are further examples of several different mental health conditions or common issues, which CBT has been recognised as effective in treating:
- Depression;
- Anorexic thinking;
- Exercise addiction;
- Binge eating;
- Phobias;
- Bipolar disorder;
- Schizophrenia;
- OCD compulsions;
- Obsessional problems;
- Poor sleep/insomnia;
- Health anxiety;
- Social anxiety;
- Anger management; and
- Traumatic stress.
Essential CBT Reading - Books on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Having examined key skills and techniques used within cognitive behavioural therapy and some of the health problems CBT can help with, here are some examples of excellent CBT books, certainly well worth a read:
- Brilliant CBT
- Beating Your Eating Disorder
- Change Your Thinking
- Overcoming Bulimia and Binge Eating
- Overcoming Anorexia Nervosa
- Overcoming Anxiety
- Overcoming Traumatic Stress
- CBT for Beginners
- Mind Over Mood (workbook)
- Cognitive Therapy Techniques
- Teach Yourself CBT
If you wish to access CBT, this may be done via your family doctor. He or she should be able to write a referral to either an NHS or private therapist. CBT may be undertaken as an outpatient, day patient or inpatient at private clinics in the UK, such as the Priory.
Kate Le Page - Kate Henning-Le Page writes about eating disorders, body image and recovery issues. She specializes in anorexia recovery.
Join the Conversation