Cognitive Behavioural Therapy [CBT] is a collection of approaches developed over the last 50 years. It is a highly regarded therapy with a strong evidence base for its efficacy.

CBT has its earliest roots in behaviourism, and later developed to consider the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. CBT therapists now work with more deep-seated beliefs [schema] that we hold about ourselves, and the rules and assumptions by which we run our lives.  

More recently CBT practice has moved on to consider not just the content of our thoughts and feelings, but how we manage our over-arching relationship with them and is starting to draw from other therapeutic approaches such as psychoanalytic psychotherapy and Bhuddism.  

As an approach to therapy, it helps people drop things that don't work and focus on things that work better for you.

What’s the evidence for it and how can it be used?

CBT has produced a lot of empirical evidence for its benefit as a psychotherapy, which has resulted in it being promoted in guidelines for named conditions;  an approach spearheaded by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence [NICE].  

NICE recommend CBT for the treatment of anxiety disorders, depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder  [PTSD], Bipolar Disorder  and medically unexplained symptoms.  

CBT has become more widely practiced in the UK under the recent Improved Access To Psychological Therapies [IAPT] initiative. Parallel to this initiative more detailed clinical guidelines have been developed to inform the practice of CBT for particular conditions.

CBT is user friendly, and uses a process of formulation. A formulation is an explanation of the causes and maintaining factors of an emotional problem. It is written in collaboration between you and your therapist during the early sessions.  Using this formulation, strategies for change are developed and you can choose what type of treatment you require.  

Jeremy will work with a formulation in order to understand how your ways of being, relating and  functioning were formed. Formulation also helps to identify how your difficulties are being maintained.  Sometimes we are not aware of these patterns or the alternative choices we could make. CBT aims to help you make more informed choices about how you cope and function.  It is in making such choices that lasting changes can occur.

Jeremy works as part of the Brighton Psychotherapy & Counselling multi-disciplinary team. During therapy there will be opportunities to review your progress and should another approach be needed this can be arranged.

If you are looking for a CBT therapist, please do ask people if they are accredited by the BABCP, as this is the qualification from the association that it is important to look for.

For more information on Jeremy's practice, please see the link on the right to his page.