What is CBT?

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that emphasises the importance of 'cognition' (our thoughts, assumptions, predictions and beliefs) and 'behaviour' (what we do) in determining our emotions and general psychological wellbeing. CBT assumes that the way you think can influence how you feel and behave, and vice versa. Therapy focuses on helping you to learn the connections between thoughts, feelings and behaviours, and learn specific skills to begin to think, feel and behave in more positive and helpful ways.

How effective is CBT?

CBT is often referred to as an 'evidenced-based' therapy. This means that CBT has been scientifically studied and carefully compared with other types of treatment for psychological disorders. Many studies have been conducted, the results of which show that CBT is:

l        Effective in treating most mental health problems

l        The most effective treatment for both anxiety and depression

l        More effective than medication in the long-term, as people taking medication are likely to relapse after they stop taking it

For all of these reasons, CBT is the preferred approach of the Australian medical community and Medicare will provide rebates for up to 12 sessions of CBT per calendar year. To take advantage of the Medicare rebate you simply need to ask your GP for a medicare referral to a psychologist.

What else do I need to know?

CBT is brief and time-limited. Some forms of therapy (e.g., psychoanalysis) can last for many years. CBT, on the other hand, is a short-term therapy. In fact, the average number of sessions clients attend is around 12. 

CBT is structured

The therapist and client together develop a structured agenda for each session, so that specific techniques and concepts are taught during each session. 

The exact strategies will vary depending upon the issue that the client wants to address, however techniques that are commonly included in CBT treatment include:

1. An initial assessment, setting goals, and planning treatment
2. Psychoeducation – learning about factors that cause and maintain the problem
3. Identifying and challenging unhelpful thoughts and assumptions
4. Changing behaviours that may inadvertently be maintaining the problem
5. Problem-solving skills
6. Coping skills
7. Planning for the future and preventing relapse

The client and the therapist are active. Rather than the client doing all the talking, the therapist takes an active role in providing information, teaching, planning treatment and setting a flexible agenda for each session to help the client reach their goals. The client’s role is to express their concerns, learn new strategies, and implement those strategies to make changes in their life.

CBT emphasises client education. It is not simply about “just talking”. One of the goals of treatment is to teach the client about the problem and help them to understand how and why they think, feel and behave the way they do. Once clients understand this, they can learn how to make changes in their life. This understanding helps the client and therapist to have the COLLABORATIVE relationship in therapy work, as mentioned above.

CBT involves weekly homework. Clients are asked to take the strategies learnt in session and apply them to their daily lives by practising them at home. In this way, therapeutic work continues outside the therapy room. The client can make changes faster and speed up their recovery.

CBT emphasises self-mastery. In other words, it is about learning the skills needed to make changes, and to implement this learning and maintain these changes once formal therapy has ended.

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