What is CBT and how does it Work?

When you think about CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy), you might wonder what this theory looks like in practice.

Here are the steps I like to follow when I’m working through problems and issues with clients.

Sometimes, though, we skip around and make changes to suit.

1.      Assessment (Where you are, where you are going, what’s in your way)

2.      Your Brain (How brains work, awareness of thoughts, feelings and behaviours)

3.      Thinking (How to manage negative thoughts and CBT strategies to change them)

4.      Feelings (How to manage negative emotions and CBT strategies to change them)

5.      Behaviour (How to manage unhelpful responses and CBT strategies to change them)

6.      Self-sabotage (How to deal with unconscious thinking and unwanted responses)

7.      Flexibility (How to be psychologically flexible, adaptable and resilient)

8.      Values (how to create a purposeful, meaningful and fulfilling life)

9.      Relationships (understanding relationship principles and strategies that work)

Each of these steps follows on from the preceding step.

The first four highlighted steps will give you the fundamental understanding and skills to manage everyday problems and issues.

You can do these steps as individual sessions or (more cheaply) in mixed individual/group settings – which I call 4X4.

4 CBT steps to Fastfix Anxiety (or any difficult emotion) in 4 Weeks.

Watch for the next special subscriber-priced 4X4 group coming up in February.

For many of you, these four steps will give you 80% of what you need.

They will give you a sound psychological framework for understanding your unique brain.

You can always learn more yourself with subsequent reading, research and learning.

You can find my 9-step CBTBlueprint here.

Dr Sharyn