How do you feel? What do you do about it? CBT: Retrain your brain to create more helpful responses

CBT treatment combines cognitive therapy (examining the things you think) and behaviour therapy (examining the things you do) to help you understand and challenge any negative thoughts and irrational beliefs in order to create more helpful emotional and behavioural responses. It’s a bit like Marmite, some people love it and others hate it.

Is it right for you?

• Are you comfortable thinking about and exploring your feelings? CBT involves becoming aware of your anxieties which may be initially uncomfortable

• CBT can involve exercises for you to do outside of your sessions, meaning you need to find time to spend on these

• CBT works best when there’s a clear problem to solve, rather than feeling generally unhappy

• If you have complex problems, you may find a short-term therapy like CBT is less helpful and find longer term therapy more suited to your needs

Try it with these apps and online resources:

• Stress & Anxiety Companion: to help you manage anxious feelings and identify their triggers, so they won’t trip you up in the future.

• Pacifica: based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, mindfulness, relaxation, and health

• MindShift CBT: to help change how you feel about anxiety and develop coping strategies

• Beating the Blues: an online CBT course for people with mild to moderate Depression and Anxiety