Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
The cognitive principle is how people's thinking, their beliefs and interpretations of situations affect their emotional reactions, put simply, individuals react with different emotions to the same event; therefore there is something other than the event that accounts for differences in reaction to the same event. Cognition is how the event is interpreted and what the interpretations mean in our environment/situation, this gives rise to emotions, which affects the way we feel; behaviour considers how we respond to our feelings, resulting in consequences. CBT promotes the evidence that unless people begin to change the way they think about things and process difficult information appropriately, it will not impact positively on their behaviour.
The components - cognition (thinking), psychological feeling (emotion), behaviour and physiology - interact with each other in a 'feedback process' involving the environment around the event or the individual. Cognitive or behavioural aspects of therapy can be approached in different ways depending on the condition being treated. For example, behavioural therapy is the main focus when treating conditions such as obsessive compulsive disorder. However when treating eating disorders or depression, the focus is on changing the cognitions (the way we think about things). In general, CBT helps us deal with what is happening in the 'here' and 'now' rather than past events, although previous experiences are important to how our mind has processed and shaped information during childhood, these experiences leave an impression on our minds which influences how we think, feel and behave.
The therapeutic techniques vary within the different approaches of CBT according to the particular kind of problem or issues, but commonly may include keeping a diary of significant events and associated feelings, thoughts and behaviours; questioning and testing cognitions, assumptions, evaluations and beliefs that might be unhelpful and unrealistic. This will help in gradually facing activities which may have been avoided; and trying out new ways of behaving and reacting. Relaxation, mindfulness and distraction techniques are also commonly included.
Eye Movement Desensitisation &
Re-processing (EMDR)
Whilst I work with people who have a wide range of problems/needs, I do specialize in therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) and offer Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) which is proven to be highly effective in people overcoming trauma(s) and a wide range of mental health problems leading to you living a more fulfilled life. EMDR therapy is an extensively researched integrative psychotherapy approach that has been proven effective for the treatment of trauma. EMDR therapy helps with different types of psychological trauma such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), single incident trauma, multiple traumas and complex traumas for people of all ages.
Studies suggest that both EMDR and trauma-focused CBT are currently regarded as effective forms of treatment for adult clients with PTSD. EMDR therapy treatment works using an eight phase treatment protocol . The overall goal of the therapy is for the client to process old traumatic/difficult memories/events and create new more healthier ones to obtain full recovery. With EMDR disturbing memories/events are processed using eye movements, similarly with CBT the client typically goes through imaginal exposure and/or to practice in vivo exposure.
Although not an exhaustive list some of the conditions that are treated using CBT & EMDR are:
- Anxiety disorders including phobias, panic attacks and panic disorder
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Body dysmorphic disorder
- Work stress
- Anger problems
- Post-traumatic-stress disorder
- Sexual and relationship problems
- Drug or alcohol abuse
- Sleep problems
- Chronic (persistent) pain
- Infertility stress
- Relationship difficulties