What Is Cognitive Behaviour Therapy?

There are many types of therapies that psychologists and professionals use to help individuals who are struggling with mental wellbeing. The suitable therapy for each individual will depend on their specific circumstances. Psychologists will assess which therapy best suits you and guide you through it. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is commonly used and is one of the most popular types of therapy.


What is cognitive behaviour therapy?

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is a therapeutic approach used by psychologists, therapists and counsellors with the aim to help with anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, and other emotional difficulties. CBT recognises that what you think affects your behaviour and your mood/feelings.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is an integration of cognitive therapy and behaviour therapy. It approaches unhelpful and negative thoughts as a habit that can be changed. This therapy involves the individual challenging their thoughts to improve their emotional health. . 

The focus is to work on challenging and changing negative thoughts. It is based around the fact that positive thoughts generate positive feelings, which then drives some positive changes in behaviour.

Cognitive therapy

Cognitive therapy tries to change the way you go about thinking about issues and concerns. It aims to replace unhelpful and unrealistic ways of thinking into positive ones. 

For example, instead of thinking, “I can’t maintain long relationships”, it is approached from a different angle like, “None of my previous relationships have lasted long. Reconsidering what I need from a partner might help me find someone more compatible in the long-term”. 

Another technique is to prove that those thoughts are untrue. If you think that you are unlovable or no-one loves you, go talk to your family and closest friends to ‘give you evidence’ that your thoughts aren't true.

This is called ‘cognitive restructuring’. It teaches you to identify this negative thought and challenge them with more realistic and positive ones that improves your mood. 

There are many more techniques and approaches used depending on the situation, practitioner, and individual.

Behaviour Therapy

Behavioural therapy helps you identify which behaviours aren’t helpful to your mental health. It teaches you skills and offers practice to change those behaviours positively. The aim is to reinforce those positive behaviours to eliminate the negative ones.

For example, someone very shy with negative thoughts around social situations will be encouraged to socialise more - being taught helpful skills to be able to participate more in that environment.

Techniques include:

  • Classical conditioning

  • Operant conditioning


What is CBT therapy used for?

Cognitive Behavioural therapy is used to treat:

  • Depression

  • Anxiety Disorders, Including Panic Disorder And Phobia

  • Eating Disorders

  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

  • Schizophrenia

  • Bipolar Disorder

  • Substance Misuse

  • Hypochondria

  • Insomnia 

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Treatment

Details of how cognitive behavioural therapy will go about will depend on the practitioner and person. Generally, treatment will follow these steps:

  • Assessment: This will work around identifying and learning about your problem. This can also include questionnaires to track your progress over time

  • Personnel education: Your therapist, psychologist, or counsellor will provide you with information about your particular mental health issues or problem. Knowing about what is affecting you will help you understand how to tackle it and easy your stress and worry around it

  • Goal setting: Working towards something specific is easier that working towards very broad and big objectives. Your therapist will create a list of goals and steps on how to achieve them

  • Practice strategies: You will practise strategies with your therapist

  • Homework: Implementing and practising those strategies in your daily life will reinforce what you learned in therapy. Self-help is what makes the biggest difference. Often being in therapy’s comfort zone will make it easier to practise strategies. Therefore practising by yourself will be more beneficial.


Where To Get Help


Cognitive Behavioural Therapy identifies your negative behaviours and thoughts to change them positively. It uses a number of strategies that get you to act on your way of thinking and behaving around your problems. It has been proven to be very successful treating numerous mental and emotional issues. Another useful similar type of therapy is Acceptance and commitment therapy, learn more.


Inner Easern Psychology in Melbourne, consists of trained professionals that offer many services such as CBT, depression counselling, anxiety counselling and grief therapy. If you are feeling in need of help or advice, contact us for support.



Guest UserMelbourne Psychologist, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Melbourne