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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a short-term psychotherapy treatment that enables clients to:

  1. Be aware of their thoughts and emotions;

  2. Understand the relationship between situations, thoughts, emotions, and behaviours; and

  3. Learn skills to improve their emotions by changing their thoughts and behaviours.

It has strong empirical support for treating a wide range of disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and phobias, and can be useful in dealing with problems that come up in day-to-day life. It has also been shown to be effective for people of all ages, from early childhood to older adults, and for people of different education levels and cultural backgrounds. CBT is an effective therapeutic approach because it is:

  • Structured (agenda for every session)

  • Time-limited (usually 6-20 sessions)

  • Problem-focused and goal-oriented

  • Teaches proven strategies and skills

  • Practice-based with the use of homework

  • Based on a proactive, shared and collaborative therapeutic relationship between the therapist and client.

Psychologists conducting CBT are expected to:

  • Understand CBT theory and principles

  • Conceptualize a client’s case using CBT framework (click here for more information on case conceptualization) based on information gathered from client (click here for more information on intake assessment)

  • Share CBT case conceptualization with client to help them understand the role of maladaptive thoughts and beliefs in influencing their feelings and behaviours

  • Collaborate with client to identify goals of intervention

  • Apply a range of cognitive and behavioural techniques and tools, including but not limited to mood monitoring, thought record forms, behavioural activation, and relaxation strategies

  • Utilize homework to facilitate between-session work and progress

  • Prepare client for end of intervention and discuss relapse prevention strategies

 

Key textbooks

  1. Judith S. Beck (2011). Cognitive therapy: Basics and beyond (2nd Ed). New York: Guilford press.

    This is a useful resource for starting practitioners interested in learning and undrestanding the fundamentals of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Using a single case example throughout the book, this book brings clinicians through the various components of CBT.

  2. Cully, J. A., & Teten, A. L. (2008). A therapist’s guide to brief cognitive behavioral therapy. Houston: Department of Veterans Affairs South Central MIRECC.

    This resource is a useful guide for clinicians who find time-limited CBT (~4-8 sessions) to be effective and efficient for their clients. It adopts a modular approach to introduce the various components of CBT and includes useful client handouts and sample session outlines.

Materials for clinicians

These websites provide free useful videos, therapy handouts and materials for clinicians to use with clients presenting with a range of mental health difficulties.

  1. Centre for Clinical Interventions (CCI)

  2. Therapist Aid

  3. UW Medicine Harborview Medical Center

The following apps are recommended for clinicians as therapy tools for clients. 

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CBT Thought Diary – This is an electronic alternative to thought diary. You can get client to use this app to document negative emotions, analyse flaws in thinking, and re-evaluate thoughts. If a positive emotion is identified, it will prompt you to think of something that you are grateful for. (Free; iOS and Android)

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Clear Fear – This app is developed for the teenagers to manage anxiety using CBT principles by learning how to reduce physical responses to threat, changing thoughts and behaviours, and releasing emotions. (Free; iOS and Android)

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Calm – This app provides guided meditations, sleep stories, breathing programs, and relaxing music. (Free; iOS and Android)

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Headspace: Meditation & Sleep – This app has interesting and easy to understand videos that explains difficult concepts and techniques about mindfulness. It has guided mindfulness practices for different stressors. (Offers In-App Purchases, iOS and Android)

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Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame - There is an animated video in the parent version that just focus on breathing with the children. It is also suitable to teach children problem-solving skills using 5 common problems children faced acted out by the characters. (Free; iOS and Android)

HOW TO START CBT

Getting Started: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Action by Dr Wright and Kate

Uploaded by UofL Depression Center on 2017-01-19.