Cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, is a one-to-one talking therapy that helps people understand how their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are connected, and how changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviours can improve how they feel.
CBT focuses on identifying negative or unhelpful thinking patterns, challenging them, and replacing them with more realistic and helpful thoughts, while also encouraging healthier behaviours.
CBT is usually structured, goal-focused, and practical. Here’s how it typically works:
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Identify thoughts
You learn to notice automatic thoughts (for example, “I always mess things up”) that affect your emotions and actions. -
Examine and challenge them
You and the therapist look at whether those thoughts are accurate, balanced, or helpful. -
Replace with healthier thoughts
Unhelpful thoughts are replaced with more realistic ones (for example, “I made a mistake, but that doesn’t define me”). -
Change behaviours
You practise new behaviours—like facing fears gradually or improving problem-solving skills—to reinforce healthier thinking. -
Practise skills
CBT often includes homework or exercises so you can apply these skills in real life.
Key Features of CBT:
Focuses on the present, not just the past
Teaches coping skills you can use long-term
Usually short-term and structured
Evidence-based and widely used for anxiety, depression, stress, and more
