Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that aims to help you identify unhelpful thoughts and learn new practical strategies to cope. CBT teaches you how your thinking affects your mood which in turn influences your behaviour. It has been researched as an effective treatment for anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, irrational fears, substance misuse, eating disorders, insomnia and certain emotional and behavioural problems.

CBT is a blend of cognitive therapy and behaviour therapy. Cognitive therapy helps you to identify your thoughts and the patterns of thinking you have created. For example most of us catastrophise at times – which means to blow things out of proportion. But some of us do this repeatedly. This type of cognitive patterns is unhelpful and leads to increased stress and anxiety. Behaviour therapy involves particular activities designed to bring about change and shifts in emotions.