How Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Can Help You Manage and Overcome Anxiety
BY Lorna Devine BSc MSc PPD PgDip
What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a well-established and highly effective talking therapy which can help you manage and overcome a wide range of difficulties including anxiety, panic attacks, stress, eating problems, low self-esteem and low mood.
CBT can also help you achieve personal and professional goals and can even help to just maintain your wellbeing.
CBT combines cognitive therapy (examining the things you think) and behaviour therapy (examining the things you do). It is based on the theory that our thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and behaviours are all interconnected, and that negative thoughts and feelings can keep us trapped in a vicious cycle.
The idea is that if we work on changing one of these, then we can alter the others. In CBT, I help my clients to identify, understand and change unhelpful ways of thinking and behaving which can in turn, impact how they feel (e.g. less anxious) and help them change their behaviour in the future.
CBT is primarily focused on helping individuals in the “here and now”, rather than attempting to solve past issues. Although, I always think with my clients how their past experiences may have impacted the way that they see themselves, others, and the world around them.
CBT is a relatively short-term and goal orientated therapy that offers a hands-on approach to problem solving.
How can CBT be used to treat anxiety?
CBT is the most widely used therapy for treating anxiety. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) particularly recommends CBT for anxiety.
In CBT, you will learn various ways to cope with anxiety. For example, you will learn how to recognise anxiety; take charge of uncomfortable bodily sensations; manage unhelpful thoughts and images; change problematic behaviours; and importantly, you will develop ways of coping for life.
You will leave therapy with your own ‘toolbox’ of effective ways of coping which you can then use whenever you feel anxious in the future. The idea is that by the end of therapy, you are essentially your own therapist.
It is important to note though that CBT should always be tailored to what you are specifically struggling with. For example, if you have panic attacks, your treatment will look different from someone seeking help for social anxiety.
About the author:
Lorna is a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist and Accredited Life Coach. Lorna holds a BSc (Hons) in Psychology, a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and Mental Health and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Lorna is also a qualified Life Coach and Personal Performance Coach.
With more than 10 years’ experience in clinical practice, Lorna has worked with
over 3000 clients. Working closely with individuals on a range of issues including panic attacks; anxiety; stress; burn out; perfectionism; low self-esteem; and low mood, Lorna has helped countless clients achieve their goals of overcoming and coping with a variety of personal and professional difficulties.
Lorna adopts an integrative approach to client work, combining different tools and techniques from a variety of evidence-based psychological models of therapy and coaching to specifically meet clients’ needs; enabling transformational and lasting changes.
In addition to offering 1:1 online CBT and coaching sessions, Lorna delivers corporate talks, wellness workshops and consultation services.
Lorna has worked with and been featured in leading brands such as BBC News London, Harper's Bazaar, Sweaty Betty, Sheer Luxe, Hip and Healthy and many more.
To find more about Lorna head to her website, instagram or contact her via email.