Is CBT the only effective therapy in the UK and is it right for me?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
What actually is CBT?
Firstly, let’s talk about what Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) actually is. CBT is a type of talking therapy based on the premise that our thoughts, emotions, physical feelings and behaviours are all interconnected. Based on this idea, we can get caught up in cycles of unhelpful thoughts, emotions and behaviours. A key part of CBT is about breaking these cycles down into smaller parts - such as identifying negative thought patterns or behavioural patterns - and therefore helping you to feel more positive and fulfilled in life.
CBT is a practical, action-focused therapy, meaning that between sessions you will have some practical skills to apply to your daily life during and after therapy has ended.
Research has shown that CBT can be highly effective for a wide array of psychological challenges, including depression, anxiety, panic, phobias, sleep issues and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is also effective for treating the psychological challenges that come with living with physical illness.
What about other therapies?
There are several other talking therapies - often called ‘third wave’ or cognitive behavioural therapies as they extend and build on the traditional CBT approach. This is great because like any science or theory, talking therapies are continually evolving and progressing.
‘like any science or theory, talking therapies are continually evolving and progressing”
Third wave CBT approaches include:
Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Like CBT, these talking therapies focus on helping you to develop a ‘toolbox’ of strategies that you can use to support your emotional wellbeing on a daily basis. The main difference is that the third wave therapies are more holistic - meaning that they do not just focus on the ways we think, but other aspects such as mindfulness, acceptance, values (what is important to you in life) and self-awareness. Another key difference is that CBT can be said to focus on a specific issue, whereas the third-wave approaches focus more broadly on general wellbeing by promoting day to day skills.
Registered Clinical Psychologists have training in more than one type of therapy, meaning we can integrate different therapies to suit you and your specific challenges. For example, a Clinical Psychologist can draw on some elements of CBT, whilst weaving in some tools from other therapies such as ACT and CFT.
So, to answer the original question as to whether CBT is the only effective therapy, the answer is… no! There are a number of therapies shown to be helpful for various conditions. The best way to find out what type of therapy/approach would be most helpful for you is to have a psychological assessment with a qualified Clinical Psychologist, who can then recommend a treatment program.
Want to know more about these therapies? Read my guide on different types of therapies here