Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Source: National Institute of Mental Health; NIH Publication No. 06-3879 (extract)

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is very useful in treating anxiety disorders. The cognitive part helps people change the thinking patterns that support their fears, and the behavioral part helps people change the way they react to anxiety-provoking situations.

For example, CBT can help people with panic disorder learn that their panic attacks are not really heart attacks and help people with social phobia learn how to overcome the belief that others are always watching and judging them. When people are ready to confront their fears, they are shown how to use exposure techniques to desensitize themselves to situations that trigger their anxieties.

People with OCD who fear dirt and germs are encouraged to get their hands dirty and wait increasing amounts of time before washing them. The therapist helps the person cope with the anxiety that waiting produces; after the exercise has been repeated a number of times, the anxiety diminishes.

People with social phobia may be encouraged to spend time in feared social situations without giving in to the temptation to flee and to make small social blunders and observe how people respond to them. Since the response is usually far less harsh than the person fears, these anxieties are lessened.

People with PTSD may be supported through recalling their traumatic event in a safe situation, which helps reduce the fear it produces. CBT therapists also teach deep breathing and other types of exercises to relieve anxiety and encourage relaxation.

Exposure-based behavioral therapy has been used for many years to treat specific phobias. The person gradually encounters the object or situation that is feared, perhaps at first only through pictures or tapes, then later face-to-face. Often the therapist will accompany the person to a feared situation to provide support and guidance.

CBT is undertaken when people decide they are ready for it and with their permission and cooperation. To be effective, the therapy must be directed at the person's specific anxieties and must be tailored to his or her needs. There are no side effects other than the discomfort of temporarily increased anxiety.

CBT or behavioral therapy often lasts about 12 weeks. It may be conducted individually or with a group of people who have similar problems. Group therapy is particularly effective for social phobia. Often "homework" is assigned for participants to complete between sessions.

There is some evidence that the benefits of CBT last longer than those of medication for people with panic disorder, and the same may be true for OCD, PTSD, and social phobia. If a disorder recurs at a later date, the same therapy can be used to treat it successfully a second time.

Source: National Institute of Mental Health; NIH Publication No. 06-3879 (extract)
Added: 21st June 2007

Looking for help with a problem?... Do get in touch... We're here to help...

If you're looking for help with an anxiety based problem, then we'll do what we can to help you.

There are lots of different ways we may be able to help you to feel better... we'd love to meet you for a chat at one of our practices, or, if you're not near us, there's the LifeShaping Process which is a superb, web based process that you can use at home!

If you're unsure where to start, or would just like to get in touch, just use the contact form below to tell us a bit about yourself, and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.

Your Name

Your Location

E-Mail

Your Age

What would you like to do?
I'd like to book an Initial consultation
I have a question about the LifeShaping Process
(If you want to buy the LifeShaping Process, you can do that here)
Other (please specify)
   
Where would you like to do it?
Chatteris, Cambridgeshire
(near Peterborough and Huntingdon)
Takeley, Essex
(near Stansted Airport, Harlow, Chelmsford and Bishop's Stortford)
Telephone

Please enter the word shown
Tell us a little bit about the problem you're looking for help with...

 

Not sure where to start?   Click here...

 

Anxiety
Anxiety Attacks / Panic Attacks

Commitment Phobia

How to overcome Commitment Phobia and get the relationship that you want
Confidence
Depression
Emetophobia - The Fear of Being Sick
Erectile Dysfunction (ED)
Impotence
Nail Biting
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder / OCD
Performance Anxiety
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder / PTSD
Premature Ejaculation (PE)
Self Confidence
Sexual Performance Anxiety
Sexual Problems
Sleep Problems / Insomnia
Social Anxiety / Social Phobia
Stage Fright
Stopping Smoking
Stress
Vaginismus / Vaginism
Weight and Eating Issues
More Symptoms Treated...
   
 

The LifeShaping Process

Symptoms helped with the LifeShaping Process
LifeShaping Process FAQs
LifeShaping - About Us
What you get with the LifeShaping Process
LifeShaping Customer Testimonials
Buy the LifeShaping Process

Affiliates

   
 

How to overcome anxiety with the LifeShaping Process

How to feel more in control
How to stop feeling judged by people
How to feel more positive in your life
How to know your problem CAN be helped
How to overcome Commitment Phobia and get the relationship that you want
   
 
Pure Hypnoanalysis
The LifeShaping Process
Changing Limiting Beliefs (CLB)
CDs and MP3 Downloads
Suggestion Therapy (Clinical Hypnosis)
Testimonials (Success Stories)
Session Fees
Not Sure Where to Start?
   
 
About Us
What Our Clients Say (Testimonials)
What We Do
Where We Do It (Locations)
Our Cambridgeshire Practice
Our Essex / Hertfordshire Practice
About Paul Douglass
About Denise Douglass
Contact Us

Affiliates

   
 
Weight Loss Hypnosis MP3 Download
Stop Smoking Hypnosis MP3 Download
Fear of Flying Hypnosis MP3 Download
Nail Biting Hypnosis MP3 Download
Self Confidence Hypnosis MP3 Download
Sleep and Insomnia Hypnosis MP3 Download
Relaxation Hypnosis MP3 Download
Easy Guide to Anxiety and Therapy MP3 Download
 
   
 
Stopping Smoking with Hypnosis
   
 
Click here for information about our affiliates program

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our family of websites...

Avon Hypnotherapy - Hypnosis, Hypnotherapy, Pure Hypnoanalysis, Changing Limiting Beliefs (CLB) in Cambridgeshire, London, Essex, Hertfordshire and online sessions (similar to online therapy, online counseling) Also with MP3 Hypnosis downloads and hypnosis CDs. Help for fears, phobias, anxiety, panic attacks, sexual problems (vaginismus, erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, impotence), emetophobia (the fear of being sick), commitment phobia, social anxiety (social phobia), self confidence, stopping smoking, weight loss

 

Avon Hypnotherapy

Avon Hypnotherapy - Hypnosis, Hypnotherapy, Pure Hypnoanalysis, Changing Limiting Beliefs (CLB) in Cambridgeshire, London, Essex, Hertfordshire and online sessions (similar to online therapy, online counseling) Also with MP3 Hypnosis downloads and hypnosis CDs. Help for fears, phobias, anxiety, panic attacks, sexual problems (vaginismus, erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, impotence), emetophobia (the fear of being sick), commitment phobia, social anxiety (social phobia), self confidence, stopping smoking, weight loss

i-Talk - Looking for an online therapist, online therapy, online counseling (online counselling), or online Changing Limiting Beliefs (onine CLB)?

 

i-Talk

i-Talk - Looking for an online therapist, online therapy, online counseling (online counselling), or online Changing Limiting Beliefs (onine CLB)?

Paul Douglass - Hypnosis, hypnotherapy, pure hypnoanalysis (Pure Hypnoanalyst and hypnotherapist) and Changing Limiting Beliefs (CLB) in Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Essex and North London

 

Paul Douglass

Paul Douglass - Hypnosis, hypnotherapy, pure hypnoanalysis (Pure Hypnoanalyst and hypnotherapist) and Changing Limiting Beliefs (CLB) in Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Essex and North London

Denise Douglass - Hypnosis, hypnotherapy, hypnotherapist, pure hypnoanalyst (pure hypnoanalysis) and Changing Limiting Beliefs (CLB) in North London, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Essex

 

Denise Douglass

Denise Douglass - Hypnosis, hypnotherapy, hypnotherapist, pure hypnoanalyst (pure hypnoanalysis) and Changing Limiting Beliefs (CLB) in North London, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Essex

Hertfordshire Hypnotherapy - Hypnosis in Hertfordshire, hypnotherapy in Hertfordshire, pure hypnoanalysis in Hertfordshire and Changing Limiting Beliefs in Hertfordshire (CLB in Hertfordshire) - Convenient for Radlett, St Albans, Edgware, Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Potters Bar, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Bishop's Stortford, Harlow, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Braintree, Epping, Loughton, Ware

 

Hertfordshire Hypnotherapy

Hertfordshire Hypnotherapy - Hypnosis in Hertfordshire, hypnotherapy in Hertfordshire, pure hypnoanalysis in Hertfordshire and Changing Limiting Beliefs in Hertfordshire (CLB in Hertfordshire) - Convenient for Radlett, St Albans, Edgware, Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Potters Bar, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Bishop's Stortford, Harlow, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Braintree, Epping, Loughton, Ware

Anxiety Matters - A website dedicated to anxiety, fears and phobias, panic attacks (anxiety attacks), commitment phobia, depression, sexual problems (vaginusmus, impotence, premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction), and feeling better!

 

Anxiety Matters

Anxiety Matters - A website dedicated to anxiety, fears and phobias, panic attacks (anxiety attacks), commitment phobia, depression, sexual problems (vaginusmus, impotence, premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction), and feeling better!

Stop Smoking Hypnotherapy - Stop Smoking hypnotherapy in Cambridgeshire, Stop Smoking hypnotherapy in Hertfordshire, Stop Smoking hypnotherapy in North London and Stop Smoking hypnotherapy in Essex

 

 

Stop Smoking Hypnotherapy

Stop Smoking Hypnotherapy - Stop Smoking hypnotherapy in Cambridgeshire, Stop Smoking hypnotherapy in Hertfordshire, Stop Smoking hypnotherapy in North London and Stop Smoking hypnotherapy in Essex

 

Cambridgeshire Hypnotherapy

Cambridgeshire Hypnotherapy - Hypnosis in Cambridgeshire, hypnotherapy in Cambridgeshire, pure hypnoanalysis in Cambridgeshire and Changing Limiting Beliefs in Cambridgeshire (CLB in Cambridgeshire) - Convenient for Peterborough, Ely, Huntingdon, Cambridge and East Anglia

 

North London Hypnotherapy

North London Hypnotherapy - Hypnosis in North London, hypnotherapy in North London, Changing Limiting Beliefs in North London (CLB in North London) - Convenient for North London, St Albans, Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Potters Bar, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Hertford, Stevenage

 

Essex Hypnotherapy

Essex Hypnotherapy - Hypnosis in Essex, Hypnotherapy in Essex, pure hypnoanalysis in Essex and Changing Limiting Beliefs in Essex (CLB in Essex) - Convenient for Bishop's Stortford, Harlow, Stansted, Saffron Walden, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Braintree, Great Dunmow, Epping, Loughton, Ware