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Cognitive Therapy

therapy sessionCognitive Therapy (CT) is a relatively short-term therapy for a wide range of psychological problems, including depression, panic, phobias, posttraumatic stress disorder, anger, relationship difficulties, sexual dysfunction and substance abuse and dependence. Numerous studies have confirmed the efficacy of CT in work with these disorders.

The focus of CT is on how we think and behave. For example, someone who is depressed may think, "I am a total failure" and "The future is hopeless". These negative thoughts are likely to maintain the depression, so a Cognitive Therapist would work to change them into more rational thoughts such as "I may have had a few failures but everyone has failures. That doesn't mean I'm a complete failure as a person".

Behaviourally, someone who is depressed is also likely to withdraw from others and become inactive, both of which maintain depression. A Cognitive Therapist would work collaboratively with them to help increase pleasurable and rewarding behaviours and to increase social contacts and support networks.

CT is a practical, focused therapy, with a "user friendly" approach and good collaboration between therapist and client. Clients come to therapy because they are distressed therfore therapist empathy is very important to outcome in CT.

The therapy sessions are structured i.e. in order to ensure that client concerns remain the focus of every session, an agenda is set at the beginning.

In order to ensure that each session is remembered, both client and therapist take some notes. In order to ensure that skills which have been taught in-session are remembered and practiced, "homework" is undertaken. This is collaboratively agreed and "user friendly".

In a 2001 booklet the Department of Health recommended CT in the treatment of mental disorders such as anxiety, depression and eating disorders.

Department of Health, 2001. Treatment Choice in Psychological Therapies and Counselling: Evidence Based Clinical Practice Guideline (Brief Version).