CBT Association For Hypnotherapists
Cognitive behaviour therapy is a flexible approach in changing maladaptive or rigid
ways of thinking and feeling. CBT is a therapeutic intervention that is founded from
cognitive and behaviour psychological models. These human behaviours include concepts
of normal and abnormal development and emotional psychopathology. It is not the events
themselves, purely the meaning a person gives them. Negative / anxious thought patterns
that build over time, become a belief system and fail to change. By identifying these
negative or distorted perceptions, the therapist / clinician, can evaluate and change
the way the patient / client is thinking and ultimately feeling.
Because this therapy is pertaining to the client’s individual needs and focuses on
their negative / anxious thought patterns and processes, they will learn to become
more flexible and able to accept and adapt new cognitive skills. CBT therefore encourages
better coping skills and strategies and more importantly, well into the future creates
and maintains a significantly reduced relapse rate. This has been discovered with
extensive research into CBT.
CBT can be used for any presenting problems, whether it’s insomnia, panic disorder,
anxiety states, depression, sexual dysfunction, eating disorders, relationship concerns,
mood swings, OCD and many other mental health issues. This therapy is based on today,
tomorrow and their future, with little time spent on previous experiences of life.
However, any form of analytical therapy should be adopted prior to CBT.
For example, a person with an anxiety state has learnt to use avoidance tactics to
specific places / things. With CBT they will gradually learn new ways to overcome
this and realize these were not life threatening situations after all. With learning
a new alternative viewpoint, they also realize they have more control, and in the
long term, increases their self-esteem and confidence levels.
All humans have the ability to change the way they are able to deal with emotional
issues, by focusing on the way their thoughts, images, beliefs and attitudes they
use. If they hold maladaptive or dysfunctional thought processes, from perhaps negative
learned responses, this often initiates mental health problems such as depression.
This in turn can frequently generate co-morbid mental health attributes, such as
anxiety, sleep disturbance, or sleep depravation.
During the cognitive behavioural sessions, the identification of thoughts feelings,
behaviour and personalized therapy strategies, are developed by the therapist and
client. A plan of action by the therapist is essential. Providing homework for the
client is particularly important, as the client is encouraged to participate in their
own therapy regime. Their dysfunctional way of thinking is often habitual 24 hours
a day, therefore it is essential they record and even change these thinking patterns
during this therapy. This therapeutic structure is valuable, so the client recognizes,
there is effectual support and a plan of action in progress. This in turn leads to
a successful outcome.
Feedback at the beginning of each session is vital, such as what has worked and what
has not. The emphasis is on collaborating together and to experiment and explore
different ways for the individual client to overcome their difficulties. Coping skills
and strategies need to be monitored and evaluated, so the client’s recognize they
possess their own resources.
As the defined maladaptive cognition's are explored and identified by the therapist,
then a flexible approach can be incorporated during the session within hypnosis.
I call this internal focused CBT, which leads to a quicker recovery rate.
© 2007 CBT Association For Hypnotherapists
