What Is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)?

By David Hennessy, Clinical Psychologist, Varsity Lakes, Gold Coast, QLD

Understanding Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is one of the most widely researched psychological therapies available today. It is based on the understanding that our thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and behaviours influence one another [1–4].

CBT helps people become more aware of patterns that may be contributing to distress and learn practical strategies for responding differently.

Many people have heard of CBT but are unsure what actually happens in therapy or why it is often recommended by psychologists, doctors, and mental health services.

The Basic CBT Model

A central idea in CBT is that situations do not automatically create emotional reactions.

Instead, our interpretation of events often plays an important role.

For example:

Situation: A colleague does not return a message.

Thought: “They must be upset with me.”

Emotion: Anxiety.

Behaviour: Repeated checking, reassurance seeking, or avoidance.

Different interpretations may lead to different emotional and behavioural responses.

CBT helps people notice these patterns and evaluate whether they are accurate, helpful, or consistent with the available evidence.

Common Thinking Patterns

CBT often explores habitual thinking patterns that may contribute to distress.

Examples include:

• Catastrophising

• All-or-nothing thinking

• Mind reading

• Fortune telling

• Overgeneralisation

• Excessive self-criticism

Everyone experiences these patterns from time to time. Difficulties can arise when they become frequent, rigid, or strongly believed.

CBT Is About More Than Positive Thinking

A common misconception is that CBT teaches people to “think positively.”

In reality, CBT focuses on developing more balanced, realistic, and flexible ways of understanding situations.

The goal is not to convince yourself that everything will be fine.

The goal is to consider the evidence, recognise assumptions, and respond more effectively.

Behaviour Matters Too

CBT places significant emphasis on behaviour.

Many emotional difficulties are unintentionally maintained by patterns such as:

• Avoidance

• Withdrawal

• Reassurance seeking

• Procrastination

• Safety behaviours

Behavioural experiments and gradual exposure can help people learn new information and build confidence through experience.

For many people, motivation follows action rather than preceding it.

Conditions CBT May Help Treat

Research supports CBT for:

• Anxiety disorders

• Depression

• OCD

• PTSD

• Panic disorder

• Social anxiety

• Insomnia

• Chronic pain

• Health anxiety

• Phobias

• Stress-related difficulties [2–6]

Modern CBT

Modern CBT has evolved considerably since its early development.

Contemporary CBT often incorporates:

• Mindfulness

• Acceptance-based strategies

• Behavioural activation

• Compassion-focused approaches

• Values-based action

• Metacognitive techniques

Many psychologists integrate these approaches according to the person’s needs.

What Happens in a CBT Session?

Sessions commonly involve:

• Identifying current difficulties

• Exploring patterns of thinking and behaviour

• Developing practical strategies

• Reviewing progress

• Practising skills between sessions

Therapy is usually collaborative, with psychologist and client working together to understand problems and develop solutions.

Why CBT Remains Popular

CBT continues to be widely used because it is:

• Evidence-based

• Practical

• Structured

• Collaborative

• Adaptable across many presentations

Importantly, CBT focuses on skills that people can continue using independently after therapy ends.

Related Services

If you are interested in CBT-based therapy, you may wish to read:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in Varsity Lakes, Gold Coast QLD

• Anxiety Therapy

• Depression Therapy

• OCD Therapy

• PTSD Therapy

• Insomnia Support

References

[1] Beck, A. T. (1979). Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders. New York: Penguin.

[2] Hofmann, S. G., Asnaani, A., Vonk, I. J. J., Sawyer, A. T., & Fang, A. (2012). The efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 36(5), 427–440. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-012-9476-1

[3] Cuijpers, P., Karyotaki, E., Reijnders, M., & Purgato, M. (2023). Cognitive behaviour therapy for depression and anxiety disorders. World Psychiatry, 22(1), 105–115. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.21069

[4] David, D., Cristea, I., & Hofmann, S. G. (2018). Why cognitive behavioural therapy is the current gold standard of psychotherapy. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9, 4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00004

[5] Australian Psychological Society. Evidence-based psychological interventions. https://psychology.org.au

[6] Butler, A. C., Chapman, J. E., Forman, E. M., & Beck, A. T. (2006). The empirical status of cognitive-behavioural therapy. Clinical Psychology Review, 26(1), 17–31. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2005.07.003