CBT is what is called an evidence-based therapy which means that there has been a tone of research done in regards to how and who it can benefit. It is actually the most researched therapy to date which makes it one of the most popular and recommended therapies. CBT has also evolved over the past 50 years and is now what is referred to as being in its third wave. The first wave started with what was called Behaviour Therapy (BT), the second wave saw the introduction of Cognitive Therapy (CT) and Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) – introducing the concepts of cognition and emotions, and how they relate to behaviour. Whilst the third wave now includes Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Compassion Therapy and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). So what are some of the goals of these CBT therapies….

1. To minimizing a persons’ emotional disturbances and self-defeating behaviours by acquiring a more realistic, workable and compassionate philosophy of life.
2. Choose realistic and life enhancing goals and understand what self-defeating behaviours impact this.
3. Assist clients in process of achieving; unconditional self-acceptance; unconditional other acceptance and unconditional life acceptance.
4. Explore self-defeating thoughts that usually sound like – should, ought and must.
5. Help clients learn practical skills that they can use to make changes in their thoughts, behaviours and emotions and how to sustain these over time.

What are some of the viewpoints that CBT takes…
1. People are disturbed not by events but by the view or perspective and beliefs they hold around those events – the more rigid and extreme their view = the more disturbed they make themselves.
2. That people’s beliefs have highly personal meanings, and that people can discover these meanings themselves rather than being taught or having them interpreted by the therapist.
3. We learn irrational beliefs during childhood and then recreate these irrational beliefs and actively reinforce them through a process of auto suggestion and self-repetition = behaving in a way that is consistent with these beliefs. Which don’t usually serve the adult self.