What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy?

I chose to specialise in CBT because I value approaches that are supported by the best available evidence. At the same time, I do not believe that therapy is about applying techniques from a manual. Every person is different. and therapy should always be collaborative, flexible and tailored to the individual.

Starting therapy can feel unfamiliar, particularly if it's your first time speaking to a therapist. While every person's journey is different, sessions are tailored to your individual needs and goals.

We'll begin by exploring what has brought you to therapy and developing a shared understanding of your experiences. Rather than focusing only on symptoms, we'll work together to understand the patterns that may be keeping difficulties going and identify meaningful goals for therapy.

As therapy progresses, we'll use evidence-based strategies to help you move towards those goals. This may include discussing new ways of approaching situations, learning practical skills, or trying exercises between sessions where appropriate. Throughout the process, we'll regularly review your progress and adapt our approach to ensure therapy continues to meet your needs.

Above all, therapy is a collaborative process. You're the expert on your own life and experiences. My role is to bring psychological knowledge, curiosity and evidence-based approaches so that together we can better understand what's happening and find practical ways forward.

People come to therapy for many different reasons. You might be feeling overwhelmed by anxiety, caught in patterns of overthinking, struggling with low mood, or finding that perfectionism, stress, or self doubt are affecting your daily life.

You can learn more about the areas I work with, including anxiety, depression, OCD, health anxiety, panic, stress and burnout, low self esteem, and perfectionism on my How I Can Help page.

CBT has a strong evidence base for many psychological difficulties, particularly anxiety disorders and depression. However, therapy is not one-size-fits-all. During our initial sessions we'll explore your goals, discuss whether CBT is likely to be a good fit, and consider alternative options if another approach would better meet your needs.

You can expect therapy to be collaborative, respectful and grounded in evidence. My role isn't to tell you who you are or what your experiences "really" mean. Instead, we'll work together to understand what's happening, identify patterns that may be maintaining distress, and develop practical ways forward that fit your goals and values.

Learn more about me by clicking here.