| Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, is a an | | | | their thoughts" when they feel anxious - that is, |
| effective psychotherapy for a wide range of | | | | writing down (in brief sentences) what's going |
| emotional problems. The theory underlying CBT is | | | | through their head. This may sound a little strange at |
| that our thoughts directly affect the way we feel - if | | | | first, but it really is an essential part of the CBT |
| we think in depressed ways then we will feel | | | | method. Ideally the client should stop and write down |
| depressed. As such, a primary aim for a CBT | | | | what they're thinking at the moment they're thinking |
| therapist is to help a client recognise when they're | | | | it, but writing it down at the end of the day is also |
| thinking in unhelpful ways. This article is a brief | | | | acceptable. They should write down everything they |
| overview of one method of doing exactly this. I'll use | | | | were thinking of - this will usually produce quite a list |
| the example of someone suffering from social | | | | of thoughts and statements and beliefs. In addition, |
| anxiety, a common problem amongst people I work | | | | the client should note both how they felt (physically |
| with as a Psychiatrist and therapist in Edinburgh. | | | | and emotionally) and the situation in which these |
| The first step for the client is to start "recording | | | | feelings occurred. |