Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a type of mental health therapy based on the idea that what we think and do affects the way we feel.
CBT is one of the most widely used treatments offered by mental health professionals. You can also work through CBT methods with self-help tools, as well as through programs like Beyond Blue’s NewAccess mental health coaching programs.
On this page we’ll explore how CBT works and ways to access this therapy for mental health. We’ll also explore Low Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (LiCBT), which is a targeted form of CBT for someone is experiencing mild or moderate levels of distress, anxiety or depression.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a structured, time-limited therapy that helps you identify and challenge unhelpful thoughts and behaviours, and replace them with more adaptive ones. CBT can help with both psychological and physical health problems. It shows us how the way we think (cognition), the way we act (behaviour), and the way we feel (both physical and emotional) are linked.
CBT helps you to identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviour patterns. Unhelpful thoughts and behaviours can make you feel more depressed or anxious and stop you from getting better.
CBT will help you replace unhelpful thoughts and behaviours with new ones that improve how you feel and reduce your depression or anxiety.
CBT is tailored to the unique challenges you’re experiencing, and draws on a range of strategies to help you overcome them and develop more balanced and helpful ways of thinking and acting.
Low-Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (LiCBT) is a form of CBT designed to be accessible for mild to moderate mental health issues, delivered by mental health coaches. LiCBT is a proven therapy that offers high recovery rates, increased accessibility and cost-effectiveness.
CBT was pioneered by Dr. Aaron T. Beck in the 1960s. Since then, more than 2,000 outcome studies have scientifically proven that CBT can help people recognise and change unhelpful patterns of thinking.
Read more about the history of CBT at the Beck Institute
Automatic thoughts are the closest to the surface, the ones that pop into our heads when a situation happens or something triggers a memory or feeling. Automatic thoughts can be realistic and true, but they can also be "biased," meaning they are inaccurate or unhelpful ideas we've picked up about ourselves or others.
Some examples of unhelpful automatic thoughts:
(Failing to complete a task): “That was pathetic.”
(Talking to a girl I like): “She’ll think I’m an idiot.”
Student A is catastrophising, expecting it to go badly without any evidence that it might. These thoughts can trigger physical symptoms of fear, which causes a cycle of worry.
Student B is telling themselves that nerves are normal, and they can use that energy positively. They can feel excited and focus on the presentation, not on their worries.
Meg, NewAccess for Small Business participant
A mental health professional can personalise CBT activities to suit your situation and needs, and you have some control over the course of the therapy, building your confidence through the process.
A mental health professional doesn’t need a special license to practice CBT, but it's best to find a mental health professional with proper credentials, and specialised training and experience. It's also important to feel comfortable with your therapist.
In your first CBT session your mental health professional will talk through the challenges you’re facing and help you to set some goals. They’ll consider your situation and decide with you the best strategies to use.
CBT is a “doing” therapy. A lot of the work happens in between sessions with your mental health professional, where you might be practicing skills, trying out new behaviours or keeping logbooks or diaries. Some of these things might be challenging, and that’s often the point, but a good mental health professional will always travel at your pace and not push you into anything you’re not ready for.
In sessions you might:
For people with mild or moderate symptoms, self-guided CBT can be helpful. If you want to try CBT for yourself without a mental health professional, there are many books, online tools and apps. Be cautious about any app or program that promises instant success or asks for a lot of money or personal details.
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