COGNITIVE THERAPY
Cognitive Therapy
When Familiar Thoughts Keep You Stuck
Sometimes it’s not just what happens to us that causes difficulties, but the way we’ve learned to interpret and respond to certain situations.
Two people can experience something very similar yet react in completely different ways.
Our thoughts, expectations and beliefs all influence how we feel and what we do. Some of these patterns are helpful, while others can keep us stuck in difficulties that seem to repeat themselves.
Cognitive therapy helps us recognise those patterns and consider whether there might be a more useful way of responding.
The Way We Think Matters
You may have noticed that your mind sometimes jumps straight to the worst possible outcome.
Perhaps you assume someone is criticising you, worry that you’re going to fail or spend hours going over a conversation wondering whether you said the wrong thing.
These responses can become so familiar that we barely question them.
Over time, they may affect confidence, relationships, anxiety and the decisions we make.
Simply being told to think positively rarely helps. If it were that easy, most people would have sorted these difficulties out for themselves years ago.
How I Use Cognitive Therapy
I use cognitive techniques to help clients recognise thinking patterns and beliefs that may be contributing to their difficulties.
We’ll look at how particular thoughts influence your emotions and behaviour, and whether those thoughts are accurate, helpful or based on assumptions you’ve carried for a long time.
For example, someone who believes they must never make a mistake may experience considerable anxiety in situations where they’re being assessed or observed.
We can examine that belief, understand how it’s affecting them and work towards a more balanced response.
The aim isn’t to replace every negative thought with a positive one. It’s to develop a more realistic and flexible way of thinking.
Working with Other Approaches
I often combine cognitive therapy with BWRT or hypnotherapy, depending on the person and what they’re experiencing.
Cognitive work can be particularly useful when long-standing beliefs or habits of thinking are contributing to a problem.
BWRT may be more appropriate when an unwanted emotional response happens almost instantly, before there’s time to think it through.
Hypnotherapy can also be useful where relaxation, imagery or suggestion would complement the work.
We don’t have to use every approach. We’ll decide what’s most appropriate together.
What Happens During a Session?
We begin by talking about the difficulty you’re experiencing and identifying the situations where it tends to arise.
We may explore particular thoughts, assumptions or beliefs, and how they affect the way you feel or behave.
Sometimes I’ll suggest things you can observe or practise between appointments, but we’ll agree on anything that’s appropriate for you.
We take things one session at a time, reviewing how you’re getting on and deciding what would be useful next.
Getting in Touch
If you’d like to explore whether cognitive therapy might help with your difficulties, you’re welcome to contact me.
I offer a free 20-minute consultation, with no obligation to arrange further sessions.
Call or text 07968 109402, or contact me by email.
07968 109402 · cheshirehypnotherapist@gmail.com
Cognitive therapy is based on the principle that thoughts and perceptions can impact our feelings and behaviour, and looks at ways to reassess negative thoughts so individuals can learn more flexible, positive ways of thinking that will subsequently influence behaviours.
Learn how to manage your thinking and emotions
Research shows us that people will only invest their energy, time and commitment to achieving a goal – any goal – once they BELIEVE that their efforts will be successful.
You will be guided through a process that will allow you to recognise that you ARE capable of overcoming your problems, symptoms, health-issues and other hurdles you may be struggling with. Once you gain insight and understanding into yourself you will discover how your thoughts, beliefs, imagination and thinking styles are either causing or contributing to your symptoms whether it be Anxiety, depression, fears, phobias, low self-worth, social-anxiety, or sexual issues.
You Will Learn
How your cognitive processes work.
How your belief systems are formed.
How your three main limiting belief systems hold you back in life, and why your external sense of power and control has such a big impact upon you!
In short: When you can fully comprehend how you unintentionally created a problem, you can “un-create” it.
Psychological Well-Being Coaching
If you answer yes to more than three of these questions you may want to consider investing some time into improving your mental well being.
- When you feel stressed do you find it hard to calm yourself down?
- Do you feel nervous around authority figures?
- Do you compare yourself to others?
- Do you avoid confrontation?
- Do you find it hard to make decisions?
- Do you set yourself very high standards?
- Do you tend to overthink, brood and ruminate?
- Is it important for you to be liked by others?
- Do you struggle to control your emotions?
- Do you believe that life happens” to you”?
- Are you aware of your internal dialog, your inner voice?
- Do the winter months impact on your mood?