What to expect

· Your main problems/needs,

· the triggers/prompts of your difficulties,

· the thoughts/images, behaviours, physical feelings and moods you experience,

· what helps you cope with or manage the difficulties,

· the consequences of your problems e.g. does it impact on work or your social life,

· Where the problem comes from may also be explored.

· Why you’ve decided to access therapy now.

Formulation:

In CBT we tend to use specific diagrams in order to breakdown and help clients make sense of their difficulties. This process in CBT is called “formulating”; whilst we will continue the use of diagrams throughout therapy, this typically begins in the session following the assessment. Formulations seek to help us make links between events and learning from the past, our beliefs and rules and the way we think, feel and act in response to present triggers.

Interventions/Techniques:

In the sessions following the completion of your formulation, CBT techniques are employed to address negative thoughts and behaviours, via a number of methods such as: thought challenging, problem solving, graded exposure etc.

Relapse Prevention Planning:

In your final one or two sessions, you and your therapist will create a written plan to ensure you continue the techniques learnt in your treatment.

Treatment Structure

Assessment
Formulation
Interventions/Techniques
Relapse Prevention Planning

Assessment process:

Assessments are typically completed in the first session of therapy; however this can take up to three sessions if appropriate. The therapist will tend to begin by explaining a little bit about CBT and/or SFBT e.g. agenda setting, between session tasks. Then the majority of the appointment takes the form of an information gathering session for the therapist. A number of questions are asked to establish in detail: