What is CBT?

My ultimate therapeutic aim is for you to not need therapy. For you to be able to take a step back from your psychological distress, unhelpful thinking processes and dysfunctional problem solving so you can be your own therapist. For you to have an effective, compassionate and accepting relationship with yourself and for you to be able to live a meaningful, satisfying life that is congruent with your values.

To achieve this I use established, evidence based  CBT methods along with emerging CBT approaches that have their roots in Eastern Philosophy such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion-Focused Therapy, visualisation and Mindfulness-based CBT.

My practice is also strongly influenced by the Humanist movement, which views people as growing, developing, creative beings who have the ability to to take full responsibility for maintaining their own health and well-being and achieving their full potential through self-actualisation.

If after a free, no obligation, online consultation with myself you choose to proceed with CBT, we will spend the first couple of sessions getting an understanding of the current issues and how they developed. Some questionnaires may be used to assist with this. We will also establish what your therapeutic goals are.

We will then collaboratively develop what we call a ‘formulation.’ A formulation is a personalised diagram that illustrates how the problems are being maintained, and will provide us with a ‘map’ of how to resolve issues. The following sessions will then consist of interventions that target different areas of the formulation in order to reduce distress and achieve the goals.

Unlike most talking therapies, CBT sessions are structured. This is so we can ensure we get through what we need to. We will start each session by agreeing on an agenda. As the sessions progress and you become more confident with CBT, you will be encouraged to take an active role in this process.

CBT is a time-limited therapy. That means it does not go on indefinitely – we will agree on what we think the appropriate number of sessions will be during the assessment stage, however this will be flexible. A course of CBT is usually between 8-to-16 sessions, depending on the problem.

The sessional rate is €95 per hour. I also offer a limited number of low income sessions, on a sliding scale based on circumstances. For more information, please enquire via e-mail.

One item that will always be on the agenda, once we are underway, is a review of what is often referred to as homework, although since this word brings back negative emotions for many (including myself!), I prefer ‘mission.’ Missions are a way to practice new techniques, and like learning an instrument, if you only practiced during one weekly lesson, progress would be slow. Missions are an essential part of CBT; most of the progress that is made occurs in-between sessions, not in them.

At the end of each session we will agree what the next mission will be. It will always be linked to what we have discussed in the session, and will be a way of integrating what we talk about into your day-to-day life.