Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
An Integrative Approach
At our practice, we use Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) as one of several evidence-based approaches to support emotional wellbeing and personal growth. CBT is a practical, structured form of therapy that helps you understand how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are connected — and how changing one can positively influence the others.
As a clinic, we have found CBT to be incredibly useful, but to have some gaps if used in isolation. To address this, when CBT is included in a client's care we integrate it with other evidence-based therapeutic approaches.
What is CBT?
CBT is founded on the idea that our thoughts powerfully shape our emotional and behavioural experiences. Sometimes, the way we interpret situations can become distorted by past pain, fear, or self-doubt, leading to patterns that keep us stuck.
Through CBT, you learn to identify and gently challenge unhelpful thought patterns, build new ways of responding to stress, and develop tools for managing life’s challenges with greater clarity and calm.
Developed in the 1960s by Dr. Aaron Beck and Dr. Albert Ellis, CBT has become one of the most widely researched and effective psychological therapies. It provides clear, structured strategies that empower people to take an active role in their healing — cultivating resilience, confidence, and emotional balance.
Who is it for?
CBT can be helpful for anyone wanting to feel more in control of their emotions, thoughts, and actions, especially if you prefer a more structured approach. It’s especially effective for:
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Anxiety, panic, and worry
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Depression and low mood
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Stress and burnout
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Self-critical or perfectionistic thinking
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Phobias and obsessive thoughts
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Adjusting to change or life transitions
Many clients appreciate CBT’s practical, skills-based focus — learning techniques that can be applied both inside and outside of therapy sessions.
How Does CBT Work?
Traditional CBT
In CBT, counsellors work collaboratively with you to identify patterns of thinking and behaviour that contribute to distress. Together, you explore new ways of interpreting experiences and develop coping tools that help you respond to challenges with more balance and self-understanding.
You might learn to recognize “automatic thoughts,” reframe limiting beliefs, and experiment with small behavioural changes that promote greater wellbeing. Over time, these shifts can lead to lasting emotional relief and healthier patterns of relating to yourself and others.
How we integrate CBT with other approaches
While CBT offers powerful tools for understanding and managing thoughts and behaviours, we also recognize that true healing involves more than thinking differently — it involves connecting with your emotions, your body, and your deeper sense of self.
That’s why, at our clinic, we integrate CBT within a holistic, trauma-informed framework that includes approaches such as Internal Family Systems (IFS), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and embodiment practices.
This integration allows us to address both the cognitive and emotional layers of your experience — helping you not only think differently, but also feel and relate differently.
We understand that CBT alone may not fully capture the complexity of emotional healing. By weaving it together with more experiential and relational approaches, we support change that is compassionate, lasting, and deeply personalized.
The evidence
CBT is a well-researched counselling approach, with strong evidence for its effectiveness in treating anxiety, depression, trauma-related symptoms, and many other challenges. It is recognized by leading mental health organizations, including the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the American Psychological Association (APA).
When combined with emotionally and somatically focused approaches like IFS, EFT, and embodiment, CBT becomes part of a broader, integrative model of care — one that honours both the mind’s wisdom and the body’s truth.
Next Steps
If you are interested in CBT for yourself or a loved one, we invite you to book a consultation to discuss if this may be a good fit for you in counselling. Together, we can shape a path that honours all parts of you — mind, body, and heart.