{"id":117822,"date":"2020-01-09T11:00:08","date_gmt":"2020-01-09T11:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/?p=117822"},"modified":"2022-05-16T12:00:00","modified_gmt":"2022-05-16T11:00:00","slug":"cbt-counselling-case-study","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/cbt-counselling-case-study.htm","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s it Like to Try CBT Counselling? A Case Study"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_117823\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/32410347657_3a36ee4d57.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-117823\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-117823\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/32410347657_3a36ee4d57-400x300.jpg\" alt=\"cbt counselling\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/32410347657_3a36ee4d57-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/32410347657_3a36ee4d57.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-117823\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">By: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/hollylay\/32410347657\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\" \">Holly Lay<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/cognitive-behavioural-therapy-london.htm\">Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)<\/a><\/strong> is currently one of the most popular <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/psychotherapeutic-approaches-the-main-schools-of-thought.htm\">types of talk therapy<\/a> in the UK and also one of the most <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-evidence-based-therapy-practise-and-treatment.htm\">evidence-based (1).<\/a>\u00a0But what\u2019s it all about? And what actually happens when you go to CBT counselling? <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><em><span class=\"s1\">Writer Andrea Blundell shares her personal experience of trying CBT.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">How I ended up trying CBT therapy<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>I have to be honest, I didn\u2019t go to try CBT counselling because I had done the research and knew what it was about<\/strong>. <\/span><span class=\"s1\">It&#8217;s embarrassing, but it was just that the therapist himself was known in certain circles as someone who had a &#8216;80% success rate&#8217; at helping women get into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/healthy-relationships-is-it-one.htm\">healthy long-term relationships<\/a> and had done wonders for a friend.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Not that relationships were my biggest problem. <\/strong>It was more that I was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/quiz-stressed-or-depressed\">depressed<\/a> and constantly struggling against falling into the \u2018black hole\u2019. But, still, I was too curious not to go.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>I was nervous, because I had tried therapy several times already, <\/strong>but hadn\u2019t had a good experience. The first therapist was through my GP, and because of waiting lists I was sent to see a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/psychodynamic-therapy.htm\">psychodynamic therapist<\/a> who actually worked out of the psychiatric wing of a hospital. The waiting room was a free space for live-in patients and quite overwhelming for me, not helped by the fact the therapist was obviously not happy in her job and just advised me just to \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/how-to-find-friends.htm\">make new friends<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/how-to-use-a-self-help-journal.htm\">write in a journal<\/a>\u2019. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>The second therapist I tried pulled out a doll house<\/strong> she wanted me to play with. Definitely not for me.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\" style=\"color: #333399;\">So my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/high-expectations.htm\">expectations<\/a> were low and I was not convinced anything could help me by that point, but I thought I&#8217;d at least try.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">My first impressions of my CBT therapist<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>The waiting room<\/strong>, a wood panelled place with black furniture, made me feel I was more in a lawyer\u2019s office than seeing a therapist. When the door to the office opened and a well-groomed blonde slipped out smiling, I felt intimidated, but hopeful.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_117839\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-117839\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-117839\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/david-matos-xtLIgpytpck-unsplash-400x266.jpg\" alt=\"cbt therapy\" width=\"400\" height=\"266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/david-matos-xtLIgpytpck-unsplash-400x266.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/david-matos-xtLIgpytpck-unsplash-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/david-matos-xtLIgpytpck-unsplash-180x120.jpg 180w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/david-matos-xtLIgpytpck-unsplash.jpg 709w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-117839\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">photo by David Matos<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>And then he ushered me in. A short man sporting a<\/strong> Ralph Lauren button down, little John Lennon glasses, and a posh accent, my guard went up.\u00a0 As an arty anti-system sort at the time, I immediately thought, \u201cHa! He\u2019ll never understand me.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">What the first session was like<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>It was weird and like a job interview. He asked me about why<\/strong> I had come to try CBT counselling, and then said we\u2019d take a family history if that was alright. And literally pulled out a clipboard!<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong> It was fairly practical questions over anything too deep and searching.<\/strong> I casually joked my life was so complicated we would have to get into it more in sessions\u2026. and that\u2019s when he explained, to my total surprise, that we wouldn\u2019t. <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\" style=\"color: #800080;\">He explained that CBT was focused more on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/present-moment-secret-better-mood.htm\">the present<\/a> than diving deeply into my past. I actually felt a bit disappointed &#8211; how could that even work?<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>I had had a really<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-are-adverse-childhood-experiences-aces.htm\">tumultuous childhood<\/a>. We moved non stop, my<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/the-effects-of-divorce-on-children.htm\"> parents divorced<\/a> when I was quite young, and my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/emotionally-unavailable.htm\">emotionally-unavailable<\/a> mother then dragged us through an Armageddon cult. I was sure all that needed addressing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>When I explained I did suffer<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/anxiety-vs-depression.htm\"> depression and anxiety<\/a><strong>, he said it would be beneficial to take<\/strong> a low dose of an antidepressant during our time working together, but it was up to me. Turned out he was actually a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/types-of-therapists.htm\">psychiatrist, not just a psychotherapist<\/a>, so could prescribe meds. I felt annoyed and said no way (to be fair, he wasn&#8217;t pushy).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>He also made me sign a contract. Again, it felt very<\/strong> cold and professional to me. We signed up to do 16 weeks of sessions together. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>In summary, the first session all went very fast. <\/strong> I wasn\u2019t overly impressed when I left.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Homework and an exercise book??<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-117838 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/siora-photography-hgFY1mZY-Y0-unsplash-400x263.jpg\" alt=\"cbt counselling\" width=\"400\" height=\"263\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/siora-photography-hgFY1mZY-Y0-unsplash-400x263.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/siora-photography-hgFY1mZY-Y0-unsplash-500x329.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/siora-photography-hgFY1mZY-Y0-unsplash.jpg 709w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/>The next session was when he pulled out a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/balanced-thinking-benefits.htm\">CBT exercise<\/a> book and explained <\/strong>how our goal was to retrain my brain.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\" style=\"color: #333333;\"><strong>The frontal region of my brain would be deactivated and keeping me in<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/cbt-dysfunctional-behaviour.htm\">low mood cycles<\/a>. We needed to activate it with exercises that would seem repetitive, but were very effective.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span class=\"s1\" style=\"color: #993366;\">And that\u2019s when I learned all about thought cycles according to CBT therapy. How <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/negative-thoughts.htm\">negative thoughts<\/a> create negative emotions, which create negative actions, which create low moods, which create a negative thought&#8230; and on it goes!\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>He told me not to be intimidated by the exercise book, we wouldn\u2019t be doing it all<\/strong> (he must have sensed my anxiety. I hated school). I\u2019ve since learned some CBT therapists do work right through the book, but he tailored CBT to what he felt clients needed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">I almost quit after the third session<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>I still wasn\u2019t gelling with the guy by the third session. I didn\u2019t like the way<\/strong> he peered at me over those little glasses, or his way monotone way of talking that I found smug. I felt sure he must think of me like some scruffy weirdo (again, I had low self-esteem). And his very masculine office, with its leather and chrome chairs, felt unwelcoming to me.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #333399;\">Of course now, looking back, I recognise my negative thinking always had me seeking for what was wrong instead of right. <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>He was teaching me about<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/cognitive-distortions.htm\">cognitive distortions<\/a>, ways of thinking that deviate like reality. Was I ever guilty of many of them &#8211; generalising, catastrophizing, personalisation, you name it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>The problem was he told me my favourite distortion was black and white thinking, and that I was a &#8216;drama queen&#8217;.\u00a0 <\/strong>I\u2019d need to learn how to accept to think grey thoughts instead of being so<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/black-and-white-thinking-stop-drama-addict.htm\"> black and white,<\/a>\u00a0as it was the drama that caused me a lot of emotional upset.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>I felt very defensive. I couldn&#8217;t believe he wanted me to be as<\/strong> boring as I was sure he was. Figures, I thought. This guy knows nothing&#8230;.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Walking home I decided I wasn\u2019t going to go back. I called my friend and told her.<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\" style=\"color: #993366;\">It was then that she explained something I now always tell people I meet who are thinking of trying therapy.\u00a0 She told me it was normal to not like a therapist at first! And that she really had a rule you have to do four sessions before deciding. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>So yes, she talked me into one more session.<\/strong> I really have to thank her for that, looking back, as CBT counselling ended up being a turning point for me.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">It all starts to make sense&#8230;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>In the fourth session, he laughed at one point,<\/strong> and I thought, oh yeah, he\u2019s human. Until then I\u2019d seen him as a \u2018doctor\u2019. <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\" style=\"color: #666699;\">I think this is another mistake many people new to therapy make, to see the therapist as different and not just another human. And it keeps you from feeling comfortable. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>He also mentioned that he was really into<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/mindfulness-help-guide.htm\">meditation<\/a>. I was totally surprised, I didn&#8217;t think he was \u2018cool\u2019 enough for that (at the time, it wasn\u2019t as popular as it is now).<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>By then we we were working through a &#8216;thought record&#8217; example and it <\/strong>did really was starting to make sense. This is where you catch and write down a negative thought you are having. You then find proof it&#8217;s true. You then come up with it&#8217;s exact opposite and find proof that is true, too. Which is odd as you realise you can &#8216;prove&#8217; both, and you&#8217;re left going, now wait a minute&#8230;. you can see how false thoughts really are. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Finally you pick a<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/balanced-thinking-benefits.htm\">balanced thought<\/a> in the middle. And reading it you do realise how much less stressful that thought is, more realistic.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>He told me I was going to have to do several thought charts a week<\/strong> and bring them in to show him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">It wasn\u2019t easy, that\u2019s a definite <\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-117825\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/hello-i-m-nik-z1d-LP8sjuI-unsplash-328x400.jpg\" alt=\"cbt counselling\" width=\"328\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/hello-i-m-nik-z1d-LP8sjuI-unsplash-328x400.jpg 328w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/hello-i-m-nik-z1d-LP8sjuI-unsplash-492x600.jpg 492w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/hello-i-m-nik-z1d-LP8sjuI-unsplash.jpg 709w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 328px) 100vw, 328px\" \/>I am by nature a scattered type. I <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/student-stress-what-is-it.htm\">got through school<\/a> doing my papers at the last minute. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>So I was often doing my required number of thought charts for the week <\/strong>sitting in a cafe right before my session, or even on the bus on the way over! Which is sad as it probably made my progress slower. On a good note, those thought charts are something I still use to this day.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>And sometimes he&#8217;d push me. Once I was in a bad mood and<\/strong> actually swore at him. He made me apologise the next session, which was horrible. But it did keep respect between us.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Not all CBT therapists are the same.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Just because someone is a CBT therapist doesn\u2019t mean they can\u2019t add in their own angle or have their own style<\/strong>, so to speak. <\/span><span class=\"s1\">My therapist also added in stuff about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/signs-of-an-unhealthy-relationship.htm\">relationship \u2018red flags\u2019<\/a>, and about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/communication-problems.htm\">healthy communication<\/a> versus what he called \u2018junkie communication\u2019.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>He also encouraged me with my interest in<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/meditation-and-the-brain.htm\">meditation<\/a> and was very supportive when I told him I\u2019d booked a mindfulness retreat. I think <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/mindfulness-techniques.htm\">mindfulness<\/a> is an amazing complement to CBT counselling. In fact if I were to try cognitive therapy again I might be tempted to try CBT\u2019s close cousin, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/mindfulness-based-cognitive-therapy.htm\">mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT)<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Would I recommend CBT therapy?<br \/>\n<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Absolutely. I actually had very little depression for<\/strong> the three years following my CBT therapy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\" style=\"color: #993366;\">CBT counselling didn\u2019t solve all my problems. It&#8217;s not a magic wand. But it did realign my thinking in a way that was lasting. I do get negative thoughts, but I have instant awareness and can then reach for tools to move me out of them. And I am more aware of when I am <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/assumptions-in-relationships.htm\">making assumptions<\/a>, or coming from a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-perspective.htm\">limited perspective<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>On the other hand, I didn&#8217;t end up being part of his magical<\/strong> 80% of women in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/healthy-relationships-help-guide.htm\">great relationships<\/a>&#8230;. that is still not my strong point, fifteen years later!<\/p>\n<p><strong>I think CBT counselling is very good for<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/anxiety-vs-depression.htm\">depression and anxiety<\/a> (which it is evidence-based for).<\/p>\n<p><strong>And it&#8217;s a great base to start your therapy journey with.<\/strong> I tried more psychodynamic psychotherapy after CBT, and it was a totally different experience. I was calmer and more able to handle unpacking my past without getting &#8216;triggered&#8217;.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">My recommendations for trying CBT therapy<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong><span class=\"s1\">1.Give it four sessions before deciding. <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">I think this is so important. If you already have poor relationships and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/trusting-others-hard.htm\">trust issues<\/a>, you won\u2019t instantly love any therapist. You need time and need to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/quitting-therapy.htm\">know the therapist before you fire them<\/a>!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">2. Do your homework! <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">I ended up signing up for a second round of eight sessions and I think this is likely to do with not doing my homework in the way it should be done. I lived to regret it and tried much harder in round two.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">3. Accept the ups and downs. <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">There were times I hated it, times I loved it. Times I liked my therapist more than others. In the end we ended up really getting along, but it took time. Remember, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-the-therapeutic-alliance.htm\">therapy is at heart a relationship<\/a>, it\u2019s not perfect. But it is effective, and worth it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Ready to try CBT counselling and start seeing real results? We connect you with highly experienced <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/cognitive-behavioural-therapy-london.htm\">CBT therapists in London<\/a>. Not in the city? Use <a href=\"https:\/\/harleytherapy.com\/?utm_source=Harley%20Therapy%20Blog&amp;utm_content=Post%20End\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\">our booking platform<\/span><\/a> to find <span style=\"color: #333399;\">UK wide registered CBT therapists<\/span> as well as <a href=\"https:\/\/harleytherapy.com\/therapists?location_type=skype&amp;utm_source=Harley%20Therapy%20Blog&amp;utm_content=Post%20End\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\">online CBT counselling<\/span><\/a> you can do from anywhere.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>FOOTNOTES<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span role=\"menubar\"><a title=\"Cognitive therapy and research.\" role=\"menuitem\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/23459093\/\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-haspopup=\"true\">Cognit Ther Res.<\/a><\/span>\u00a02012 Oct 1;36(5):427-440. Epub 2012 Jul 31.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-117271 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/headshot-yellow-397x400.png\" alt=\"Andrea Blundell\" width=\"161\" height=\"162\" \/><span style=\"color: #333399;\">Andrea Blundell is the editor and lead writer of this site. She has trained in person-centred therapy and coaching.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is currently one of the most popular types of talk therapy in the UK and also one of the most evidence-based (1).\u00a0But what\u2019s it all about? And what actually happens when you go to CBT counselling? Writer Andrea Blundell shares her personal experience of trying CBT.\u00a0 How I ended up trying [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":117839,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"yes","_lmt_disable":"no","footnotes":""},"categories":[398],"tags":[14,34],"class_list":["post-117822","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-types-of-therapy","tag-cbt","tag-cbt-therapy","has_thumb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.0 (Yoast SEO v27.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What\u2019s it Like to Try CBT Counselling? A Case Study - Harley Therapy\u2122 Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Curious about CBT counselling? But not sure it&#039;s for you? 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Darcy\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@https:\/\/twitter.com\/AndreaMDarcy\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@HarleyTherapy\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Andrea M. Darcy\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/cbt-counselling-case-study.htm\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/cbt-counselling-case-study.htm\",\"name\":\"What\u2019s it Like to Try CBT Counselling? 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