Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (or “CBT”) has been shown in controlled research trials to be successful with many specific psychological disorders such as depression, phobias, panic and obsessive-compulsive disorder. In the last 5 years the NHS has funded the training of CBT therapists, either at basic or advanced level. The training is intensive, practical and specific. What this means is that there is a growing body of therapists with these specific skills. Like counsellors they may not have expertise beyond their specific therapy, but like counsellors can be excellent with their speciality. Also, like counsellors, there are the very experienced and the beginners, so the number of years working in the NHS is a good guideline for degree of experience; and of course whether they are a member of the Health and Care Professions Council or the British Association of Behavioural Psychotherapy.
Personally my early training was in Behavioural Therapy when it emerged in the 1970s, followed by Cognitive Therapy when it first appeared in the 1980s, when I was involved in developing early cognitive approaches to panic attacks. I have also developed new understandings and approaches to the way in which we cope with or “process” emotions. Emotional Processing Therapy for post traumatic stress disorder and Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy . I use cognitive therapy along with aspects of psychotherapy and counselling to produce the right “package” for each individual person.