“There is neither good nor ill but thinking makes it so" – Hamlet
In the above quotation it is recognised that it is the interpretation of events, rather than the event itself that determines the emotional impact and behavioural response. The way we perceive situations influences how we feel emotionally. For instance, two people reading this information may have very different thoughts about what therapy can do for them. The first person may think that therapy could really help and make a difference to their life. The second person may think their problem cannot possibly be helped by therapy. It is more likely that the first person will achieve a higher degree of success as they feel hopeful about the situation. The second person could be feeling overwhelmed and defeated even before they begin. Our thoughts drive our mood and create meaning about situations and events that happen in our lives. This leads us to develop beliefs about ourselves, others and the world in general.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) works very much on changing the thought/mood/behaviour response. When people are in distress, they often do not think clearly and their thoughts are distorted in some way. Cognitive therapy helps people to identify their distressing thoughts and to evaluate how realistic the thoughts are. When they begin to think more realistically, they feel better.
The therapist and client work together as a team to identify and generate solutions to problems that are more helpful than the client’s present way of coping. Clients learn specific skills that they can use for the rest of their lives. These skills involve identifying distorted thinking, modifying beliefs, relating to others in different ways, and changing behaviours. Written self-help assignments or behavioural tasks are designed for the client to undertake between sessions. The assignments are designed with the client’s specific difficulty or problem in mind. They are not too demanding of the client’s time but are effective in assisting to develop a better understanding of the problem.
