Live Life to the Full

We all have dreams and aspirations. They can be a motivational tool that helps us to deal with less desirable aspects of our lives. We can put up with an existing situation if we feel we have a chance of changing the situation to something that is more fulfilling.

In most cases it is possible for us to take the steps towards achieving these goals. If we dream of a career change, we might undertake a course or sign up for voluntary work in that field. If we aspire to climb a mountain, we could commit time and energy to building our fitness, strength and stamina. In taking action, we feel that we have some control over the situation and even if they don’t result in realising the dream, these steps can lead to new opportunities.

Some goals may seem achievable, but an internal barrier is stopping you from taking the necessary steps forward. You may be perfectly capable of undertaking all of the tasks in a more senior position, but the thought of a presentation in the interview process is preventing you from applying. You may dream of visiting a distant relative, but anxiety about the journey means you have yet to go.

These issues don’t need to hold you back. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a technique used by many people to change their unhelpful thoughts and behaviours and remove these barriers. This form of counselling involves talking with a qualified therapist about your situation and finding ways to break the cycle of negative thinking and behaviour that is holding you back.

What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy?

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a confidential process; things that are said during the session are not shared with others. Building trust in each other is a fundamental part of the process; it is only when both individuals have trust that they are open to sharing their honest thoughts and feelings.

You will be encouraged to share information, but you remain in control of what you do or don’t say. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy focuses on the here and now; looking for a positive route through current problems, rather than looking back to the past. The counsellor may ask you to explain or clarify things that you have said and may even question or challenge words or phrases that you have used. You are also free to ask questions or clarity on points they raise; it is a two way process.

The aim is to help you to develop new and more positive ways of thinking and behaving which enable you to knock down the walls that are holding you back. It usually takes at least 6 sessions for people to make changes and practice the new things that have been learnt, so they feel confident to use them in everyday life. However, once they become imbedded, the impact can be life changing.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has proven to be effective in empowering people affected by phobias, anxiety, panic attacks, OCD, depression, low self-esteem and eating disorders. It can help you to find a way out of a rut that you currently feel trapped in. If you feel that you can be helped by Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Amersham based Cognisant PDC http://cognisant-pdc.co.uk/ can assist. Ian is an experienced, professional counsellor who can help you to live life to the full.