By Calvin Field, founder of MindTrace. Last updated 1 November 2026.
Quick answer: Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy that looks at how your thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and actions affect each other, and helps you find more useful ways to respond to the problems you're facing now. It's structured and practical: you and a therapist work on specific goals over a set number of sessions, and you practise new skills between sessions.
Key takeaways
CBT is based on the idea that how you think about a situation affects how you feel and what you do.
It focuses mainly on current problems rather than going deep into the past.
Sessions are structured, and practising between sessions is an important part of it.
It's used for a wide range of problems, including anxiety and depression, but it doesn't suit everyone.
Small daily habits, such as noting your thoughts, help you use CBT skills in real life.
What is CBT in simple terms?
CBT stands for cognitive behavioural therapy (spelled cognitive behavioral therapy in the US and Canada). It's a form of talking therapy in which a therapist helps you notice unhelpful patterns in how you think and act, and try out different ways of responding. “Cognitive” refers to your thoughts and beliefs; “behavioural” refers to what you do.
Mind explains that CBT rests on the idea that the way you think about a situation can shape how you feel and act. The aim isn't to “think positive”. It's to see situations more accurately and respond in ways that help rather than keep you stuck. CBT is also one of the most widely studied talking therapies, and the American Psychological Association notes that research supports its use for a range of problems, including depression and anxiety.
How does CBT work?
CBT looks at a difficult situation and breaks it into parts: what you thought, how you felt emotionally, what you noticed in your body and what you did. These parts feed into each other, and a change in one can shift the others. Here's a simple example:
Part | Unhelpful cycle | After trying a different view |
Situation | A friend cancels plans at the last minute | A friend cancels plans at the last minute |
Thought | “They don't really want to see me.” | “Something may have come up. I'll ask if they're okay.” |
Feeling | Hurt, low | Disappointed, but calmer |
Body | Heavy, tired | Less tense |
Action | Stay in, avoid messaging them | Send a message and suggest another day |
According to the NHS, CBT helps you look for different ways to approach situations like this, for example by questioning unhelpful thoughts, noticing emotions and physical sensations without reacting to them, and changing behaviour, such as getting back to activities you've been avoiding. Common thinking traps, such as mind reading or catastrophising (catastrophizing), come up a lot. Our guide to 10 common cognitive distortions explains them.
What happens in a CBT session?
Before treatment starts, you'll usually have an assessment so a therapist can understand what's going on and recommend the most suitable therapy, which may or may not be CBT. In sessions, you and your therapist agree what you want to work on, look at specific recent situations, and choose things to try before the next session. The APA describes CBT as a collaborative process, with an emphasis on helping you learn to be your own therapist.
CBT can be delivered one-to-one, in a group, or as guided self-help, where you work through a workbook or online course with a therapist's support. It can happen in person, online or by phone.
How many sessions of CBT do you need?
CBT is usually a short-term therapy with a set number of sessions. On the NHS you'll usually have between 5 and 15 sessions, and you may be offered more if things haven't improved. How quickly people notice a difference varies a lot. We look at this in more detail in how long CBT takes to work.
What can CBT help with?
The NHS lists a wide range of problems CBT can help with, including:
Depression and anxiety, including social anxiety, phobias and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Eating disorders
Sleep problems such as insomnia
Alcohol and drug problems
Long-term pain, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and chronic fatigue syndrome
CBT is often adapted for specific problems. Whether it's right for you is something to discuss with your GP, doctor or a qualified therapist. This article explains what CBT is; it isn't advice about your own situation.
Does CBT work for everyone?
No. CBT helps many people, but Mind notes that it doesn't work for everyone, and that a different therapist or a different type of therapy may suit you better. CBT also asks for real commitment of your own time, both in sessions and in practice between them. It's common to find some sessions hard. If something isn't working, it's worth telling your therapist.
How do I get CBT?
UK: In England you can usually refer yourself to NHS talking therapies for problems such as anxiety and depression without seeing a GP, if you're 18 or over (16 or over in some areas). Some conditions need a GP referral. You can also pay privately and look for an accredited therapist on the UK CBT register.
US and Canada: talk to your doctor, check what your insurance, provincial plan or workplace benefits cover, and look for a licensed therapist who offers CBT.
Waiting for therapy: waiting lists can be long. If you're in Canada, see what to do while you wait for therapy.
How can I practise CBT skills between sessions?
Practice is central to CBT. The NHS says you'll usually be asked to practise what you learn between sessions, and that this is important for CBT to work. You may be asked to track your progress in a worksheet or diary. Simple ways to start:
Notice and note your thoughts. When your mood shifts, write down what happened, what went through your mind and how you felt. Our guide to what thought tracking is explains how.
Try a thought record. Pick one difficult moment and work through it step by step with our CBT thought record guide.
Reframe one thought. Ask “What's another way to look at this?” or “What would I say to a friend?”
Take a mindful pause. When emotions run high, take a breath and notice the thought before deciding how to respond.
Plan your week. Our guide to what to do between CBT sessions has more ideas.
These skills can stay useful long after therapy ends. See how to keep using CBT after therapy ends.
How MindTrace helps
MindTrace is a CBT-inspired thought tracker for iOS and Android. It lets you capture thoughts in the moment by text or voice, see patterns over time in charts and graphs, and read an AI summary before your next session, so the work you do between sessions is easier to bring into therapy. It supports therapy and doesn't replace it.
Try MindTrace free for 7 days
Frequently asked questions
Is CBT the same as counselling?
Both are talking therapies, but CBT is usually more structured and focused on specific current problems and practical skills, with practice between sessions. Counselling is often more open-ended and focused on talking things through.
Does CBT focus on the past?
Mostly no. CBT focuses mainly on problems you're dealing with now and how to handle them. Your past may come up to help make sense of current patterns, but it isn't usually the main focus.
How long does CBT take?
CBT is usually short-term. On the NHS it's typically between 5 and 15 sessions, though this varies depending on the person and the problem.
Can I do CBT on my own?
You can learn and practise CBT skills on your own, for example with self-help workbooks, worksheets or apps, and the NHS offers guided self-help as one form of CBT. If you're struggling, speak to your GP, doctor or a qualified therapist about getting support.
Is CBT evidence-based?
Yes. CBT is one of the most researched talking therapies, and organisations such as the NHS and the American Psychological Association describe research support for its use with a range of problems, including depression and anxiety. It still doesn't work for everyone.
Is it cognitive behavioural or cognitive behavioral therapy?
Both are correct. “Behavioural” is the UK spelling and “behavioral” is the US spelling. Both refer to the same therapy, usually shortened to CBT.
MindTrace is not a crisis service and doesn't replace professional care. If you're in crisis or worried about your safety, call or text 988 in Canada or the US, call 999 or Samaritans on 116 123 in the UK, or contact your local emergency services.
By Calvin Field, founder of MindTrace. Last updated 1 November 2026.
Quick answer: Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy that looks at how your thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and actions affect each other, and helps you find more useful ways to respond to the problems you're facing now. It's structured and practical: you and a therapist work on specific goals over a set number of sessions, and you practise new skills between sessions.
Key takeaways
CBT is based on the idea that how you think about a situation affects how you feel and what you do.
It focuses mainly on current problems rather than going deep into the past.
Sessions are structured, and practising between sessions is an important part of it.
It's used for a wide range of problems, including anxiety and depression, but it doesn't suit everyone.
Small daily habits, such as noting your thoughts, help you use CBT skills in real life.
What is CBT in simple terms?
CBT stands for cognitive behavioural therapy (spelled cognitive behavioral therapy in the US and Canada). It's a form of talking therapy in which a therapist helps you notice unhelpful patterns in how you think and act, and try out different ways of responding. “Cognitive” refers to your thoughts and beliefs; “behavioural” refers to what you do.
Mind explains that CBT rests on the idea that the way you think about a situation can shape how you feel and act. The aim isn't to “think positive”. It's to see situations more accurately and respond in ways that help rather than keep you stuck. CBT is also one of the most widely studied talking therapies, and the American Psychological Association notes that research supports its use for a range of problems, including depression and anxiety.
How does CBT work?
CBT looks at a difficult situation and breaks it into parts: what you thought, how you felt emotionally, what you noticed in your body and what you did. These parts feed into each other, and a change in one can shift the others. Here's a simple example:
Part | Unhelpful cycle | After trying a different view |
Situation | A friend cancels plans at the last minute | A friend cancels plans at the last minute |
Thought | “They don't really want to see me.” | “Something may have come up. I'll ask if they're okay.” |
Feeling | Hurt, low | Disappointed, but calmer |
Body | Heavy, tired | Less tense |
Action | Stay in, avoid messaging them | Send a message and suggest another day |
According to the NHS, CBT helps you look for different ways to approach situations like this, for example by questioning unhelpful thoughts, noticing emotions and physical sensations without reacting to them, and changing behaviour, such as getting back to activities you've been avoiding. Common thinking traps, such as mind reading or catastrophising (catastrophizing), come up a lot. Our guide to 10 common cognitive distortions explains them.
What happens in a CBT session?
Before treatment starts, you'll usually have an assessment so a therapist can understand what's going on and recommend the most suitable therapy, which may or may not be CBT. In sessions, you and your therapist agree what you want to work on, look at specific recent situations, and choose things to try before the next session. The APA describes CBT as a collaborative process, with an emphasis on helping you learn to be your own therapist.
CBT can be delivered one-to-one, in a group, or as guided self-help, where you work through a workbook or online course with a therapist's support. It can happen in person, online or by phone.
How many sessions of CBT do you need?
CBT is usually a short-term therapy with a set number of sessions. On the NHS you'll usually have between 5 and 15 sessions, and you may be offered more if things haven't improved. How quickly people notice a difference varies a lot. We look at this in more detail in how long CBT takes to work.
What can CBT help with?
The NHS lists a wide range of problems CBT can help with, including:
Depression and anxiety, including social anxiety, phobias and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Eating disorders
Sleep problems such as insomnia
Alcohol and drug problems
Long-term pain, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and chronic fatigue syndrome
CBT is often adapted for specific problems. Whether it's right for you is something to discuss with your GP, doctor or a qualified therapist. This article explains what CBT is; it isn't advice about your own situation.
Does CBT work for everyone?
No. CBT helps many people, but Mind notes that it doesn't work for everyone, and that a different therapist or a different type of therapy may suit you better. CBT also asks for real commitment of your own time, both in sessions and in practice between them. It's common to find some sessions hard. If something isn't working, it's worth telling your therapist.
How do I get CBT?
UK: In England you can usually refer yourself to NHS talking therapies for problems such as anxiety and depression without seeing a GP, if you're 18 or over (16 or over in some areas). Some conditions need a GP referral. You can also pay privately and look for an accredited therapist on the UK CBT register.
US and Canada: talk to your doctor, check what your insurance, provincial plan or workplace benefits cover, and look for a licensed therapist who offers CBT.
Waiting for therapy: waiting lists can be long. If you're in Canada, see what to do while you wait for therapy.
How can I practise CBT skills between sessions?
Practice is central to CBT. The NHS says you'll usually be asked to practise what you learn between sessions, and that this is important for CBT to work. You may be asked to track your progress in a worksheet or diary. Simple ways to start:
Notice and note your thoughts. When your mood shifts, write down what happened, what went through your mind and how you felt. Our guide to what thought tracking is explains how.
Try a thought record. Pick one difficult moment and work through it step by step with our CBT thought record guide.
Reframe one thought. Ask “What's another way to look at this?” or “What would I say to a friend?”
Take a mindful pause. When emotions run high, take a breath and notice the thought before deciding how to respond.
Plan your week. Our guide to what to do between CBT sessions has more ideas.
These skills can stay useful long after therapy ends. See how to keep using CBT after therapy ends.
How MindTrace helps
MindTrace is a CBT-inspired thought tracker for iOS and Android. It lets you capture thoughts in the moment by text or voice, see patterns over time in charts and graphs, and read an AI summary before your next session, so the work you do between sessions is easier to bring into therapy. It supports therapy and doesn't replace it.
Try MindTrace free for 7 days
Frequently asked questions
Is CBT the same as counselling?
Both are talking therapies, but CBT is usually more structured and focused on specific current problems and practical skills, with practice between sessions. Counselling is often more open-ended and focused on talking things through.
Does CBT focus on the past?
Mostly no. CBT focuses mainly on problems you're dealing with now and how to handle them. Your past may come up to help make sense of current patterns, but it isn't usually the main focus.
How long does CBT take?
CBT is usually short-term. On the NHS it's typically between 5 and 15 sessions, though this varies depending on the person and the problem.
Can I do CBT on my own?
You can learn and practise CBT skills on your own, for example with self-help workbooks, worksheets or apps, and the NHS offers guided self-help as one form of CBT. If you're struggling, speak to your GP, doctor or a qualified therapist about getting support.
Is CBT evidence-based?
Yes. CBT is one of the most researched talking therapies, and organisations such as the NHS and the American Psychological Association describe research support for its use with a range of problems, including depression and anxiety. It still doesn't work for everyone.
Is it cognitive behavioural or cognitive behavioral therapy?
Both are correct. “Behavioural” is the UK spelling and “behavioral” is the US spelling. Both refer to the same therapy, usually shortened to CBT.
MindTrace is not a crisis service and doesn't replace professional care. If you're in crisis or worried about your safety, call or text 988 in Canada or the US, call 999 or Samaritans on 116 123 in the UK, or contact your local emergency services.
