THE FOUNDATIONS OF CBT

The 5 areas model helps us CBT therapists to map out your day-to-day symptoms. We will always be focusing on the relationship between each of these sections…and for good reason.

This is an essential first step when approaching a mental health problem. I need to understand the problem, but more importantly YOU (the client) need to practice becoming more self-aware. We can’t start introducing tools to fix problems when we are unable to notice when, where or how the problem occurs in the first place. As you record more 5 areas for separate situations, themes and patterns will start to emerge.

You might start to notice that each section influences one another. For example, say a socially anxious person is at an event and starts to have PHYSICAL FEELINGS of heart racing and getting hot. These feelings CAUSE new THOUGHTS of “I’m getting anxious, and people are going to notice”. This thought CAUSES more anxiety, and the PHYSICAL FEELINGS get worse. It’s often a 2-way relationship & this goes for all the sections.

Once we have an understanding on what made the problem worse or what kept you in that cycle, we can learn to break that vicious cycle. E.g. the socially anxious person goes to the event and still gets those PHYSICAL FEELINGS rush. But we introduce tools to challenge the UNHELPFUL THOUGHTS, this will sever that connection and not feed back into the PHYSICAL FEELINGS.

CBT would look to breakdown all the unhelpful links between thoughts, feelings, emotions and behaviours related to that problem overtime. Leaving you to live the life you actually want, rather than your mental health ruling you.

So why not give it a go if you are having the same problems come up? Practice recording your 5 areas and see what you find out.