"CBT: What It Is, How It Helps, and Why It’s Not Just Positive Thinking in Disguise"
- Gemma Gilewski
- Jun 3
- 2 min read
Ever been told to “just think positive” while in the middle of a mental tailspin? Yeah… that’s not CBT.
If you’ve ever Googled “therapy near me” and come across the term CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), you might be wondering:
What is this thing with three letters?
Is it going to fix me?
Do I have to lie on a couch and talk about my childhood hamster?
Let’s clear it up — no jargon, no fluff, and definitely no hamster analysis (unless you really want to).
🧠 So… what is CBT?
CBT is a type of talking therapy that helps you understand the unholy trio of:
Your thoughts
Your feelings
Your behaviours
And how they all do this slightly chaotic tango that can make anxiety, depression, or stress worse over time.
Imagine this:
You think, “I’m probably going to mess this up.”You feel anxious.You avoid doing the thing.You feel worse.Rinse and repeat.
CBT helps you interrupt that cycle — not by pretending everything’s fine, but by checking in on your thoughts and behaviours like a curious detective with a cup of tea.
❌ What CBT isn’t
Let’s clear up a few myths while we’re here:
CBT isn’t about forcing positivity.
It’s not quick-fix “mindset coaching.”
It doesn’t ignore your past — but it focuses on what’s happening right now and what you can do about it.
And nope, I won’t be saying “Just be grateful!” when you’re having a rough day.
✅ What actually happens in CBT?
Think of CBT as teamwork between you and your therapist (👋 hi, that’s me). Together, we:
Explore your patterns — what’s getting in your way?
Try small, realistic shifts in thinking or behaviour
Test out new ways of coping
Adjust as we go — it’s collaborative, not one-size-fits-all
And yes, there are sometimes worksheets or experiments between sessions. No homework detention though.
🧰 What does CBT help with?
CBT is evidence-based (which is therapy-speak for “well researched and proven to work”) for all kinds of things, including:
Anxiety & overthinking
Low mood or depression
Phobias
Social anxiety
Stress & burnout
OCD
Health anxiety
Perfectionism
Sleep struggles
And more…
If your brain has been running the same exhausting script on loop — CBT helps you change the script.
❤️ Final thoughts
CBT isn’t about fixing you — because you’re not broken.It’s about helping you understand your mind, respond with a bit more kindness, and get unstuck from unhelpful patterns.
And if we can laugh a little along the way? Even better.
👉 Thinking about starting CBT?
You can learn more by looking on our website. Or just send me a message if you’re curious — no pressure, no spam, no “just think positive.”
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