Cognitive therapy is based on the idea that our thoughts (negative thoughts) influence our moods (evoke unhappiness and disturbance), it aims to identify current thinking that brings about problematic behaviour, the therapy uses a variety of techniques to change thinking, mood and behaviour. This requires a sound

therapeutic alliance, as cognitive therapy requires collaboration between the counsellor and client and active participation. Cognitive therapy is problem focused and goal orientated. Cognitive therapy initially emphasises the present - here and now and focuses on this, the whole picture/story.

Cognitive therapy aims to be time limited (number of sessions), this therapy is educative and aims to teach the client to be his/her own therapist. It also emphasises relapse prevention and equips the client with a set of skills.

The sessions are structured by the use of an agenda to optimise the use of time and the therapy teaches clients to identify, evaluate and respond to their dysfunctional thoughts and beliefs. The counsellor and client both focus on defining and addressing presenting problems, utilising the therapeutic alliance and establishing a contracted agreement. It deals with the here and now without recourse to the distant past history of the client, it does not use psychodynamic hypothetical constructs to explain the client’s behaviour. Rather dysfunctional behaviour is attributed to maladaptive learning, therefore relearning more functional behaviour is the goal of this therapy. The client is given assignments and to practice cognitive skills, towards an agreed outcome, Beck J.S (1995).

In Cognitive Therapy we learn that we all have inherent tendencies to certain negative automatic thoughts that evoke unhappiness and disturbance. Once we accept that fact, we can learn to spot these negative thoughts as they come up and then challenge and re-think them.

It seems a sensible conclusion, that if we are not exposed and enabled to examine our feelings and circumstances we find upsetting and challenge our beliefs, how else do we develop more effective coping mechanisms and responses.