What Is CBT? A Melbourne Psychologist’s Guide to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Cognitive behavioural therapy — often called CBT — is one of the most widely researched and effective forms of psychological treatment. 

At Fortitude Wellbeing in South Yarra, we use CBT to help people understand how their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours interact, and how making changes in one area can positively influence the others.

Rather than focusing heavily on the past, CBT equips you with practical tools you can use in everyday life. Whether it’s navigating anxious thoughts before a work presentation, managing stress during Melbourne’s fast-paced mornings, or addressing patterns that keep you feeling stuck, CBT offers a structured, evidence-based path towards positive change.

CBT in Today’s World

CBT is regularly recommended to help people address avoidant behaviours. Avoidance of an activity or an event is really common. Unfortunately, it reinforces the behaviour, and the original automatic thought goes unchallenged.

Many clients have hesitations about attending particular social and/or professional events, whether it be a university lecture or tutorial, a wedding or a workplace meeting. CBT helps a person to explore the fears or worries they have about the event. 

These are considered negative automatic thoughts (e.g., “I say the wrong thing and people will laugh at me”) and often form a pattern of unhelpful thinking styles. Once these anticipated fears or worries are established, we explore how they make the person feel – in a physical sense (e.g., heart racing, blushing) and the emotion they attribute to this (e.g., embarrassed). 

Next, we examine how these thoughts and feelings, when combined, encourage the person to act (e.g., not attending the event or attending but remaining quiet in a corner).  

Now, we can interrogate the thoughts, for example,e are they valid thoughts? Is there any evidence to suggest this would happen? What are alternative ways of thinking about the event and the people at the event? 

This approach helps people recognise that their thoughts are just that – a thought, not a fact. 

There are other ways of thinking about the situation. In addition, when a person believes their thought may be true, we may then consider how they would cope if their fear were to be realised.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a practical, structured, and evidence-based approach to understanding and improving the connection between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Rather than being a one-size-fits-all solution, CBT is adaptable and can be tailored to suit people of all ages, backgrounds, and life situations.

At Fortitude Wellbeing, we see the versatility of CBT every day — from helping a client manage performance anxiety before a big meeting, to supporting someone through the emotional toll of chronic pain. CBT is also effective for conditions like depression, social anxiety, phobias, and stress, and can be applied to physical health concerns such as irritable bowel syndrome.

One of CBT’s greatest strengths is its collaborative nature. You and your psychologist work together to set clear goals, break them into manageable steps, and apply strategies in real-world situations. This active, skill-building approach not only addresses current challenges but also equips you with lifelong coping tools to navigate whatever comes next.

Cognitive behavioural therapy was developed in the 1960s by Dr. Aaron Beck, a psychiatrist who sought to create a practical and effective form of psychotherapy. Rooted in the principles of cognitive therapy, Beck’s approach emphasized the role of core beliefs and thinking patterns in shaping emotional and behavioural responses. This marked a significant shift from traditional psychoanalytic methods that focused heavily on exploring past experiences.

Over the decades, CBT has evolved to incorporate a broader range of techniques and applications. Its foundation in evidence-based research has allowed it to address an ever-growing variety of conditions, from low self-esteem to personality disorders. CBT has also influenced other therapeutic approaches, such as dialectical behaviour therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy, which integrate elements of mindfulness and emotional regulation.

Today, cognitive behavioural therapy is recognized as one of the most effective psychological treatments available. Organizations like the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the American Psychological Association endorse CBT for its proven efficacy in treating a wide range of mental health and physical health problems. Its structured, goal-oriented framework continues to resonate with individuals seeking tangible improvements in their lives.

CBT differs from many other forms of therapy in its strong focus on the present and the future, rather than spending most of the time exploring the past. While past experiences can be important to acknowledge, CBT is about understanding the thought patterns and behaviours that are affecting your life right now, and developing strategies to change them.

It’s also a structured, time-limited approach. Sessions follow a clear plan, with agreed goals and practical activities to work on between sessions. This makes CBT appealing if you’re looking for strategies you can put into action straight away, and a way to measure your progress over time.

Another key difference is CBT’s emphasis on teaching skills you can use long after therapy ends. Whether it’s problem-solving, reframing unhelpful thoughts, or practising new behaviours, these skills become tools you can return to whenever life throws up new challenges — helping you build confidence, resilience, and independence in the long term.

A key principle of CBT is the thought–feeling–behaviour cycle. This model shows how the way we think can affect how we feel — and how we act — often in ways that keep unhelpful patterns going.

For example, if you’re feeling nervous about a social event, you might think, “Everyone will judge me”. That thought can trigger feelings of anxiety, which might lead you to cancel or avoid the event altogether. In the short term, that avoidance feels like relief — but over time, it can make anxiety worse.

In CBT, we work together to identify these thinking habits, challenge them, and find more balanced perspectives. By making changes in your thoughts, you can shift your emotional responses and behaviours in ways that support your goals and wellbeing.

CBT is an active, collaborative process. In your first session, we’ll talk about what you want to achieve and agree on clear, realistic goals. Each session has a structure to keep us on track, and between sessions you’ll practise the strategies we’ve discussed.

This might involve keeping a thought diary, trying out new coping techniques, or taking small steps towards situations you’ve been avoiding. These activities help you apply what you’ve learned to real-life situations, so you start to see changes outside the therapy room as well as in it.

By combining structured sessions with between-session practice, CBT gives you tools you can keep using long after therapy ends — building confidence, resilience, and independence.

CBT employs a variety of techniques to help individuals address unhelpful thoughts, behaviours, and emotional patterns. These therapy techniques are designed to be practical and effective, enabling clients to apply them in their daily lives. Below are some of the most commonly used methods in cognitive behavioural therapy.

At Fortitude Wellbeing, we offer CBT both in our South Yarra clinic and via secure telehealth sessions. Some people prefer the connection of face-to-face therapy, while others appreciate the flexibility of joining from home — especially if they have busy schedules, live further away, or find travel difficult. Both formats provide a structured, personalised space to work on your goals.

Technology can make it easier to stay engaged between sessions. We sometimes suggest reputable apps or online tools that help you practise techniques, track your progress, or set gentle reminders.

For example, mindfulness-based CBT apps can guide you through relaxation exercises, while others offer prompts for thought diaries or mood tracking. These tools can complement therapy, helping you apply strategies in your daily life.

Group therapy is another effective way to deliver CBT, particularly for individuals facing shared challenges. In a group setting, participants can support each other while learning and practicing CBT techniques together. This approach fosters a sense of community and helps reduce feelings of isolation often associated with mental health problems.

Group CBT has been shown to be effective for a wide range of conditions, including anxiety disorders, eating disorders like bulimia nervosa, and problem gambling. By addressing these issues collectively, group therapy provides a supportive and collaborative environment for growth and change.

Cognitive behavioural therapy is a versatile and evidence-based treatment option that can address a wide range of psychological and physical health problems. Whether dealing with mental health problems, psychiatric disorders, or chronic medical conditions, CBT offers hope and relief for many individuals.

For mental health issues, CBT is particularly effective in treating conditions like bipolar disorder, panic disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. It is also a proven treatment for psychiatric disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and mood disorders like depression and anxiety. By addressing the underlying cognitive distortions and core beliefs that drive these conditions, CBT helps individuals achieve meaningful and lasting improvements.

CBT is also beneficial for managing physical health problems, including irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, and chronic pain. By teaching individuals coping strategies and stress management skills, CBT can alleviate symptoms and improve overall quality of life. Its holistic approach bridges the gap between mental and physical well-being, making it a valuable treatment option for a range of problems.

In addition to addressing specific conditions, CBT can also enhance self-esteem, improve coping skills, and foster resilience in the face of life’s challenges. Whether working on stress management, overcoming negative emotions, or building healthier relationships, CBT equips individuals with the tools they need to thrive in various aspects of life.

CBT works best when you stay engaged with the process — but it’s normal to face challenges along the way. Sometimes people expect results to happen very quickly, or they find it uncomfortable to work on certain thoughts and behaviours at first. These feelings are common, and they don’t mean you’re doing anything wrong.

To stay on track, keep the communication open with your psychologist. If something isn’t working for you, or if you feel stuck, bring it up in session so we can adjust the plan together. Setting realistic goals also helps — progress in CBT often happens in small, meaningful steps rather than big leaps.

Outside of sessions, practising the strategies we discuss is key. Whether it’s a thought diary, an exposure exercise, or trying a new coping technique, these activities help turn ideas into habits. Celebrating small wins along the way can keep you motivated and remind you of how far you’ve come.

If you’d like to learn more about CBT, our website has a dedicated page explaining how we use it at Fortitude Wellbeing to support a range of concerns. You can also read more about related services, including anxiety counselling and depression counselling.

For personalised guidance, consider speaking with a qualified mental health professional who can help you decide if CBT is the right approach for your situation. Whether you choose to explore CBT now or in the future, understanding how it works — and the skills it can give you — is a powerful step towards creating meaningful change in your life.