Cognitive behavioral therapy (also known by its abbreviation, CBT) is a short-term, goal-oriented psychotherapy treatment that takes a hands-on, practical approach to problem-solving. At The Couch, we use CBT to change patterns of thinking or behavior that are behind your difficulties, and so change the way you feel. CBT is also used to help treat a wide range of issues in a person’s life, from relationship problems to drug and alcohol abuse and anxiety and depression. CBT works by changing people’s attitudes and their behavior by focusing on the thoughts, images, beliefs and attitudes that we hold (our cognitive processes) and how this relates to the way we behave, as a way of dealing with emotional problems.