How Effective is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Effectiveness: Older black gentleman on a therapeutic sofa, showcasing quick and impactful results. Experience CBT in London for positive change

The great thing about cognitive behavioural therapy is that it can be very effective very quickly and that people can notice an immediate benefit, and that is why it is so popular in many state healthcare systems like the NHS. It comes down to ‘bangs for the buck’. For some people a short course of cognitive behavioural therapy, for example only 6 sessions, can be enough, it can be transformative and all that’s needed.

The downside of cognitive behavioural therapy and the criticism sometimes aimed at it is that it does not deal with deeper issues, including things like early life experiences and what’s going on ‘under the hood’ that is in the part of the mind we don’t have easy access to, the part which is called our unconscious mind. Because of this, relapses can occur with cognitive behavioural therapy in other words the problems reoccur. It is partly because of this weakness with cognitive behavioural therapy that I work as an Integrative therapist having all my many different tools at my disposal to fit all different people and to address many different problems.

How long does it take for cognitive behavioural therapy to work?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Woman sitting on rocks, contemplating at sunset

Cognitive behavioural therapy can work very quickly and people often experience some benefit after only one session. It really does depend on the nature of the problems and how long they’ve been around. We’re back to that well- trodden pathway thing again. One of the reasons that cognitive behavioural therapy is popular is ‘bangs for buck’. In other words, its effectiveness for the cost involved.

A typical course of cognitive behavioural therapy can be between 6 – 12 sessions whereas a therapy which incorporates CBT can be equally as short but frequently longer, stretching into months or sometimes even years.

How much does cognitive behavioural therapy cost?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Costs: Allan Kelly explains the cost of CBT. Discover affordable options for transformative therapy in London.

The cost of cognitive behavioural therapy can vary from nothing if obtained via your GP using the NHS to hundreds of pounds per session if you see one of the very top practitioners in a posh Harley Street, London office. So it depends on the number of sessions, the experience and qualifications of the therapist and the location.

Generally pure cognitive behavioural therapy tends to be short term, typically 6 to 12 sessions whereas other types of therapy which can include cognitive behavioural therapy, usually consist of a greater number of sessions. My fee per 50 minute therapy session, which includes elements of cognitive behavioural therapy, starts at £80.