Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Practical, structured, and well studied. The approach at the center of every session.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is built on a simple observation: how you think about a situation shapes how you feel and what you do, and those three parts feed each other. Change any one deliberately and the others follow. CBT is one of the most researched forms of counseling for anxiety, depression, anger, and relationship problems.
Brett has used CBT for more than twenty years because it works and because clients can see it working. Sessions have a structure, skills are practiced between them, and progress is measured rather than assumed.
Who this is for
- You want counseling that is practical and goal-oriented
- You would like to understand why you react the way you do
- You are willing to try small experiments between sessions
- You prefer a counselor who is active and direct in the room
- You want tools you can keep using after counseling ends
How it works
A CBT session usually opens with a brief check-in and a look at what you practiced since last time. The middle of the session works on one thing: a thought pattern to test, a skill to learn, or a situation to plan for. It closes with a specific step for the week.
Common tools include thought records for catching and testing automatic thinking, behavioral experiments for finding out what actually happens when you do the thing you have been avoiding, activity scheduling for lifting mood, and communication scripts for hard conversations. None of it is homework for its own sake; each step is chosen with you.
CBT is collaborative. Brett brings the method and the experience; you bring the expertise on your own life. The plan is built together and revised as you go.
Three steps, and the first one is free
- 01
Free 10-minute call
A quick conversation about what you want to change and whether a structured approach appeals to you.
- 02
Initial assessment
History, current concerns, and clear goals. You leave with a shared understanding of the pattern and a first step.
- 03
Structured sessions
Fifty minutes, usually weekly at first, each with a focus and a takeaway. Progress is reviewed regularly.
How long it takes
CBT is designed to be time-limited. Many courses run a few months, with sessions spacing out as you take over the tools. Some people return for brief refreshers later, which is normal and easy to arrange.
This is a good fit if
- You want to feel better and also understand what changed
- You like having a plan
- You are ready to practice, not only talk
- You want an approach with strong evidence behind it
Before the first call
Anything not answered here is a good question for the free call. All FAQs →
Is CBT just positive thinking?
No. CBT is about accurate thinking. Sometimes the accurate thought is harder than the anxious one, and CBT helps you handle that too.
Will there be homework?
There will be practice between sessions, chosen with you and kept realistic. It is where most of the change happens.
Does CBT work over video?
Very well. It is structured and skills-based, which suits video, and practicing in your own environment helps.
What if I want to talk about the past?
You can. CBT focuses on the present but uses history to understand where patterns came from. Brett follows what is useful, not a script.
Related
All specialties →
Anxiety and stress
Racing thoughts, worry that will not switch off, panic, and the toll it takes on sleep and work.
Learn more →
Depression
Low mood, loss of interest, and the heaviness that makes ordinary days hard.
Learn more →
Clinical assessment
Every new client starts with a thorough assessment so the plan fits the person, not a template.
Learn more →
