TEAM-CBT

TEAM is an evidence-based development of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) that can help with mood problems, relationship difficulties, and bad habits. It’s based on the cognitive model of psychology, which theorises that it’s our beliefs, assumptions, thoughts, and interpretations that cause our feelings rather than objective events. TEAM-CBT was created by Dr. David Burns, a renowned psychiatrist and the author of many best-selling books.

TEAM is an acronym: 

Testing, meaning before and after each session you’ll fill out a form about how you’re feeling. That way we’ll know where we’re at in the work, and if positive change is really happening. 

Empathy, because you need to be heard and understood. I’ll be going for an A grade in empathy before we deepen our work. 

Agenda-setting – paradoxically, here we look at the real, good, beautiful reasons behind your painful feelings. You’ll begin seeing, understanding and accepting yourself in new ways. 

Methods, AKA fail as fast as you can. To find what helps you feel better, we try out lots of different methods to see what works.

The work

  • The work involves:

    • facing our fears in creative ways to learn if the danger is real

    • developing a deeper understanding of our negative thoughts and feelings and challenging the thoughts

    • examining other factors and emotions the anxiety could be covering for

    • clarifying if our motivation for changing is strong enough

  • The work involves:

    • developing a deeper understanding of our negative thoughts and feelings and challenging the thoughts

    • homework, including pleasurable activities

    • examining self defeating beliefs and creating better ones

    • possibly examining our role in relationships and learning effective communication skills

  • The work involves:

    • learning effective communication skills

    • examining our role in relationships

    • developing a deeper understanding of our negative thoughts and feelings and challenging the thoughts

    • clarifying if our motivation for changing is strong enough

  • The work involves:

    • clarifying if our motivation for changing is strong enough

    • developing a deeper understanding of our negative thoughts and feelings and challenging the thoughts

    • homework and accountability

  • Resources:

    • I recommend Feeling Good or Feeling Great by Dr. Burns as it's easy to read, in depth about anxiety and depression, shows how TEAM-CBT works, is a great reference, and a truly effective self-help book.

    • Visit Dr. Burns' website www.feelinggood.com for his full bibliography, great podcasts, and lots of other free resources, including tests for anxiety and depression.

    • The Daily Mood Log - the document we're likely to work with most. Freely available from Dr. Burns: https://feelinggood.com/daily-mood-journal/

    • For a great illustration of how facing our fears works, listen to or read This American Life podcast 837 act 1 featuring Sarah Polley: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/837/transcript

TYPES:

BOOKING

I think of this work as help for self-help. You discover how to help yourself feel better – develop resilience, self-acceptance and love – and the tools that work for you will always help, even when working on your own.