CBT Therapy in Surrey and Banstead | CBT and ERP Online and In Person

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

A structured and compassionate approach in Surrey and online | Adults, teenagers and children

If you have found your way here, you might already be noticing patterns that feel hard to break. Perhaps your mind races with worry, or you find yourself overthinking conversations long after they have finished. You might feel stuck in cycles of anxiety, low mood, or self doubt, even when part of you knows things should feel different.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy offers a practical and collaborative way of understanding how thoughts, emotions, body responses, and behaviours interact. Rather than focusing only on the past, CBT helps us notice what is happening in the present and gently explore how small shifts can begin to create change over time.

You do not need to arrive knowing exactly what to say or where to begin. We start with what feels most relevant to you right now.

What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and how can it help?

CBT is an evidence based psychological therapy that looks at the patterns between thinking, feeling, and responding. Many people come to CBT because they want something that feels clear and structured, while still feeling supported and understood.

CBT can be helpful for:

• anxiety or constant overthinking
• low mood or loss of motivation
• panic, social anxiety, or avoidance
• intrusive thoughts, OCD, or repetitive behaviours that feel hard to step away from
• perfectionism and high self pressure
• sleep difficulties
• exam related stress or school anxiety in children and young people

Together, we begin by making sense of how certain patterns developed and what may be maintaining them now. Rather than trying to force change quickly, we build understanding first. From there, we explore gentle experiments and new ways of responding that feel manageable and realistic.

For some people, CBT may include Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), a carefully paced approach often used to support obsessive compulsive difficulties. At Compassionate Therapy Practice, ERP is always held within a compassionate framework. We take time to understand what is driving the OCD and develop supportive internal resources alongside the exposure work, allowing the process to feel collaborative and manageable rather than forced.

A Collaborative and Compassionate Approach to CBT

At Compassionate Therapy Practice, CBT is not about being told what to think or do. The work is collaborative, curious, and shaped around you.

Some people come to CBT looking for clarity when their thoughts feel tangled. Others want tools that help them feel more steady in daily life. Sessions can be adapted to suit different thinking styles, including neurodivergent ways of processing and communicating. We move at a pace that feels respectful of your experiences, balancing practical strategies with a compassionate understanding of how your nervous system responds under pressure.

CBT can stand alone as a therapy in its own right, or sit alongside approaches such as Compassion Focused Therapy or EMDR depending on what feels most supportive for you.

What CBT Sessions Feel Like

Sessions are structured but flexible, with space to reflect, explore patterns, and try new perspectives together.

You might notice us:

• mapping out links between thoughts, emotions, body sensations, and behaviour
• gently testing out new ways of responding to situations
• building confidence through small, achievable steps
• exploring how self criticism or fear of judgement may be influencing choices

You do not need to complete worksheets perfectly or get everything right. The focus is on understanding and growth, not performance.

Who CBT Can Support

CBT can be helpful for adults, teenagers, and children who feel stuck in patterns that no longer feel helpful. Some people arrive wanting practical tools for anxiety or low mood. Others want to understand why certain situations trigger strong reactions.

For younger children, therapy often involves working closely with parents or carers. Parent-Guided CBT focuses on helping you understand your child’s behaviour, emotions, and anxiety patterns, while learning practical strategies to support them at home. This approach is typically offered for behavioural or emotional difficulties between ages 5 and 8, and for anxiety between ages 5 and 11. Many parents describe feeling relieved to better understand what is happening beneath the behaviour, and to have practical ways of responding that feel calmer and more connected at home.

For older children and teenagers, CBT is adapted to feel creative, collaborative, and developmentally appropriate, helping them make sense of their experiences without feeling overwhelmed.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy:
Frequently Asked Questions

Is CBT very structured or rigid?

CBT has a clear framework, but sessions remain collaborative and flexible. The structure helps us make sense of patterns together, while still allowing space for reflection and curiosity.

Do I have to do lots of homework?

Some people find it helpful to try small experiments or reflective tasks between sessions, but these are always discussed together. There is no pressure to complete anything perfectly. We shape the work around what feels realistic for you.

Can CBT help children and teenagers?

Yes. CBT can be adapted in a developmentally sensitive way for children and young people. For younger children, therapy may involve Parent-Guided CBT, where we work directly with parents or carers to help them understand their child’s behaviour, emotions, and anxiety patterns while learning practical strategies to support change at home.

For older children and teenagers, sessions are often more direct, using creative tools, gentle experiments, and collaborative exploration to help them understand their thoughts and feelings in a way that feels accessible.

Can therapy be adapted if I am autistic, ADHD, or neurodivergent?

Yes. Therapy is always shaped around how your mind works rather than expecting you to fit a fixed model. Some people prefer more structure or visual clarity, while others need a slower pace or different ways of exploring experiences.

Together we find a way of working that feels accessible and respectful of your strengths, sensory needs, and communication style.

How do I know if CBT is right for me?

You do not need to decide that alone. An initial session gives us space to explore what has been happening and what you would like to feel different. From there, we shape the work together in a way that feels supportive and meaningful.