Let's Talk About CBT
Let's Talk About CBT is a podcast about cognitive behavioural therapy: what it is, what it's not and how it can be useful. Listen to experts in the field and people who have experienced CBT for themselves. A mix of interviews, myth-busting and CBT jargon explained, this accessible podcast is brought to you by the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies.
Episodes
Let's talk about…CBT for specific phobias
In this episode, Helen is joined by Becky and Romanah to talk about specific phobias and how CBT can help. Becky shares her personal experience of living with a phobia of medical situations, also known as blood-injury phobia, what it took for her to seek help, and what the journey through therapy was really like, including the tough moments alongside the breakthroughs. Romanah was Becky's CBT ther
Let's talk about…Tinnitus and can CBT really help?
In this episode, Helen is joined by Colin Blowers, James Jackson, and Hashir Aazh for a thoughtful conversation about tinnitus and how cognitive behavioural therapy can help. The panel draws on professional expertise and lived experience to explore what tinnitus is, why it can become distressing, and the importance of getting it checked. The conversation focuses on how CBT can support people to ch
Let's talk about…loneliness and how CBT can help
In this episode, Helen is joined by Jackie and Professor Roz Shafran to explore loneliness through both lived experience and clinical psychology perspectives. Jackie shares her personal journey with anxiety, bereavement, and loneliness, describing how these experiences affected her mental health and led her to seek CBT support. She reflects on what helped, what was challenging, and how strategies
Let's talk about…CBT and the menopause
In this episode, Helen Macdonald talks with CBT therapist Sally Tribe about the impact of menopause and how Cognitive Behavioural Therapy can help. Sally shares her own experience of perimenopause, describes the wide range of symptoms people can experience, and explains how CBT can support those affected. The discussion covers the biological, psychological, and social aspects of menopause, the imp
Let's Talk About…Access to Mental Health Services for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (World Mental Health Day 2025)
It's World Mental Health Day 2025, and this year's theme is 'access to services - mental health in catastrophes and emergencies'. The theme highlights the importance of people being able to protect their mental health in times of global instability. In this special episode of Lets' Talk about CBT, Helen Macdonald speaks with Kerry Young, a consultant clinical psychologist specialising in PTSD, par
Let's talk about…Low Intensity CBT
Ever heard of low Intensity CBT and wondered what it was all about? Or what it would be like to receive it? In this episode of Let's Talk about CBT, Helen talks to Laura Stevenson-Young, a cognitive behavioural therapist and Director of Low Intensity CBT Clinical Training at Newcastle University and Emily who shares her lived experience of low intensity cognitive behavioural therapy. Together, the
Let's talk about…the Mental Health Jedi
In this episode, Helen Macdonald speaks with Chris Frederick- advocate, suicide survivor, founder of Project Soul Stride, and self-described "Mental Health Jedi." Chris shares his deeply personal journey, from childhood trauma and racial adversity to becoming a mental health advocate and what helped his recovery- and the things that didn't. Resources & Support: If you or someone you know needs urg
Let's Talk About…Digital CBT and Cultural Connection
In this latest episode of Let's Talk About CBT, host Helen Macdonald is joined by two international guests- Tafi Mazikana and Sherrie Steyn who share their journey from CBT service user and therapist to CBT innovators. Tafi, originally from Zimbabwe, opens up about his experiences with anxiety while working in a high-pressured job in finance and how a digital CBT intervention through IAPT (now kno
Let's talk about…. mental fitness in sports
In this episode of Let's Talk About CBT, Helen Macdonald speaks with Phil Cooper, mental health nurse and co-founder of the charity State of Mind Sport, and Ian Knott, former professional rugby league player and State of Mind presenter. Phil shares how State of Mind was born out of tragedy and developed into an award-winning mental fitness programme, now reaching thousands of athletes across the U
Let's Talk about CBT: A solid return on investment
In this special episode celebrating World CBT Day 2025, we explore this year's theme: CBT: A Solid Return on Investment. Host Helen Macdonald, Senior Clinical Advisor at BABCP, is joined by a range of voices reflecting on the impact, value, and future of CBT. We hear from: Dr. Adrian Whittington, National Clinical Lead for Psychological Professions at NHS England, about the rollout and outcomes o
Let's Talk About…CBT for Gambling Addiction
In this episode of Let's Talk About CBT, Helen Macdonald speaks with James from the charity Gambling with Lives about the serious impact of gambling addiction, its links to mental health, and the role of CBT in recovery. What We Cover in This Episode: 🔹 How gambling has changed – From a backstreet niche to an industry making billions through addictive products. 🔹 Gambling addiction and mental he
Let's talk about…how CBT can help manage living with long term health conditions and trauma
In this episode, Helen talks with Lizzie, a beauty content creator and disability advocate, and Bex, a CBT therapist, about Lizzie's journey navigating living with long term health conditions, trauma and the transformative impact of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Lizzie shares her experiences living with Crohn's disease, POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), and hypermobility spe
Let's talk about…how CBT can help with living well with pain
In this episode of Let's Talk About CBT, Helen Macdonald speaks with Pete Moore, author and creator of The Pain Toolkit, about his journey of living with long-term pain. Pete shares his experiences of how he was able to move from being overwhelmed by pain to learning CBT techniques and strategies which helped him learn to manage it effectively, regain control, and even help others do the same. Use
Let's talk about…how getting active, being in nature and having CBT can help after you've had a baby
In this episode of Let's Talk About CBT, host Helen Macdonald speaks with Sarah, Sally, and Leanne about Sarah's experience of having Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) after giving birth. They explore how CBT helped Sarah regain control during a challenging postnatal period, addressing struggles such as insomnia, anxiety, and adjusting to new motherhood. Sarah shares her journey of balancing the
Let's talk about... going to CBT for the first time
We're back! Let's Talk about CBT has been on hiatus for a little while but now it is back with a brand-new host Helen Macdonald, the Senior Clinical Advisor for the BABCP. Each episode Helen will be talking to experts in the different fields of CBT and also to those who have experienced CBT, what it was like for them and how it helped. This episode Helen is talking to one of the BABCP's Experts by
How has CBT changed over the last 50 years?
The British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies, the lead organisation for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in the UK and Ireland, is 50 years old this year. In this episode Dr Lucy Maddox explores how CBT has changed over the last 50 years. Lucy speaks to founding members Isaac Marks, Howard Lomas and Ivy Blackburn, previous President David Clark, outgoing President Andre
Bonus Episode: What is SlowMo? And how can it help with paranoid thoughts?
In this bonus episode of Let's Talk About CBT, hear Dr Lucy Maddox interview Dr Tom Ward and Angie about SlowMo: digitally supported face-to-face CBT for paranoia combined with a mobile app for use in daily life. Podcast episode produced by Dr Lucy Maddox for BABCP Transcript Dr Lucy Maddox: Hello and welcome to Let's Talk about CBT, the podcast from the British Association for Behavioura
Evidence Based Parenting Training: What Is It and What's It Got To Do With CBT?
Children don't come with a manual, and parenting can be hard. What is evidence-based parenting training and how can it help? Dr Lucy Maddox interviews Sue Howson and Jane, about their experiences of delivering and receiving this intervention for parents of primary school aged children. Show Notes and Transcript Podcast episode produced by Dr Lucy Maddox for BABCP Sue and Jane both recommended thi
CBT for Depression
In this episode Dr Lucy Maddox speaks to Sharon and Dr Anne Garland, about CBT for depression. Hear how Sharon describes it, and how both group and individual therapy helped. Show Notes and Transcript Podcast episode produced by Dr Lucy Maddox for BABCP Books Overcoming Depression by Paul Gilbert Podcast Episodes CBT for Perfectionism Compassion Focussed Therapy Websites www.babcp.com www.cbt
CBT for Anxiety: How are Anxious Thoughts Like the Circle Line?
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health problems, but there's a good evidence-base for CBT as a helpful intervention. In this podcast, Dr Lucy Maddox speaks with Dr Blake Stobie and Claire Read, about what CBT for anxiety is like, and how anxious thoughts can be like the circle line. Show Notes and Transcript Podcast episode produced by Dr Lucy Maddox for BABCP Websites BABCP https://www.
What is cognitive behavioural couples therapy?
We tend to think about therapy as something that is helpful for individuals, but what about when you want to address problems which affect you and a partner or spouse? In this episode, Dr Lucy Maddox speaks to Dan Kolubinski about cognitive behavioural couples therapy, and hears from Liz and Richard about what the experience was like for them. Show Notes and Transcript Podcast episode produced by
Digital CBT
What is digital CBT? How does therapy work over the internet? Can it ever be as good as face-to-face? Dr Lucy Maddox hears from Dr Graham Thew and Fiona McLauchlan-Hyde about an internet-based CBT programme for PTSD. Fiona shares her experience of how this therapist-supported programme helped her through traumatic grief, and also has some helpful advice for people trying to comfort those who are b
Let's Talk About CBT Survey
Let's Talk About CBT Survey Have you got 5 minutes to complete a quick survey about your experience of listening? It would really help us to know who is listening and what you would like from the podcast. Thank you! https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/podcastLTACBT Podcast episode produced by Dr Lucy Maddox for BABCP Photo by Emily Morter on Unsplash
Loneliness for Children & Young People During the Pandemic
What does existing research tell us about the possible impact of the pandemic on children and young people's mental health? Dr Lucy Maddox speaks with Dr Maria Loades about Maria and colleagues' recent rapid review of the literature on isolation and mental health, and what CBT principles suggest can be helpful to head off problems, in particular with loneliness during the pandemic. Show Notes
Helping teenagers do more of what matters to them
How does doing more of what matters help teenagers with low mood and depression? And what can we all learn from this, particularly at the moment? Prof Shirley Reynolds speaks to Dr Lucy Maddox. Show Notes and Transcript Podcast episode produced by Dr Lucy Maddox for BABCP If you want to know more the following resources might be helpful. Books Shirley has written two books about depression in teen
Tolerating uncertainty: what helps?
We're all living through uncertain times at the moment. What does research from CBT tell us about what tends to help people tolerate uncertainty? Dr Lucy Maddox interviews Professor Mark Freeston about what might help. Show Notes and Transcript Podcast episode produced by Dr Lucy Maddox for BABCP For more on BABCP our website is www.babcp.com For Mark's research survey follow this link: https:
CBT for Bipolar Disorder
Note: This episode was recorded before government guidance on restricting travel due to coronavirus. We all experience ups and downs in mood, but what happens when the highs are so high and the lows are so low that it really interferes with your life? In this episode we hear from Cate Catmore and Professor Steven Jones about CBT for bipolar disorder. Show Notes and Transcript Podcast episode pro
Coping with anxiety about coronavirus
This is an understandably stressful time and it's normal to feel worried. What can we learn from CBT for health anxiety that might help us with feelings of anxiety during the pandemic? In this short bonus episode, Dr Lucy Maddox interviews Dr Jo Daniels from Bath University, about things we know are likely to help. Show Notes and Transcript Podcast episode produced by Dr Lucy Maddox for BABCP R
CBT for Self-Harm
Imagine being asked to give up the most effective strategy you have for coping with stressful situations... this is often what it can feel like to people trying to give up self-harm. In this episode, Dr Lucy Maddox talks to Jane, who first used self-harm when she was 14, and Dr Lucy Taylor, who works with young people to try to overcome self-harm. This episode contains discussion about self-harm
CBT for Clinical Perfectionism
Striving for achievement has got to be a good thing, right? But what if it starts to get in the way of our happiness? What if the standards we hold ourselves to are unattainable or unrealistic? What if we feel like we'll never measure up? In this episode, Sam and Professor Roz Shafran speak to Dr Lucy Maddox about CBT for clinical perfectionism - what it is, what it's not, and how it can be usefu
CBT for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
How can a talking therapy help with a problem that feels as physical as chronic fatigue syndrome? Ben Adams talks to Dr Lucy Maddox about overcoming his initial scepticism about CBT and why he's glad he did. Professor Trudie Chalder explains the ideas that cognitive behavioural therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome is based on. Show Notes and Transcript Podcast episode produced by Dr Lucy Maddo
CBT for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
How do you talk about something in therapy when all you want to do is avoid thinking about it? And why might it help to be able to tackle it? Nick Gilbert talks to Dr Lucy Maddox about how he sought help for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and his therapist, Dr Jen Wild, explains the theory behind the treatment, and dispels some myths about what it's like. This show includes reference to s
CBT for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
What are 'intrusive thoughts' (we all have them) and what has CBT for OCD got to do with a polar bear? People sometimes talk about being "a little bit OCD", but the reality of obsessive compulsive disorder is much more difficult than a tendency to line your pens up or be super tidy. Ashley Fulwood talks to Dr Lucy Maddox about his journey towards recovery from OCD with the help of CBT, and Profes
CBT for Hoarding
Maggie's flat was so full that the council threatened to clear it out themselves. CBT helped her understand the reasons behind her hoarding disorder and start to let go of some of her possessions. Maggie and Dr Victoria Bream speak to Dr Lucy Maddox. Show Notes and Transcript Podcast episode produced by Dr Lucy Maddox for BABCP Want to know more? Some useful resources are included here. Websit
CBT for Psychosis
Hearing voices is much more common than used to be thought, but what if they're cruel voices that seem to try to stop you from living your life? Chris Shoulder talks to Dr Lucy Maddox about how he uses CBT techniques to manage his experience of voices and Dr Emmanuelle Peters explains the theory behind the treatment. Show Notes and Transcript Here are some resources if you'd like to find out m
CBT for Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Most of us have some worries about how we look, but what if those worries get so bad they stop you being able to go out? Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a serious problem but it can be overcome, as Gareth explains. Gareth and Prof David Veale talk to Dr Lucy Maddox. This show includes mention of suicide. Show Notes and Transcript Podcast episode produced by Dr Lucy Maddox for BABCP For mor
Coping with stress and anxiety: a spiritual and cultural perspective
Ever wondered how CBT fits with ideas about health and wellbeing from more spiritual perspectives? A BABCP outreach event held in a local Glasgow mosque in Summer 2018 explored just this. Saiqa Naz, Chair of the BABCP's Equality and Culture SIG, Shayhk Abdul Aziz Ahmed and Dr Aman Durrani all speak to Dr Lucy Maddox. Show Notes and Transcript: Podcast episode produced by Dr Lucy Maddox for BABCP
Mindfulness Based Therapies
How does mindfulness fit with CBT? And is it all about sitting about on a yoga mat? (spoiler - it's not). This episode delves into Mindfulness Based Therapies, including Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). Prof. Willem Kuyken and Chris Henry speak to Dr Lucy Maddox. Show Notes and Transcript: Podcast episode produced by Dr Lucy Maddox for BABC
Schema Therapy
How do we develop patterns of thinking and behaving from our earlier experiences? What is Schema Focussed Therapy and how does it fit in the wider family of CBTs? Dr Gill Heath and Mary speak to Dr Lucy Maddox. Show Notes and Transcript: Podcast episode produced by Dr Lucy Maddox for BABCP If you're interested in finding out more... Websites BABCP has a Schema Therapy Special Interest Group whic
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy
What is Acceptance & Commitment Therapy and what's it like to have it? How can we live a life in line with our most important values? Dr Joe Oliver, Gary Bridgeman, Dr Graciela Rovner and Dr Eric Morris talk to Dr Lucy Maddox. Show Notes and Transcript: Podcast episode produced by Dr Lucy Maddox for BABCP If you're interested in finding out more about the British Association for Behavioural and C
Compassion Focussed Therapy
Couldn't we all be a little kinder to ourselves? Find out how self-compassion can influence us and hear about how compassion focussed therapy helped Chris with depression. Prof. Paul Gilbert and Chris Winson talk to Dr Lucy Maddox. Show Notes and Transcript: Podcast episode produced by Dr Lucy Maddox for BABCP If you're interested in finding out more about the British Association for Behavioural
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
How do we live with impossible dilemmas? How can someone stop self harming when it's the only way they know of coping? What is DBT and how did it help Louise? Dr Michaela Swales and Louise Brinton-Clark talk to Dr Lucy Maddox. This episode includes reference to self-harm. Podcast episode produced by Dr Lucy Maddox for BABCP Show Notes and Transcript If you're interested in finding out more about
Let's Talk About CBT
What is cognitive behavioural therapy? What's it like to have it? How can it be useful? Is it just 'positive thinking'? (spoiler - it's not). Prof David Clark, Prof Sarah Corrie, Jo and Frank talk to Dr Lucy Maddox. A mix of interviews, myth-busting and CBT jargon explained, this accessible podcast is brought to you by the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies. www.babc
