If anxiety, low mood, overthinking, or unhelpful patterns are making everyday life more difficult, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can help you understand what may be keeping those difficulties going and develop practical ways to manage them.

Tara O’Donoghue offers evidence-based CBT therapy in London, with in-person sessions available in Marylebone, home-based therapy, and online sessions for those who prefer the flexibility of meeting remotely.

CBT is structured and goal-focused, but therapy is tailored to you. Rather than simply talking about what is wrong, you and your therapist work together to understand the problem, identify patterns that may be maintaining it, and develop strategies that can make a meaningful difference in everyday life.

What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy?

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based form of psychotherapy based on the understanding that our thoughts, feelings, behaviours, and physical sensations are interconnected. By making changes in one of these areas, we can often influence all the other areas including how we feel and respond to others and situations.

When you feel anxious, worried, or low, it is easy to become caught in patterns of thinking or behaviour that unintentionally make things harder. You might avoid certain situations, repeatedly worry about what could happen, withdraw from activities, seek reassurance, or become highly critical of yourself.

CBT helps you recognise these patterns and develop more helpful ways of responding to them.

The aim is not simply to “think positively”. Instead, CBT helps you to become more balanced, understand what is happening, consider whether your current responses are helping, and develop practical strategies for approaching difficult situations differently.

What can CBT help with?

CBT can be used to help with a wide range of emotional and psychological difficulties, including:

The right therapy depends on you and the difficulties you are experiencing. Your initial assessment helps determine whether CBT is an appropriate approach for your needs.

What happens when I start CBT?

CBT for Depression in London – Online & In-Person

Your first step is an initial CBT assessment.

This gives you an opportunity to talk about what has been happening, how it is affecting your life, and what you would like to change. Tara will ask questions to better understand your experiences, current coping strategies, and any patterns that may be contributing to the problem.

You do not need to arrive knowing exactly what is wrong or what your therapy goals should be. The assessment helps build a clearer picture of what is happening and whether CBT is likely to be suitable for you. If another therapeutic approach may be more appropriate, this can also be discussed.

From there, you and Tara can agree on meaningful goals and develop a treatment plan based on your individual needs.

What Happens During CBT Sessions?

CBT is a collaborative therapy. You and your therapist actively work together rather than therapy being something that is simply “done” to you.

Sessions may involve exploring:

  • Difficult thoughts and beliefs
  • Behaviours or situations you may be avoiding
  • Emotional and physical responses
  • Patterns that trigger anxiety or low mood
  • Different ways of responding to difficult situations
  • Practical strategies you can use between sessions

CBT mainly focuses on what is happening in your life now. However, past experiences can also be explored when they help explain current patterns.

There may also be exercises or practical tasks to try between appointments. These allow you to apply what you are learning in therapy to situations that arise in everyday life.

How many sessions will I need?

There is no definite set number of CBT sessions that is right for everyone.

A typical course of CBT may involve approximately 12–20 sessions, although therapy can be shorter or longer depending on the difficulties you are experiencing, how long they have been present, their complexity, and what you would like to achieve.

Sessions are normally around 60 minutes. Some treatments may occasionally require longer sessions, particularly when specific exposure-based exercises are involved.

Your progress can be reviewed throughout therapy so that sessions remain focused on the value directed goals you have established together.

Where do CBT sessions take place?

Tara offers CBT in London in three flexible ways, so you can choose an option that suits your circumstances:

  • In person in Marylebone: Visit Tara at her Central London practice for face-to-face CBT sessions.
  • Home-based CBT: Tara can come to you, allowing therapy to take place in the comfort and familiarity of your own home.
  • Online CBT: Sessions can take place remotely, offering greater flexibility if you are unable to attend in person or are based outside London.

Fees are discussed during your initial enquiry, giving you an opportunity to ask questions and find the option that works best for you.

Is Online CBT effective?

CBT can be delivered online as well as face-to-face, and many people value the convenience and flexibility of remote sessions.

Online CBT may be particularly helpful if you have a demanding work schedule, travel frequently, live outside Central London, or simply prefer attending therapy from your own environment.

Sessions follow the same structured and collaborative principles as face-to-face CBT. However, online therapy may not be the most appropriate option for every person or every difficulty. Your circumstances and the type of support you need can be discussed during your initial 90 minute assessment.

CBT for individuals living and working in London and cities

Living and working in London and cities can bring its own pressures. Long working hours, demanding careers, commuting, relationships, family responsibilities, and the general pace of city life can all affect emotional wellbeing.

CBT provides a practical framework for understanding these difficulties and developing strategies that can be applied outside the therapy room.

With sessions available in Marylebone, Central London, minutes from Harley Street, at home, and online, therapy can be arranged in a way that fits more realistically around your professional and personal commitments.

Why choose CBT?

CBT is one of the most extensively researched forms of psychological therapy and is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for a number of mental health conditions.

One of the strengths of CBT is its focus on helping you develop practical skills that you can continue using after therapy has finished.

Depending on what you are working on, CBT may help you:

  • Recognise unhelpful thinking patterns
  • Respond differently to anxiety and emotional triggers
  • Reduce avoidance
  • Develop healthier coping strategies
  • Improve problem-solving skills
  • Manage difficult emotions
  • Build confidence and self-esteem
  • Change behaviours that may be maintaining the problem
  • Develop skills for managing future difficulties

Meet senior Psychotherapist Tara O’Donoghue – CBT Therapist in London

Tara O’Donoghue is an experienced CBT Psychotherapist offering therapy in Marylebone, Central London, through home-based appointments, and online.

Her approach is evidence-based collaborative, structured, and tailored to the individual. Therapy begins by understanding what you are experiencing and what you would like to be different and develop rather than applying the same treatment plan to everyone.

Together, you identify clear and meaningful goals and work towards them using evidence-based therapeutic approaches appropriate to your needs.

Where appropriate, Tara’s work where appropriate will incorporate CBT alongside other therapeutic approaches, including Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Behavioural Activation, and EMDR.

The aim is not simply to reduce symptoms during therapy, but to help you better understand the patterns affecting you and develop skills you can continue using independently.

Is CBT right for me?

CBT can be effective for many difficulties, but it is not necessarily the right therapy for every person or every problem.

This is why treatment begins with an assessment rather than assuming CBT is automatically the best approach.

During your assessment, you can discuss what you are experiencing, ask questions about therapy, and explore whether CBT is likely to meet your needs. If another therapeutic approach may be more appropriate, this can also be considered.

Start with a CBT Assessment

If you are considering CBT therapy in London, the first step is an initial 90 minute assessment.

You can choose from face-to-face appointments in Marylebone, Central London, home-based therapy, or online sessions, depending on your circumstances and the suitability of each option.

Your initial assessment provides an opportunity to discuss what has been happening, what you would like to change, and whether CBT is the right therapeutic approach for you.

To schedule an assessment with a fully licensed private CBT Therapist in London, offering in-person at home treatment or online, please click here. You can also send enquiries via email: info@homebasedtalkingtherapy.com.

Additional websites and useful information

The BABCP website includes information about CBT www.babcp.com

The National Institute of Clinical care and Excellence guidelines for mental health and behavioural disorders.

American Psychological Association Presidential Task Force on Evidence-Based Practice. (2005). Report of the 2005 presidential task force on evidence-based practice. Washington, DC: American Psychological Society.

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