If someone suggested you "try CBT," you might wonder whether that is different from seeing a counsellor, or something you have to ask for separately. It is not separate. CBT is one way of doing counselling, and you book it the same way. This guide explains what CBT is, how it works on anxiety and negative thinking, when it may not suit you, and who offers it here.
If you are in crisis
Call or text 9-8-8 (Suicide Crisis Helpline, 24 hours). If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911. In BC you can also call 1-800-784-2433 (1-800-SUICIDE) any time, or 310-6789 (no area code) for mental health support. The Healing Oak is not an emergency service.
What is CBT?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a structured, problem-focused and goal-oriented form of psychotherapy, according to CAMH (the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, checked 2026). It looks at how your thoughts, feelings and actions affect each other, and teaches skills to notice unhelpful thinking and try different responses. CBT grew out of work by psychiatrists Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis in the 1960s, as our CBT counselling page explains.
Is CBT the same as counselling?
Not exactly, but CBT happens inside counselling. Counselling is the service: you meet a counsellor and work through what is going on. CBT is one of the approaches that counsellor may use, and at The Healing Oak it is part of counselling. Many counsellors combine CBT with other approaches.
That also answers whether CBT is better than counselling: it is a kind of counselling, so the real question is whether it suits you. CBT tends to suit people who want a structured, practical approach with skills to practise between sessions.
How is CBT different from other counselling approaches?
The main difference is focus and structure:
| Approach | What it focuses on | What sessions tend to involve |
|---|---|---|
| CBT | How thoughts, feelings and actions affect each other | Clear goals, specific skills, practice between sessions |
| Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) | Letting difficult thoughts pass without obeying them, and acting on what matters to you | Mindfulness and acceptance skills, and steps guided by your values |
| Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) | Intense emotions and distress | Skills for managing emotions, tolerating distress and handling relationships |
| EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) | Distress tied to past experiences or trauma | A structured process using guided eye movements to reprocess distressing memories |
| Talk-focused or supportive counselling | Space to talk things through and be heard | Less structure, led more by what you bring each week |
Our modalities page explains each one in more detail.
What happens in CBT sessions?
CAMH says a first CBT visit usually covers what your difficulties are and what may be keeping them going, how the CBT model applies to them, and what you want to get out of it.
After that, many CBT sessions follow a similar shape: a short check-in, a look at what you practised since last time, work on one skill or problem, and a plan for what to try next. CAMH calls the work between sessions "homework," and it matters, because the skills come from using them in daily life. The tasks are usually small and regular: a short thought record, one step on an exposure list, or a prediction to test.
Be ready for some discomfort: facing things you have avoided often raises anxiety at first, which is why steps are small and the pace is agreed with your counsellor. Progress is uneven, and a week that feels like a step back is useful to bring to the next session. If a step feels too big, say so.
Session durations vary, so ask your counsellor about length and how often you will meet.
How does CBT help with anxiety?
CAMH says evidence suggests CBT is particularly effective in treating anxiety and depression, and that it is used for generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and specific phobias. It does not work the same way for everyone.
CBT treats anxiety as a loop that keeps itself going. Something sets it off, a thought predicts danger, your body reacts, and you do something to feel safer. The quick relief makes the safety move feel necessary, so the loop runs faster next time.
| Part of the loop | Example |
|---|---|
| Trigger | An email from your manager asking to "chat tomorrow" |
| Thought | "I'm in trouble. I'm going to lose my job." |
| Body | Tight chest, churning stomach, poor sleep that night |
| Safety move | Rereading old emails for mistakes, asking a coworker for reassurance |
| Long term | The thought feels more believable, and the next email sets off the same loop |
CBT looks for the places you can step in: the thought, the safety move, or both.
How does CBT work with panic attacks?
A panic attack often starts with a body sensation, such as a skipped heartbeat, which the anxious mind reads as danger ("I'm having a heart attack"). That brings stronger sensations, which seem to confirm the danger. Our CBT page describes CBT for panic as strategies to manage panic attacks and reduce how often and how strongly they happen: learning what the sensations are, catching the catastrophic reading, and gradually facing what you have started to avoid. Some sensations can have physical causes, so have them checked by your family doctor if you have not already.
How does CBT work on negative thinking?
CBT works on the automatic thoughts that show up before you have had time to check them. CAMH describes it as learning to see thoughts as ideas about what is going on, rather than as facts, and to identify distortions in your thinking. Common thinking traps include:
- Catastrophizing: jumping to the worst outcome. "If I make a mistake in this presentation, my career is over."
- Fortune telling: predicting the future as if it were fact. "I'll panic on the drive, I know it."
- Mind reading: assuming you know what others think. "They went quiet, so they think I'm boring."
- All-or-nothing thinking: seeing things as total success or total failure.
The goal is accurate thinking, not positive thinking. "Everything will be fine" is no more believable to an anxious mind than "everything will go wrong." A balanced thought is one you can actually believe: it includes the real risk and your real ability to deal with it.
Which CBT techniques do counsellors use?
Our CBT counselling page and CAMH describe these tools, and most people use several:
- Thought records: writing down the situation, the thought, the feeling and what you did, so you can see the pattern.
- Cognitive restructuring: checking a thought against the evidence and working out a more balanced version.
- Behavioural experiments: testing a prediction in real life to see what actually happens.
- Gradual exposure: facing situations you have been avoiding, in small steps from easier to harder.
- Behavioural activation: building back activities that matter, often used when mood is low.
- Skills training: practical skills for stress, communication and solving problems.
What does this look like in practice?
Take the email example above. In session, you and your counsellor might write it up as a thought record and look at the evidence. What happened the last few times your manager asked to chat? Usually a routine question. A more balanced thought might be: "I don't know what this is about. It's usually routine, and if it's a problem, I can handle a conversation about it." Then you might test it: reply without rereading old messages first, and notice what your anxiety does. The point is not to prove the worry wrong every time, but to learn that you can cope with not knowing.
When might CBT not be the right fit?
CBT may not suit you if you want to focus mainly on the past or you are looking for supportive counselling, according to CAMH. It also asks for time and energy between sessions. Sometimes another approach, or another kind of help, needs to come first or alongside:
- Anxiety tied to past trauma: an approach such as EMDR may be suggested instead or as well. In Abbotsford, Susan Doiron and Jae Yoo list EMDR.
- Emotions that hit hard and fast: DBT teaches skills for intense feelings and distress.
- Physical symptoms you have not had checked, or questions about medication: talk to your family doctor.
- Thoughts of suicide or self-harm: use the crisis numbers at the top of this page, any time.
CAMH notes that most people know within the first few sessions whether CBT is meeting their needs, and that the therapist may adjust the treatment or suggest other options. Switching approaches is not failing.
Can you do CBT on your own or in a group?
You can learn some CBT skills on your own, but support makes a difference:
- Self-help: many books and websites are based on CBT. CAMH notes they are more useful when you also get support from a therapist, especially if you are dealing with low mood.
- Groups: Mind Space, formerly the CBT Skills Groups Society, runs MSP-funded CBT skills groups for adults in BC with mild to moderate anxiety or depression. Registering needs a referral from a primary care provider, according to Mind Space (checked 2026). Mind Space is separate from The Healing Oak.
Who offers CBT at The Healing Oak?
Not every counsellor at The Healing Oak offers CBT. These practitioners list Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) on their practitioner pages and were accepting new clients as of October 9, 2026.
Chilliwack
- Remi Wauthy (RCC)
- Charlene Lee (MACP, B.Ed, RCC)
- Jen Larush (Psychologist)
- Korey Smith (MPCC-C), who also sees clients in Abbotsford
Jillian Whitely (M.ED, RCC) also lists CBT and is currently on a waitlist.
Abbotsford
- Jae Yoo (CCC-CCS)
- Korey Smith (MPCC-C), who also sees clients in Chilliwack
Remi Wauthy, Jae Yoo and Jillian Whitely also list anxiety on their pages. Charlene Lee focuses on children, youth and adolescents, neurodivergence, executive functioning and stress management. Our practitioners hold different designations, including counselling credentials and psychologist, so check that your plan accepts your practitioner's; RCC or CCC? What the letters mean explains the counselling ones.
How do you choose a CBT counsellor?
Start with focus areas on the practitioner pages, then ask how they use CBT:
- How much of your work is CBT, and how do you use it for anxiety or negative thinking?
- What does practice between sessions usually look like with you?
- How will we check whether it is helping, and what happens if it is not?
What does CBT counselling cost?
Fees vary by practitioner. Confirm the fee when you book. Direct billing depends on the practitioner. Ask when you book. MSP generally does not cover private counselling. Many extended health plans do; check your plan. You do not need a doctor's referral to book counselling.
Where do you start?
If CBT sounds like a fit, our guide on how to book a counsellor in Abbotsford or Chilliwack walks through choosing someone, what to ask and your first session. The CBT counselling page explains how CBT works here, and our anxiety counselling page shows who works with anxiety at each clinic.
| Clinic | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| The Healing Oak Chilliwack | #101-7408 Vedder Road, Chilliwack, BC V2R 4E6 | (604) 846-2999 |
| The Healing Oak Abbotsford | #111, 2632 Pauline Street, Abbotsford, BC V2S 0C9 | (604) 850-9097 |
This article is general information, not medical or psychological advice. For advice about your situation, talk to a qualified practitioner.
