Relationship CBT in Sydney
CBT - Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

Professor Ross G. Menzies is highly committed to the Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) paradigm.  As the current NSW (and past National) President of the Australian Association for Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (AACBT), Professor Menzies is an experienced practitioner of CBT, as well as a highly published and leading researcher and theorist in this area. In 2002 he was appointed the international expert trainer in CBT at the National University of Singapore. He is the Convenor of the 29th National Conference of the AACBT in Sydney in 2006, and the editor of Australia's national CBT scientific journal, Behaviour Change.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy is a scientifically established psychological approach to the management of dysfunctional behaviour. It is well established in the area of couples therapy. CBT has been shown, in numerous scientific trials around the world, to produce clinically significant improvements in relationship harmony.  CBT is based upon the links between thoughts, feelings and behaviours.  In CBT, the couple and practitioner work closely together to identify, analyse and understand the relationship in terms of the interaction of these three constructs.  Treatment typically focuses on thoughts and behaviours that are presently causing distress or interfering with relationship satisfaction. CBT pivots around the development of a shared view of the relationship problems by the couple and the practitioner. Once this has been achieved, the practitioner is able to develop a customised treatment protocol with identified goals and strategies. The principal thrust of CBT is to empower the couple to generate cognitive and behavioural solutions to problematic aspects of their relationship.  This often requires the couple to do "homework" between sessions. Typically this involves changing specific habits and behaviours, and reappraising negative or unhelpful thinking patterns.