Belfast Cognitive Therapy Centre

People across the UK and NI require more funding to be placed into mental health services, so they can access services when they need them most.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/…/people-se vere-mental-health…/…

Due to increasing demand from trainees, we are now offering two Certificate in Cognitive Therapy Theory and Skills next year. Interested in learning more about CBT, or want to add to your current skills?
The Certificate aims to help existing professionals enhance their skills, and allow newcomers to mental health and therapy see if CBT is the right therapy for them.
Find out more here:
... http://www.belfastctcentre.com/…/certif icate-in-ct-theory-…/
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At BCTC, we live and breathe what we do. For over twenty years, we've trained therapists to regularly engage in self-reflection, and to use their therapy skills for their own personal and professional development.

Winter and the run up to Christmas can be a difficult time for many of us. |f you need extra support, you're welcome to get in touch to book in with one of our therapists - you don't need to go through the dark months feeling alone.

It was our pleasure to meet with the campaigners from the #123GP campaign last week and add our name to their growing list of supporters who want to see more funding for GP practice-based CBT and counselling by the Health and Social Care Board.

Psychologist Susan David gives a brief insight into how some of our more difficult emotions have value to our lives:
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/…/bad- emotions-good-for-yo…

'How we deal with our inner world drives everything.' Psychologist Susan David talks about our need for emotional agility, and how our views of emotions as 'good' or 'bad' limits our ability to cope with them.
https://www.ted.com/…/susan_david_the_g ift_and_power_of_emo…

Many trans individuals feel apprehensive approaching professionals for fear of being mis-gendered. Dr Kristie Overstreet talks about how healthcare professionals can ensure they treat everyone with dignity:
https://www.ted.com/…/kristie_overstree t_phd_why_are_many_d…

Today is Hallowe'en, where we traditionally put on masks to ward off the monsters that scare us. But when we're struggling with mental health difficulties, we're often putting on masks just to get through the day.
If you want to take off the mask, please don't hesitate to give us a call and book in to see one of our therapists.

Eating disorders are about far more than weight, but many overstretched and underfunded services have been using BMI as a criterion for treatment.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-45 881914…

Does 'men don't cry' or 'you need to smile more' sound familiar? In our latest blog post, we consider the impact of gender in seeking help for mental health difficulties:
http://www.belfastctcentre.com/the-impact -of-gender-percep…/

In the wake of the 'epidemic' of mental ill health in young people, we reflect on the difficulties facing our young people in our latest blog post:
http://www.belfastctcentre.com/why-are-we -neglecting-the-m…/

Depression isn't always easy to spot. It can be invisible, hidden behind smiles and jokes.
As a society, it's vital that we recognise those we meet have lives we know nothing about, and to treat one another with compassion.
https://www.facebook.com/…/a.3367026165 26…/939628486233452/…

Today is World Mental Health Day, and with half of all mental illness beginning by the age of 14, we're pleased to see more focus on helping young people develop mental resilience.
http://www.who.int/mental_hea…/world-me ntal-health-day/…/en/

It can be hard to know the right things to say to someone with depression. Here are some tips from Bill Bernat from his lived experience:
https://ideas.ted.com/heres-how-you-can-c onnect-to-friends…/

We all know exercise is good for our physical and mental health, but why? Here's a brief breakdown of how building an exercise routine can help your brain:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/…/why-e xercise-is-so-essent…

CW: self-harm.
Lucy Dimbylow on why it felt important to not hide her self-harm scars on TV - it's heartening to see people taking such strides to break down stigma on a national platform.
https://metro.co.uk/…/why-i-showed-my-s elf-harm-scars-on-n…/