Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in Saskatoon

Change the thoughts and behaviours that hold you back.

At SoulSoothe, CBT is one of the evidence-based therapies we offer to support your journey towards greater mental clarity, emotional resilience, and overall wellbeing.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy changes the brain

What is CBT?

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a structured form of psychotherapy that focuses on the connection between your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. It’s based on the idea that the way we think about a situation affects how we feel and how we act—and vice versa.

Rather than diving extensively into past experiences (although these can be relevant), CBT focuses on current challenges and practical steps to manage them. The goal is to help you identify unhelpful thought patterns, challenge them, and replace them with more balanced, constructive thinking.

CBT is a collaborative process where you and your therapist work together as a team. Your therapist acts as a guide, helping you develop insight, gain new skills, and apply them in your day-to-day life. Sessions are usually goal-oriented, with clear treatment plans and regular check-ins on progress.

At its core, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is about empowerment. It offers practical tools and strategies to help you manage life's challenges more effectively by addressing the patterns of thinking and behaviour that contribute to emotional distress.

examining negative thoughts in counselling
identifying and replacing lies CBT

Who Can CBT Help?

CBT is a versatile and widely researched therapy, and it has been shown to be effective for a broad range of mental health concerns. Many therapists consider it to be the “gold standard” for most clinical issues. It’s suitable for people of all ages and backgrounds and can be adapted to meet your unique needs.

overwhelmed with lots of problems

CBT is commonly used to support individuals experiencing:

Even if you don’t fit into a specific category, CBT can also be a helpful tool to better understand yourself, improve your coping skills, and build resilience.

How Does CBT Work?

CBT is typically delivered in weekly (or biweekly) sessions with a trained therapist. The number of sessions varies, but many people begin to see progress within 6 to 12 sessions, depending on the nature of the issue.

Here’s what you can generally expect:

1. Assessment and Goal Setting

Your therapist will begin by getting to know you—your current difficulties, your goals, and how these challenges are affecting your life. Together, you’ll identify specific, achievable goals to work toward throughout therapy.

2. Understanding Your Patterns

CBT helps you become more aware of the cycle between your thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and behaviours. You’ll learn to spot common cognitive distortions—like catastrophizing, black-and-white thinking, or overgeneralisation—that may be keeping you stuck.

Assessment and goal setting in CBT session

3. Developing Practical Strategies

Once you’ve identified unhelpful patterns, your therapist will introduce evidence-based tools to challenge and change them. These may include:

  • Thought records and cognitive restructuring

  • Behavioural experiments

  • Exposure exercises (for anxiety or phobias)

  • Problem-solving and planning techniques

  • Mindfulness and grounding techniques

  • Activity scheduling to build motivation and routine

These strategies are not just theoretical—they’re designed to be applied in real life, giving you the skills to manage challenges both during and after therapy.

practicing CBT skills in therapy session

4. Home Practice and Reflection

An important part of CBT is putting what you learn into practice outside of sessions. You might be asked to try specific exercises or track certain thoughts or behaviours between appointments. This helps to reinforce learning and promotes lasting change.

5. Review and Maintenance

Toward the end of therapy, you and your therapist will review the progress you’ve made and explore how to maintain it. You’ll create a personalised toolkit you can return to if old patterns re-emerge in the future.

mental health self care

Why Choose CBT with Us?

The therapists at SoulSoothe who incorporate CBT into their practice are trained and experienced in tailoring this approach to the individual. We understand that no two people are alike—and your therapy shouldn’t be either. Whether you're facing a specific issue or feeling overwhelmed and unsure where to start, we're here to listen and help you build a way forward that makes sense for you.

We offer:

  • A supportive, non-judgemental environment

  • Evidence-based, practical strategies grounded in research

  • Clear treatment goals and collaborative planning

  • A focus on empowerment, not dependency

  • Flexibility to meet your unique needs and pace

If you’re curious about CBT and whether it might be right for you, we’d love to talk! We offer free consultations where you can ask questions, share your concerns, and explore what therapy might look like with us.

These are our team members who offer CBT:

Ready to find out more?

Connect with us for a free consultation or look at the other counselling services we offer in Saskatoon and online.

SoulSoothe Counselling & Wellness in Saskatoon Saskatchewan