Cognitive Emotional Behaviour Therapy

Cognitive Emotional Behavioural Therapy (CEBT) is an extended version of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) aimed at helping individuals to evaluate the basis of their emotional distress and thus reduce the need for associated dysfunctional coping behaviours (e.g. eating behaviours including binging, purging, restriction of food intake and substance misuse). This psychotherapeutic intervention draws on a range of models and techniques including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness meditation, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and experiential exercises.

CEBT has been used primarily with individuals suffering from eating disorders and is thought to reduce emotional eating, depression, anxiety and improve self-esteem and offers an alternative when standard CBT is unsuccessful in relieving symptoms. CEBT was developed by Dr Emma Gray (née Corstorphine) a British Clinical Psychologist in 2006. Its key components include psychological education, techniques to enhance awareness of emotions, and motivation to change and strategies to restructure beliefs about the experience and expression of emotions.

Additional Reading: Corstorphine, E. (2006) Cognitive-emotional-behavioural therapy for the eating disorders: Working with beliefs about emotions. European Eating Disorders Research, 14, 448-461. Corstorphine (2008). Modifying cognitive behavioural therapy for the treatment of eating disorders – using schema modes to work with emotions. In J. Buckroyd (Ed.) Psychological responses to treatment in eating disorders and obesity. Wiley