CBT With Beth

Do you ever feel like you’re just not good enough?

That quiet inner voice that tells you you’re failing, falling behind, or somehow not measuring up can feel incredibly convincing.

But what if those thoughts aren’t facts… just patterns your mind has learned over time?

In my latest blog, I explore how Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helps us understand low self-esteem through three key layers:

✨ Core beliefs – the deep beliefs you hold about yourself
✨ Rules for living – the pressures and expectations you place on yourself
✨ Automatic thoughts – the day-to-day inner dialogue that shapes your confidence

Understanding these patterns can be the first step towards changing them.

If you’ve ever struggled with self-doubt, perfectionism, or feeling like you’re never quite enough, this blog may resonate with you.

🔗 Read the full blog here - https://www.cbtwithbeth.co.uk/blog-1/30th-april-2026-why-do-i-feel-like-im-not-good-enough-cbt-for-low-self-esteem-how-your-thoughts-shape-your-confidence/

The lighter days and a bit of sunshine returning can sometimes feel like a small lift after a long stretch of grey 🌤️

If you’ve been considering therapy, this time of year can be a gentle opportunity to begin. You don’t have to wait for things to feel “bad enough” or perfectly right, sometimes just having a bit more space in your day is enough. With a bit more energy and motivation in the air, it’s often easier to take that first step.

I currently have availability for CBT sessions, both online and in-person in both Midgham and Mortimer. I offer a calm, supportive space to explore things like anxiety, low mood, or unhelpful patterns that feel hard to shift on your own.

If you’d like to talk or ask a few questions first, you’re very welcome to get in touch.

www.cbtwithbeth.co.uk

~Fake Reviews for Anxiety~

Although anxiety may speak loudly, it doesn’t mean it’s telling the truth.

Hi everyone,
I currently have two remaining appointment times available on Tuesday mornings at my clinic at Soul Barns.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy offers practical, evidence-based support for managing anxiety, low mood, and building healthier coping strategies.
If you or someone you know is looking for support or would like further information, please do pop me a message via my website –

CBT Therapy & Mental Health Therapy in Newbury & Reading – Online & In-Person I provide CBT therapy for adults struggling with anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges, offering both in-person sessions in Reading, Berkshire, and flexible online therapy options

🔔 New Therapy Space at Soul Barns 🔔

I’m really pleased to share that from January 13th, I’ll be offering face-to-face therapy sessions in a beautiful new space at Soul Barns in Mortimer.

This calm, nurturing setting feels like a wonderful place to slow down, reflect, and do meaningful therapeutic work together.

🗓 Tuesdays
⏰ 9:30am – 1:30pm

If you’ve been considering in-person therapy, this could be a lovely opportunity. Appointments are now available, and you’re very welcome to get in touch with any questions or to book a session.

www.cbtwithbeth.co.uk

I was going to write a post about Compassion Focused Therapy and how I use its principles in my clinic, however something happened on Friday morning with my son that reminded me so vividly of the principles at the heart of Compassion Focused Therapy - a therapeutic approach that helps people cultivate a kinder, steadier, more supportive inner voice.

It was one of those tough school-day starts; tiny tears and big feelings. Instead of speeding past them, I took a breath, softened my voice, and reached for a little compassion… and a slice of toast.
I cut my son’s toast into little Christmas shapes (as you can see from my photo in an incredibly artistic way 😉) - a Christmas tree and a slightly lopsided snowman. Somehow that small, playful gesture eased the heaviness. His shoulders relaxed. A smile peeked through. The world felt safe again and he felt able to think about going to school.

It got me thinking: we often do this instinctively for children — soften, soothe, offer comfort in simple, tangible ways. But adults need this too.
We can find this easy to do for others, but turning this inward on ourselves can be tricky. We are allowed to give ourselves that same compassion, perhaps in the tiniest of forms to make it easier. A cup of tea, calling a friend, for me getting under my heated blanket at my desk!

In sessions with clients, I will often explore the barriers to self-compassion and experiment with ways of trying these small acts. We then look at the impact this has on clients’ ability to cope with the rest of the day. It’s incredible how even tiny acts of compassion can shift the emotional tone of a whole day.

If you’re finding things heavy today, maybe try one small compassionate gesture, the emotional equivalent of a Christmas-shaped piece of toast.
www.cbtwithbeth.co.uk

"CBT is about positive thinking"
False - In fact, if that’s all you’ve ever been told about CBT, I don’t blame you if you have rolled your eyes at it.
Because here’s the truth:
CBT isn’t about forcing happy thoughts or pretending everything’s fine.
It’s about understanding how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours interact, and learning how to challenge patterns that keep you stuck.
Sometimes that means noticing a thought like:
“I’m a failure.”
and learning to respond with:
“I’m struggling right now, but that doesn’t define me.”
Not exactly a “positive affirmation,” right? But it’s realistic, compassionate, and powerful.
The goal of CBT isn’t to make your mind a place where everything is sunshine and rainbows. It’s to make it a place you can actually live in. 🌿
💭 What do you think? Has CBT ever been misrepresented to you as just “positive thinking”?

Get in touch if you think this approach could help you!
www.cbtwithbeth.co.uk

**This Post Is a Behavioural Experiment**

So here’s a little behind-the-scenes moment from a CBT therapist 👋

Hitting “post” on social media doesn’t come naturally to me.

My mind says things like:

🗯️ “What if no one engages?”
🗯️ “What if people judge me for putting myself out there?”
🗯️ “What if it’s… cringe?” 😅

In CBT, we call this a prediction - an anxious thought about what might happen.

So I decided to treat this as a behavioural experiment.

Instead of avoiding (which feels safe but keeps the anxiety going), I’m testing the prediction by doing the thing anyway - posting!

The goal isn’t to prove myself right or wrong, but to gather evidence:

✅ Do people actually respond negatively?
✅ Or do some connect, comment, or even reach out for support?
✅ How anxious do I really feel afterwards?

That’s the beauty of CBT, we don’t just talk about thoughts; we test them.

Whether it’s sending that email, going to the gym, or yes… sharing something online, sometimes the bravest thing is just doing the experiment and seeing what happens. 🌱

💭 What’s something you’ve been avoiding that you could turn into your own little behavioural experiment this week?