Online behaviour therapy to help you break unhelpful habits
Avoiding the lift for years, staying in bed when low mood hits, or reaching for the same habit every time stress builds. Behaviour therapy focuses on what you do, and helps you change it one clear, manageable step at a time, by video from home.
- Qualified, vetted therapists
- Evening & weekend sessions
- Talk from home
What's learned can be unlearned
Behaviour therapy is built on a hopeful idea: much of what we do is learned, and anything learned can be unlearned or replaced with something more helpful. Rather than digging deep into the past, it looks closely at what you're doing now and what keeps those patterns going.
Take avoidance. If something frightens you and you steer clear of it, you get instant relief. That relief teaches your brain that avoiding was the right call, so next time the fear is even stronger. Behaviour therapy helps you gently break that loop.
It's practical, structured and focused on goals you agree together. It also sits at the heart of CBT, which adds work on thoughts to the work on behaviour.
The main tools of behaviour therapy
Your therapist will choose techniques that suit your goals. These are some of the most widely used.
Exposure
Facing something you fear in a planned, gradual way, so your anxiety has the chance to settle and your confidence can grow. You're always in control of the pace.
Systematic desensitisation
You learn a relaxation skill first, then work up a ladder of situations from least to most worrying, pairing each step with feeling calm.
Reinforcement
Noticing and rewarding the behaviour you want more of. Small wins get recognised, which makes new habits more likely to stick.
Behavioural activation
When mood is low, we tend to do less, which makes us feel worse. This approach helps you plan small, meaningful activities to rebuild energy and enjoyment.
Clear goals and practical steps
Your first sessions focus on understanding the behaviour you want to change: when it happens, what sets it off and what it gives you in the short term. Together you'll agree specific, realistic goals, so you both know what progress will look like.
Each session has a plan. You'll try things out between sessions, then review what happened and adjust. Behaviour therapy can also work well with children and adolescents, often with parents involved so the same approach carries on at home. See our child counselling page for more.
Starting is simpler than you think
Reaching out is often the hardest part. From there, we'll guide you through each step.
Get in touch
Fill in our short contact form and tell us the best time to call. Share as much or as little as you like.
We'll call you
We'll ring at the time you chose for a relaxed, no-pressure chat about what's going on and what you'd like help with.
Start your sessions
We'll match you with a therapist who suits you and send a secure video link. Then you just log on.
Questions about behaviour therapy
Behaviour therapy focuses mainly on what you do. CBT combines that with work on your thoughts and beliefs. Many therapists use both, and we can help you decide which is the better fit. Read more on our What is CBT? page.
Yes. Planning, goal setting and reviewing progress all work well over video. Exposure and other exercises are often done in your own environment, which can make the changes feel more real.
No. Any exposure work is planned with you, starts small and moves at a pace you agree to. You can always pause or slow down.
It can be. Techniques are adapted to suit the young person's age, and parents are often involved. Get in touch to talk about your child's age and needs.
Because it's goal focused, behaviour therapy is often shorter term than some other approaches. You and your therapist will review progress regularly, and you're never locked in.
You'll find our current prices on our fees page. Sessions last 50 minutes.
Take the first small step
Send us a message and we'll get back to you within 24 hours to arrange a call at a time that suits you.
Opening hours
- Monday – Friday9:00 – 20:00
- Saturday10:00 – 15:00
- Sunday10:00 – 15:00
We can't offer crisis support. If you're in danger or feel unable to keep yourself safe, call 999 or go to A&E. You can call Samaritans free, day or night, on 116 123, or NHS 111 (option 2 for mental health). See our crisis support page for more.