CBT for Tinnitus E-Programme (CBT4T) for Severe & Very Severe Tinnitus, Stress and Anxiety

The CBT for Tinnitus E-Programme Partnership with Tinnitus UK

The CBT for Tinnitus E-Programme has been in a formal partnership with Tinnitus UK (previously the British Tinnitus Association) since January 2020 over and above our Corporate Member status. Our joint purpose is to provide the best possible support for those seeking help and relief from their distress of tinnitus

Members and Supporters of Tinnitus UK can enrol for the CBT for Tinnitus E-Programme with a 10% discount, while Tinnitus UK earn a donation of 10% of the pre-discounted fee

Images show the savings you make as a Tinnitus UK Supporter - code available on Tinnitus UK website. Discount available on all packages

Making use of the collaborative research between neuroscience and psychotherapy, has brought about 100% potential for experiential change through putting natural brain plasticity to work FOR rather than against our patients, thereby revolutionising clinical practice in psychotherapy.

The CBT for Tinnitus E-Programme brings these cutting edge practices to anyone suffering because of tinnitus.

Debbie Featherstone MSc

Hearing Therapist, Psychotherapist & CBT Specialist in Tinnitus

CBT for Tinnitus E-Programme

The CBT for Tinnitus E-Programme (CBT4T)

Provided by Debbie Featherstone - dual qualified Hearing Therapist & Psychotherapist

Around 86 billion neurons in the brain are organised to fire in patterns (neural pathways) that produce what we experience, moment by moment. Their purpose is to process information and it's the processed information that gives us what we experience.

Neurons that fire together, wire together through repetition, resulting in processed information repeating over and over. This all works to our benefit until what we experience is unpleasant.

Firing patterns of neurons (neural pathways) don't differentiate between an actual experience and an imagined experience, so when we imagine a pleasant experience, the patterns produced are the same as if we were having the actual pleasant experience.

The downside is that firing patterns (neural pathways) work in the same way when we have - or we imagine by thinking of - an unpleasant experience. Something called "Cognitive Bias" kicks in - for good reason, as our brains are wired first and foremost for survival. What we know we know – we cannot “un-know” it. We filter any experience we have through our personal window of Cognitive Bias. Consciously and unconsciously, we persistently seek out that which confirms what we know (Confirmation Bias), ignoring to the point of not even noticing there may be alternatives. This is how we end up going down the rabbit hole of suffering, and we perpetuate suffering through multiple means, one of the most common being the repeated use of Cognitive Distortions, for example:

Predicting the future
All or nothing thinking
Maximising the negative, minimising the positive
Emotional reasoning
Self and other blaming

Fortunately, brain plasticity (neuroplasticity) gives us the ability to weaken old firing patterns and to grow & strengthen NEW firing patterns of neurons. The more FLEXIBLE we allow our mind (mindset) to be, the more EFFECTIVELY we make use of brain plasticity. This is precisely what the CBT for Tinnitus E-Programme (CBT4T) enables you to do.

CBT4T (the new name for the CBT for Tinnitus E-Programme from October 2023) is a neuroscience-informed CBT process for severe and very severe stress and/or anxiety experienced because of tinnitus. The Neuroscience & CBT Protocol developed for CBT4T enables the user to separate having tinnitus from being distressed by tinnitus

The Protocol used is unique to this course:

There is a reason for everything used in the course being not only what it is but where it is in the process
Part 1 of the Protocol changes the nervous system from being DYSREGULATED to REGULATED
Using the bespoke tools unique to this course, Part 2 of the Protocol first DISRUPTS old embedded neural pathways > GROWS new neural pathways > STRENGTHENS the new neural pathways
The Protocol combines polyvagal informed neuro-psychotherapy, associated neuroscience, behavioural and cognitive therapy with a focus on third wave CBT
Third wave CBT enables psychological flexibility, develops and deepens a recovery-oriented perspective. This is wholly different to 2nd wave CBT that is problem-oriented and thought-focused

Snapshot of how CBT4T brings about the necessary changes