Let's Talk about CBT: A solid return on investment

In this special episode celebrating World CBT Day 2025, we explore this year's theme: CBT: A Solid Return on Investment. Host Helen Macdonald, Senior Clinical Advisor at BABCP, is joined by a range of voices reflecting on the impact, value, and future of CBT.

We hear from:

• Dr. Adrian Whittington, National Clinical Lead for Psychological Professions at NHS England, about the rollout and outcomes of NHS Talking Therapies.
• Dr. Stirling Moorey, BABCP President, on the historical development of CBT and its increasing relevance and recognition over the decades.
• Nic, a former CBT client, who shares how therapy helped him manage anxiety linked to a long-term health condition.
• Dr. Saiqa Naz, past president of BABCP, who discusses her personal journey into CBT and her commitment to inclusion, diversity, and working with underrepresented communities

This episode offers a rich blend of lived experience, clinical insight, and future vision, showing how CBT continues to be a wise investment for individuals, services, and society as a whole.

Further information and links:

Visit BABCP to learn more about CBT

Find support via NHS Talking Therapies

Discover more about World CBT Day

Find our sister podcasts and all our other episodes in our podcast hub here: https://babcp.com/Podcasts

Have feedback? Email us at [e-mail]

Follow us on Instagram & Bluesky: @BABCPpodcasts

Credits:

Music is Autmn Coffee by Bosnow from Uppbeat

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/bosnow/autumn-coffee

License code: 3F32NRBYH67P5MIF

This podcast was produced by Steph Curnow

Transcript:

Helen: Hello, and welcome to Let's Talk About CBT, the podcast where we talk about cognitive and behavioural psychotherapies, what they are, what they can do, and what they can't. I'm Helen Macdonald, your host. I'm the Senior Clinical Advisor for the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies.

Welcome to this special episode of Let's Talk about CBT celebrating World CBT Day. World. CBT Day takes place every year on the 7th of April, and this year's theme is CBT: A Solid Return on Investment. In this episode, we're exploring just what that means- I will be speaking with Adrian Whittington, who's the National Clinical Lead for Psychological Professions at NHS England and with Stirling Moorey, who's our current BABCP President about how CBT has developed over time and the importance of continued investment in it.

We'll also hear a personal story from Nic, who is a former client of Stirling's, who shares how CBT helped him manage anxiety and improve his quality of life. Finally, I sit down with Saiqa Naz who is past president of BABCP to talk about her journey into CBT from starting out in the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies services, to completing a clinical psychology doctorate, and how she embodies the idea of CBT being a real return on investment.

We hope you enjoy this episode and the range of voices reflecting on the impact and value of CBT. Let's get started! Here's my conversation with Adrian and Stirling….

Adrian, would you introduce yourself please?

Adrian: Yes. Hi. I am Adrian Whittington. I'm National Clinical Lead for Psycholog