CBT Psychotherapy
CBT therapy for the things that quietly take up too much room.
Anxiety. Low mood. The long shadow of difficult experiences.
A small, considered private practice — sessions in English or Italian, in person in Sheffield or online anywhere with a screen.
About Giulia
I'm Giulia Cavazza, an accredited CBT Psychotherapist (MSc, MBABCP) based in Sheffield.
If you're here, you or your child might be feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or exhausted by things that are hard to put into words — anxiety that won't switch off, a fear of school or social situations, the weight of past bullying or trauma, or relationships and emotions that feel impossible to manage. Many of the people I work with tell me they feel misunderstood, or like they've been carrying something alone for too long. That feeling is the starting point, not the end goal — and it's exactly where therapy can help.
I work with adults living with the effects of trauma and personality disorders — including complex PTSD (CPTSD) and borderline personality disorder — as well as with neurodivergent children and young people who are struggling to feel settled at school, who experience anxiety or fear around social situations, or who are processing difficult experiences like bullying. Trauma doesn't look the same for everyone, and neither does therapy: we'll work together to understand how it shows up for you or your child, at a pace that feels safe.
So what does a session actually look like? With adults, sessions are collaborative conversations — we'll explore patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving together, and build practical strategies you can use in everyday life, always grounded in evidence-based CBT. With children and young people, sessions are more flexible and creative — often involving drawing, play, or guided conversation — designed to help them feel safe enough to open up, with parents and carers involved where it's helpful.
I have experience working in both hospital and school settings, and I've supported people living with chronic health conditions such as ME/CFS and post-viral fatigue — in both adults and children.
I believe therapy should make sense, feel safe, and bring understanding before change. Together, we'll map out what's happening in a way that helps you — or your child — see, and ultimately shift, the patterns keeping things stuck.
Qualifications & Accreditation
- BSc in Developmental and Educational Psychology (2006)
- PGCSE Diploma (2008)
- Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) (2020)
- MSc in Advanced Practice (2022)
- Full accreditation with the BABCP
- Trained in EMDR (Level 3) and member of the EMDR Association UK
- Trained in Theraplay (Level 1) and member of Theraplay UK
- Trained in Non-Violent Resistance (NVR)
How I Work
A different shape for each thing
CBT is not a single technique, but a family of evidence-based approaches. Below is a plain account of what I actually do with people for the most common reasons they come.
We map your worry — what it tells you it's protecting you from, and what it actually costs you. We work on intolerance of uncertainty, the role of "checking the future," and a particular form of worry postponement that's quietly transformative.
Approach — CBT for GAD (Wells / Borkovec)
The fastest-moving piece of work I do. We identify the catastrophic misinterpretations, run interoceptive experiments, and rebuild your relationship with your body. Most clients are panic-free in 8–10 sessions.
Approach — Clark's cognitive model of panic
Exposure & response prevention (ERP), but humanely. We work on the moral and existential weight you've given to the thoughts, build a graded ladder of exposures, and reclaim what compulsions have eaten.
Approach — ERP + inference-based CBT
For single-event PTSD, I usually use trauma-focused CBT (Ehlers & Clark) — narrative reliving, updating "hot spots," and reclaiming the places trauma has narrowed. For complex trauma, slower, with more time on stabilisation. EMDR is also available.
Approach — TF-CBT or EMDR
Behavioural activation is the spine — small, structured re-engagement with the things that used to land. Then cognitive work on the internal commentary, and (if it fits) compassion-focused work for the harshness most depression speaks in.
Approach — BA + CBT, sometimes CFT
One of the most treatable things I see. We work on the cycle of checking, reassurance-seeking and avoidance — and on what your body has come to mean to you. We rebuild trust with sensations, slowly.
Approach — CBT for health anxiety (Salkovskis)
The most disguised problem on this page. We unpick the rules you've been living to, the cost of meeting them, and the fear underneath. Compassion-focused work alongside CBT — you can't out-think a problem held in place by fear.
Approach — CBT + Compassion-Focused Therapy
The Space We Share
Therapy works best when it feels safe. Here is what you can expect from working with me.
You bring your story into the room. I bring my experience. Together, we make sense of it.
You are not alone in this. Whatever has felt too heavy to carry — we can look at it together.
Session Length
50 minutes per session, held at a pace that feels right for you.
Who I Work With
One-to-one sessions with children, young people, and adults. Family sessions available — I work not just with the child, but with the people around them.
Confidentiality
Everything shared in the room stays in the room. What you bring to therapy is held with care and discretion. I will always be clear with you about the very limited circumstances where confidentiality has legal limits.
A Neuroaffirming Space
I have extensive experience working with neurodivergent people — including those with ADHD, autism, and learning differences. I am a neuroaffirmative therapist: I celebrate diversity, different ways of thinking, and the journey towards self-acceptance.
The Principles
Practicalities
Payment & Cancellation
- Payment should be made before the session.
- Cancellations should be communicated at least 48 hours in advance. After that, if another slot cannot be found, full payment for the session will be required.
Ready to begin?
I offer a free 15-minute consultation to discuss whether we'd be a good fit. No commitment, no pressure — just a quiet conversation.