That Resonates Ep 4: “I Know It’s Irrational, But I’m Still Doing It” | Understanding CBT

In this episode of That Resonates, Dr. Christian Perrin is joined by Dr. Taregh Shaban, a Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist, Professor of Psychology, and a long-standing supervisor of Dr. Christian’s own therapeutic work. Together, they unravel Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), exploring both the theory behind it and what it looks like in practice. At the heart of CBT is a powerful philosophy: we do not simply react to external events themselves. We react to our interpretation of those events. The meaning we give to an experience can shape the emotions we feel about it and the behaviours that follow. But what happens when we know our thinking is irrational and still cannot stop the patterns we sink into? Dr. Christian reflects on his own long personal history with health anxiety and OCD, describing the familiar experience of recognising that a fear may be irrational while still feeling compelled to respond to it. Why is insight sometimes not enough? Why can we know exactly what we are doing, understand that a thought is unlikely or exaggerated, and yet continue to feel anxious or repeat the same behaviours? Dr. Christian and Dr. Taregh explore our natural predisposition to assume danger. From an evolutionary perspective, survival and safety come first, meaning the human mind is often wired to notice potential threats before anything else. But in anxiety and OCD, this protective system can become overwhelming, causing uncertainty, thoughts, or physical sensations to feel like evidence of genuine danger. This conversation explores how CBT helps people understand the relationship between thoughts, interpretations, emotions, and behaviours. Rather than simply telling someone to “think positively,” CBT examines the patterns that keep distress alive and offers practical ways to respond differently. They also discuss Dr. Taregh’s experience as a CBT therapist across multiple countries, his therapeutic approach, the importance of clinical supervision, and the realities of working within therapeutic spaces, research, and psychology. In this episode, Dr. Christian Perrin and Dr. Taregh Shaban discuss: ● What Cognitive Behavioural Therapy actually is ● How our interpretation of events shapes our emotions ● Why knowing a thought is irrational may not be enough to stop it ● Dr. Christian’s personal experience with health anxiety and OCD ● Why the human mind naturally looks for danger ● The relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviours ● How CBT looks in real therapeutic practice ● Why anxiety can persist even when we recognise irrational thinking ● The role of a therapist in helping people challenge established patterns ● The importance of clinical supervision in psychotherapy ● Dr. Taregh’s experience practising CBT across different countries ● The difference between understanding CBT in theory and experiencing it in therapy This is a conversation about how the mind interprets the world, why fear can persist despite rational understanding, and how therapy can help us develop a different relationship with our thoughts and behaviours. If you have ever thought, “I know this is irrational, but I still can’t stop,” struggled with anxiety, health anxiety or OCD, or simply wanted to understand how Cognitive Behavioural Therapy actually works, this episode is for you. Welcome to That Resonates. Hosted by Dr. Christian Perrin Guest: Dr. Taregh Shaban Subscribe for more conversations on psychology, psychotherapy, anxiety, OCD, emotional wellbeing, relationships, identity, therapy, and the questions that shape how we understand ourselves and each other. #ThatResonates #CBT #CognitiveBehaviouralTherapy #Anxiety #OCD #HealthAnxiety #PsychologyPodcast #Psychotherapy #MentalHealth #Therapy #DrChristianPerrin #DrTareghShaban