Reviewed by: Madina Abdrakhmanova, addiction psychologist · updated 6 Nov 2026
Key facts
- Who provides care
- A psychotherapist or clinical psychologist trained in CBT
- Format
- Video sessions, homework, worksheets
- Duration
- 50-minute sessions, a course of 8–20 sessions
- Anonymity
- Confidential, medical confidentiality under Kazakhstan law
- When it’s urgent
- Suicidal thoughts — call 103 or 112; young people can call 150
- Outcome
- Fewer symptoms and skills that stay with you after therapy
What you should know
CBT starts from a simple but important idea: it is not events themselves that cause our emotions, but how we interpret them. If, after making a mistake, a person thinks “I’m no good at anything,” they feel low and start avoiding tasks, which confirms the belief. Such cycles of thoughts, emotions and behavior sustain depression, anxiety and many other conditions. Therapy teaches you to notice these cycles and break them step by step.
The method has been studied in hundreds of clinical trials and is included in the recommendations of the WHO and national guidelines in many countries, including NICE in the UK. Its structure — a session agenda, worksheets and homework — transfers well to the online format. At Psychiatry Online, this makes it possible to fit therapy into the busy schedule of an office worker or civil servant: a session in the morning, an assignment during the week. For those who live in the new neighborhoods of the left bank, far from the city center, it saves hours of travel.
When CBT Is Especially Effective
- recurring anxious thoughts and “replaying” worst-case scenarios
- panic attacks and avoidance of places where they have happened
- low mood, self-criticism and a sense of personal inadequacy
- intrusive thoughts and rituals that take up a lot of time
- chronic insomnia and worry about whether you will be able to fall asleep
- social anxiety: fear of being judged, avoiding public speaking and social contact
- procrastination and putting things off for fear of making a mistake
If at least two points apply and the state lasts longer than two weeks, it is worth seeing a specialist. Phone consultation is free. If life is at risk, call 112 or 103.
How CBT Explains the Development of Symptoms
The cognitive model distinguishes three levels: automatic thoughts (quick appraisals of a situation), intermediate beliefs (rules such as “I must control everything”) and core beliefs about oneself and the world. They form on the basis of experience and are triggered automatically in stressful situations. Cognitive distortions — catastrophizing, mind reading, black-and-white thinking — intensify emotions and push a person toward unhelpful behavior.
The behavioral component explains why symptoms persist. Avoidance and safety behaviors reduce anxiety in the moment but prevent you from discovering that the danger is exaggerated — and so the anxiety becomes entrenched. In depression, reduced activity means fewer pleasant experiences, and mood drops even further. In winter, with short daylight hours and biting wind, activity naturally declines, and this mechanism becomes especially pronounced.
How an Online CBT Session Is Structured
Each session has a structure: a brief check-in and symptom rating scales, a review of homework, the main topic and a new assignment. The specialist shares worksheets on screen, and you fill them in together. You will need a quiet room, headphones, a stable internet connection and a notebook or a diary app. Between sessions, you keep thought records and carry out behavioral experiments, and at the next session you review the results.
Online CBT does not replace in-person care for acute psychosis, severe depression with suicidal intent or a serious eating disorder that threatens health. In such cases, an in-person psychiatric examination is needed. If you have thoughts of suicide, call 103 or 112; children and young people can call 150. Medication, if needed, is prescribed by a psychiatrist.
How we help
Cognitive Restructuring
The patient learns to catch automatic thoughts in the moment, write them down and test them: what facts support or contradict the thought, and is there an alternative explanation? Gradually, a more realistic and flexible outlook develops. This is a key CBT skill that stays with a person after therapy ends and reduces the risk of relapse.
Behavioral Activation
In depression, reduced activity keeps mood low. Behavioral activation involves planning small but meaningful activities and tracking their effect on emotions. The method has a strong evidence base. In winter, the specialist helps choose activities that can be done at home or in the city’s indoor spaces.
Exposure
For anxiety disorders, panic attacks and OCD, the key element is gradually facing feared situations without safety behaviors. This gives the brain new experience: the anxiety subsides on its own. Many exposure exercises can be done at home, while the specialist guides the process in online sessions and adjusts the plan.
CBT for Insomnia
CBT-I is the first-line treatment for chronic insomnia according to international guidelines and is more effective than sleeping pills in the long term. It includes work on sleep schedules, sleep restriction, stimulus control and addressing anxious thoughts about sleep. A sleep diary is easy to keep in an app and discuss during video sessions.
Myths and facts
MythCBT is just “think positive”
FactCBT teaches realistic rather than positive thinking. The aim is to test thoughts against facts, not to replace them with pleasant ones. Sometimes an anxious thought turns out to be justified, and then the work focuses on solving the problem.
MythCBT only deals with symptoms and ignores the causes
FactCBT also works with core beliefs that formed in the past. The difference is that the focus is on how these beliefs affect your life now and how to change them. This produces lasting results.
MythHomework is optional
FactResearch shows that completing homework is linked to better therapy outcomes. It is between sessions that skills are transferred into real life. Assignments are chosen so that they don’t take much time.
How an online appointment works
- Message or callWrite on WhatsApp or call — our coordinator replies within minutes, day or night. You don't have to give your surname.
- Doctor and timeWe match you with a psychiatrist, addiction specialist or psychotherapist and agree on a time — often the same day.
- Video consultationA secure 50–60 minute video call: the doctor takes a detailed history and uses standardised scales if needed.
- Treatment planYou receive a clear summary, recommendations and a plan: what we do online and what needs an in-person visit or home call.
- Follow-upOnline follow-up sessions, messenger contact with your doctor, and treatment adjustments until you get a stable result.
Prices in Astana
| Online therapy session (50 min) | 15 000 ₸ |
| Package of 8 online sessions | 110 000 ₸ |
| Family/couples session (80 min) | 20 000 ₸ |
The final cost is agreed before treatment starts. Prices are in tenge and do not constitute a public offer.
Where to get help
An online consultation for “Online cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)” is available to people across Astana and Akmola Region 24/7 — from home, work or while travelling. For an in-person visit, Psychiatry Online in Astana has two branches: 72 Bogenbay batyra St., Astana and 37 Petrova St., office 23, Astana. Doctor home visits: all city districts and nearby settlements.
Confidential and private
Information about your visit, diagnosis and treatment is protected by medical confidentiality under the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Public Health and the Healthcare System”. We never share it with your employer, school or relatives without your consent; the only exceptions are those expressly set out by law. For an online consultation your first name is enough, video runs over a secure channel and nothing is recorded without your consent.
Questions and answers
How effective is online CBT?
Research shows that video CBT sessions for depression, anxiety disorders and insomnia produce results comparable to in-person sessions. The specialist’s qualifications, regular sessions and completing assignments are what matter. The online format also reduces the number of missed sessions.
How long does a CBT course last?
Usually 8–20 weekly sessions. For panic attacks or insomnia the course may be shorter; for OCD or chronic depression, longer. Progress is measured with symptom rating scales, and the plan is adjusted together with you at every stage.
Can CBT be combined with antidepressants?
Yes. For moderate and severe depression and a number of anxiety disorders, this combination is recommended by clinical guidelines. The psychotherapist coordinates care with a psychiatrist, who prescribes and monitors medication in accordance with Kazakhstan regulations.
What should I prepare for the first session?
Think about what bothers you most and what changes you would like to see. If you take medications, prepare a list of them. Check your connection and headphones and find a place where you won’t be overheard. Completing questionnaires in advance will help save time.
Is CBT suitable for teenagers?
Yes, adapted forms of CBT are effective for anxiety and depression in adolescents. Usually some sessions involve the parents. Teenagers and young people in crisis can also call the free 150 helpline.
What happens after the course ends?
You will have skills you can use on your own and a relapse prevention plan. A booster session after 1–3 months is useful. If symptoms return, you can quickly resume therapy online without starting from scratch.
Where can I be seen in Astana?
Online — from anywhere in the city or region. In person — at two branches: 72 Bogenbay batyra St., Astana and 37 Petrova St., office 23, Astana. Both are open 24/7; home visits cover all city districts and nearby settlements.
Sources and methodology
This page was prepared by the Psychiatry Online medical editorial team based on:
- International Classification of Diseases ICD-10 and ICD-11, World Health Organization
- Clinical diagnosis and treatment protocols of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan
- Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Public Health and the Healthcare System”
- NICE (UK) and APA (US) guidelines on the treatment of mental disorders
- WHO recommendations on telemedicine and digital health
This information is for reference only and does not replace a consultation with a specialist. Editorial policy
