What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is a form of psychological treatment that has been demonstrated to be effective for depression, anxiety disorders, marital problems, eating disorders, mental illness, and a variety of other issues. It is an approach to mental health therapy, which can lead to significant improvement in functioning and quality of life.
CBT is considered an evidence-based approach, which involves taking into consideration thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes and how they influence actions. CBT aims to identify cognitive distortions, or “thinking traps”, and to change existing behavioral patterns that are based on unhelpful ways of thinking. There is ample scientific evidence that CBT methods actually produce change.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy is based on several core principals, including 1) that psychological problems are based, in part, on faulty or unhelpful patterns of thinking and behavior, and 2) that people can learn better ways of thinking and behaviors that help them cope, relieve their symptoms, and help them become more effective in their lives.
I am a mental health, pediatric, and social anxiety therapist in the Cochise County, Arizona area. I provide depression counseling, trauma focused therapy, and cognitive behavior therapy in the Sierra Vista, Arizona area. My focus is on helping clients move forward with more effective ways of coping with life. In Cognitive Behavior Therapy, I work with my patients to recognize distortions in thinking that are creating problems, evaluate those in the light of reality, and change unhelpful behavior patterns.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy involves gaining a better understanding of the behavior and motivations of others; using problem-solving skills to cope with difficult situations; facing one’s fears and learning to develop a greater sense of confidence in one’s own abilities. CBT helps clients learn to calm the mind and relax the body. The therapist and the patient work together to understand problems and develop treatment strategies.
CBT therapy emphasizes what is causing difficulties in the patient’s current life, rather than focusing on what leads up to the difficulties. Understanding the patient’s history is necessary, however; the primary focus is on moving forward with more effective coping strategies. Patients develop coping skills, wherein they learn to change their own thinking, problematic emotions, and behavior. In many cases, CBT has been demonstrated to be as effective as, or more effective than, other forms of psychological therapy or psychiatric medications.
CBT therapy can include mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and rational emotive behavior therapy. Techniques may include cognitive restructuring or reframing, guided discovery, exposure therapy, journaling and thought records, behavior experiments and activation, role playing, and relaxation and stress reduction techniques. The therapist will work through exercises to explore your thoughts, feelings, and behavior.
The four steps of cognitive restructuring are to make our automatic thoughts conscious, evaluate thoughts in light of reality, get rational in our thinking, and replace the distortions in our thinking with more rational thought.
If you are looking for a licensed professional counselor in Cochise County, Arizona, connect with me. I look forward to meeting you!