Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, is a short-term, problem-focused form of cognitive and behavioral treatment that helps people see how beliefs and thoughts influence feelings and behaviors (and vice versa).
CBT is grounded in the belief it is a person’s perception of events – rather than the events themselves – that determines how they will feel and act in response. Likewise, a person may detect a bodily sensation, then have faulty secondary beliefs about the sensory experience (such as in panic or health anxiety), leading to increased sensations, feelings, and thoughts.
CBT has been proven to help with:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Phobias
- Obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Substance dependency
- Persistent pain
- Disordered eating
- Sexual issues
- Anger management issues
Most people with clearly defined behavioral and emotional concerns tend to reap the benefits of CBT. If any of the above issues resonate with you, cognitive behavioral therapy can be helpful.
With CBT, you’ll be able to adjust the thoughts that directly influence your emotions and behavior. This adjustment process is referred to as cognitive reconstructing, which happens through different CBT techniques. Studies have shown that changing the way we think can develop new neural pathways in the brain.
Some CBT techniques are:
- Challenging beliefs
- Radical acceptance
- Relaxation
- Mindfulness
- Social, physical, and thinking exercises
- Journaling
Cognitive behavioral therapy is much more than sitting and talking about whatever comes to mind during a session. CBT sessions are structured to ensure that the therapist and the person in treatment are focused on the different goals of each session, which in turn ensures that each and every session is productive.
If you or someone you know would benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy, please contact me today. I would be happy to speak with you about how I may be able to help.