Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a treatment approach that helps you recognize negative or unhelpful thought and behavior patterns. Show
CBT aims to help you identify and explore the ways your emotions and thoughts can affect your actions. Once you notice these patterns, you can begin learning how to change your behaviors and develop new coping strategies. CBT addresses the here and now, and focuses less on the past. For some conditions in some people, other forms of psychotherapy are equally or even more effective. The key is that there is no one size that fits all. Read on to learn more about CBT, including:
CBT is largely based on the idea that your thoughts, emotions, and actions are connected. In other words, the way you think and feel about something can affect what you do. If you’re under a lot of stress at work, for example, you might see situations differently and make choices you wouldn’t ordinarily make. But another key concept of CBT is that these thought and behavior patterns can be changed. According to the American Psychological Association, the core concepts of CBT include:
The cycle of thoughts and behaviors So how does one go about reworking these patterns? CBT involves the use of many varied techniques. Your therapist will work with you to find the ones that work best for you. Typical treatment often involves the following:
The goal of these techniques is to replace unhelpful or self-defeating thoughts with more encouraging and realistic ones. For example, “I’ll never have a lasting relationship” might become, “None of my previous relationships have lasted very long. Reconsidering what I really need from a partner could help me find someone I’ll be compatible with long term.” These are some of the most popular techniques used in CBT:
Homework is another important part of CBT, regardless of the techniques you use. Just as school assignments helped you practice and develop the skills you learned in class, therapy assignments can help you become more familiar with the skills you’re developing. This might involve more practice with skills you learn in therapy, such as replacing self-criticizing thoughts with self-compassionate ones or keeping track of unhelpful thoughts in a journal. CBT is one of the most studied therapy approaches. In fact, many experts consider it to be the best treatment available for a number of mental health conditions. Here’s some research behind it:
Cognitive behavioral therapy is often considered the gold standard of psychotherapy — but it’s certainly not the only approach. Read on to discover the different types of therapy and which one may work best for your needs. Psychodynamic therapyPsychodynamic therapy is often a longer-term approach to mental health treatment compared with CBT. Psychodynamic therapy was developed from psychoanalysis, where you are encouraged to talk about anything on your mind to uncover patterns in thoughts or behavior. In psychodynamic therapy, you’ll examine your emotions, relationships, and thought patterns to explore the connection between your unconscious mind and your actions. This form of therapy can be useful for addressing a variety of mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and substance use disorder. Behavioral therapyAccording to behavioral theory, certain behaviors that might affect your life negatively develop from things you learned in your past. In behavioral therapy, instead of focusing on unconscious reasons for your behaviors, your therapist will help you identify ways to change behavioral reactions and patterns that cause distress. Behavioral therapy is often focused on current issues and how to change them. People most commonly seek this form of therapy to treat depression, anxiety, panic disorders, and anger issues. Humanistic therapyHumanistic therapy is based on the idea that your unique worldview impacts your choices and actions. In this therapeutic approach, you’ll work with a therapist to better understand your worldview and develop true self-acceptance. Humanistic therapy tends to focus more on your day-to-day life than other types of therapy. Humanistic therapists work from the idea that you are the expert in your difficulties, and they will let you guide the direction of your sessions, trusting that you know what you need to talk about. Instead of treating a specific diagnosis, this form of therapy is often used to help you develop as a whole. It’s important to note that this comparison of therapeutic approaches, subtypes, and issues that each type of therapy is useful for addressing is not exhaustive. Each therapist will take their own approach when working with clients, and the type of therapy that works best for you will depend on a number of factors. CBT can be used for a wide variety of mental health issues — as mentioned above — and including schizophrenia, insomnia, bipolar disorder, and psychosis. Some people even turn to CBT for help coping with chronic health issues, like irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibromyalgia. That said, some sources say CBT may not be for people who have brain diseases, brain injuries, or other issues that impact thinking. Whereas other types of therapy may look at how previous events have affected your current state of mind, CBT tends to focus much more on current issues and moving forward. CBT also focuses exclusively on the individual versus any family problems or other situations that may impact a person’s life. Perhaps most important of all, CBT is for people who want to take a very active role in their own healing process. While the therapist helps to break down different thoughts and feelings in therapy sessions, each session likely involves getting some type of homework intended to apply different learned coping skills in everyday life. There are benefits to engaging in any type of therapy — not just for yourself, but also for your family members, partner, or other people in your life. Benefits and pros specifically related to CBT:
Beginning therapy can seem overwhelming. It’s OK to feel nervous about your first session. You might wonder what the therapist will ask. You may even feel anxious about sharing your difficulties with a stranger. CBT sessions tend to be very structured, but your first appointment may look a bit different. Here’s a high-level look at what to expect during that first visit:
Feel free to ask any questions you have as they come up. You might consider asking:
In general, seeing a therapist you can communicate and work well with will help you get the most out of your therapy sessions. If something doesn’t feel right about one therapist, it’s perfectly OK to see someone else. Not every therapist will be a good fit for you or your situation. CBT can be helpful. But if you decide to try it, there are a few things to keep in mind. It’s not a cureTherapy can help improve concerns you’re experiencing, but it will not necessarily eliminate them. Mental health issues and emotional distress could persist, even after therapy ends. The goal of CBT is to help you develop the skills to deal with difficulties on your own in the moment when they come up. Some people view the approach as training to provide their own therapy. Results take timeCBT can last for weeks or months, usually with one session each week. In your first few sessions, you and your therapist will likely talk about how long therapy might last. That being said, it’ll take some time before you see results. If you don’t feel better after a few sessions, you might worry therapy isn’t working, but give it time. Keep doing your homework and practicing your skills between sessions. Undoing deep-set patterns is major work, so go easy on yourself. It can be challengingTherapy can challenge you emotionally. It often helps you get better over time, but the process can be difficult. You’ll need to talk about things that might be painful or distressing. Don’t worry if you cry during a session — it can be a typical experience during therapy. It’s just one of many optionsWhile CBT can be helpful for many people, it does not work for everyone. If you don’t see any results after a few sessions, do not feel discouraged. Check in with your therapist. A good therapist can help you recognize when one approach is not working. They can usually recommend other approaches that might help more. How to find a therapist What does a cognitive behavioral therapist do?Typical CBT treatment often involves identifying personal beliefs or feelings that negatively impact your life and learning new problem-solving skills. Your therapist will work to help you gain confidence and better understand and appreciate your self-worth by facing fears and learning to use calming techniques during challenging situations. There are a number of techniques your therapist might use during a session, but some of the most popular involve:
A cognitive behavioral therapist will often assign homework to help you practice the skills you learn in therapy, such as replacing self-criticizing thoughts or journaling. What are some cognitive behavioral interventions?There are a number of interventions, or techniques, used during CBT. All cognitive behavioral interventions share a number of general characteristics, including:
Common CBT techniques include:
What can I expect in CBT?CBT focuses on finding ways to change current thought patterns and behaviors that are negatively impacting your life. CBT is usually a short-term process that provides you with tools to solve problems you are currently going through. While specific goals should be set by you and the therapist, the general goal of CBT is to reframe your negative thoughts into positive feelings and behaviors. What are examples of cognitive behavioral therapy?Examples of CBT techniques might include the following:
What is the goal of CBT?People come to therapy for a variety of reasons, so the individual goal will vary by person. With CBT, the ultimate goal is to focus on the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Through therapy, exercises, and homework, a therapist encourages people to recognize and gain control over their automatic thoughts and to learn ways to change their behaviors. As a result, a person may feel better, leading to a more positive cycle between these three things. In other words: Positive feelings = positive thoughts = positive behaviors. CBT may be a good therapy choice for you if you’re looking for something that’s focused on current problems you’re facing versus those that happened in the past. It’s a short-term therapy that requires you to be actively involved in the process. Meeting with a therapist can help you identify your therapy goals and discover whether CBT or its subtypes are the right choice in your particular situation. If CBT isn’t what’s best for you, there are various other types of therapy that may be a better fit. Reach out
to a doctor or a licensed mental health professional for help navigating the options. Which type of therapy focuses on changing thoughts that are affecting a person's emotions and actions?Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave. It's most commonly used to treat anxiety and depression, but can be useful for other mental and physical health problems.
What does cognitive behavioral therapy focus on?CBT treatment usually involves efforts to change thinking patterns. These strategies might include: Learning to recognize one's distortions in thinking that are creating problems, and then to reevaluate them in light of reality. Gaining a better understanding of the behavior and motivation of others.
What is a thought CBT?The theory of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) says that what we think and do affects the way we feel. It follows that if we can change the way we think then we can feel better about ourselves and our lives.
What is behavioral therapy?What is behavioral therapy? Behavioral therapy is an umbrella term for types of therapy that treat mental health disorders. This form of therapy looks to identify and help change potentially self-destructive or unhealthy behaviors. It's based on the idea that all behaviors are learned and that behaviors can be changed.
|