Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a well-researched, proven, and popular therapeutic technique for treating a variety of mental health issues including:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Phobias
- Obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD)
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Substance dependency
- Persistent pain
- Disordered eating
- Sexual issues
- Anger management issues
How does it work?
CBT teaches us to recognize negative, irrational thought patterns that so often fuel mental health issues.
Examples of unhelpful thought patterns can be:
- Predicting what may happen in the future
- Assuming what others are thinking
- Focusing on the worst-case scenario
By increasing awareness of these thought patterns, we are more able to reframe them into positive, rational thoughts. This is done in a variety of ways. One way is to look for evidence to determine if negative thinking about a situation is true. For example, you are convinced that you won’t fit in at your new job. Ask yourself what evidence do you have to prove this? When you see that you have limited rational evidence then you can start to break down the emotional attachment to that thought. It is about retraining your brain to look at things differently.
What does it involve?
CBT 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 client are focused on different tasks or goals with each meeting, ensuring that each session is productive.
CBT techniques include:
- Journalling
- Challenging beliefs
- Relaxation
- Meditation
- Mindfulness
- Social, physical and thinking exercises
Your counselor will teach you the tools to employ positive changes in your daily life. In the end, our goal is to make you more acutely aware of your thinking and how these thoughts are connected to your feelings and behaviors so that you can feel better.