When you think of therapy, what images come to mind?
You may picture a therapist sitting in a chair with their legs crossed, writing into a notebook while their client lays on a couch in front of them. Or maybe you’re imagining a scenario from a movie or television show that you recently watched.
Either way, you have this idea of how sessions of therapy typically go. There are many different forms of therapy out there because each person has their own unique experiences, traumas, and signs and symptoms. However, one of the most common forms of therapy has always been talk therapy, CBT specifically.
Let’s learn more about what CBT is and what it actually treats.
What Is CBT?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is one of the most common forms of therapy. It’s a type of talk therapy that allows clients to recognize and even change their negative thought patterns. One of the main reasons it’s so common is because of how diverse it is. It combines focusing on a person’s behaviors, feelings, and thoughts, which can help to provide more of an all-around approach in helping to treat mental health conditions and deal with the challenges in life.
The Focus of CBT
Cognitive behavioral therapy combines two different approaches: cognitive therapy and behavior therapy.
Cognitive Therapy
The overall goal of cognitive therapy is to help change the way a person thinks. When a person experiences negative thoughts, it can lead to self-sabotage mode. Cognitive therapy works to help individuals challenge those negative thoughts so that negative behaviors and feelings are limited. Cognitive therapy helps to provide individuals with healthier strategies moving forward.
Behavior Therapy
The overall goal of behavior therapy is to help teach individuals the necessary skills and techniques to change their behavior. The idea is that a person’s behaviors can cause them to experience negative thoughts and feelings about themselves. This type of therapy can help teach more positive and helpful types of behaviors, which can work to reduce those negative thoughts and feelings.
Goals of CBT
The combination of cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy helps individuals identify, challenge, and change those behaviors and thoughts that may be holding them back. When a person can experience more positive feelings, it leads to more positive behaviors and thoughts.
The idea behind CBT is that a person’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors can all influence a person’s life as well as the quality of it. Cognitive behavioral therapy works by helping to teach individuals that it’s possible to overcome and even take back control of those behaviors, thoughts, and feelings again.
What CBT Is Used For
Cognitive behavioral therapy can be used for a wide range of mental health conditions. These are just a few of the different conditions CBT is used to help treat:
- Chronic pain
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Panic attacks
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Sleeping disorders
- Social anxiety
- Substance abuse
What CBT Looks Like
Similar to other forms of therapy, CBT typically starts with an assessment. This is where you’ll work with your therapist on your reasons for attending therapy, the signs and symptoms you’re experiencing, and your overall treatment goals. Once your therapist has a better idea of the course of your treatment, they’ll help to educate you on what the CBT sessions will look like, help you set goals, and work with you on practicing and implementing strategies that you can apply outside of your therapy sessions in the form of homework. If you’re interested in learning more about CBT and how it can benefit you, reach out today to set up an initial consultation.