What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy & How Does it Work?
In the field of counseling there are an endless number of approaches that are used for working with clients and various mental health concerns. Of these approaches, one of the most commonly used and talked about is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
If you have been in therapy before or even done some research on therapy, it is likely you have come across this term at some point. CBT is used so commonly because it has been proven to be highly effective for a variety of different mental health concerns and symptoms. CBT has been shown to be as effective, or sometimes more effective, than other therapy techniques and even some forms of medication when treating depression, anxiety disorders, alcohol and drug use problems, marital problems, eating disorders, and other severe forms of mental health concerns.
What does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Help Treat and What are its Core Principles?
The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) model asserts that situations do not automatically determine what you think, how you feel, or behave. Instead, this model believes that how you perceive and understand that situation determines how you react and respond to it. Take a moment to consider the implications of this!
CBT is based on core principles. The first core principle recognizes problems based on unhelpful ways of thinking. CBT techniques focus on trying to change those thinking patterns. This can entail learning how to recognize when you're thinking in a way that causes problems and trying to evaluate your thoughts. With CBT, you might gain a better understanding of others’ behaviors, use problem-solving skills to cope with difficult situations, and learn to develop a greater sense of confidence in your own abilities.
The second principle is based on learned patterns of unhelpful behaviors. Strategies used to address this principle include intentionally facing one’s fears, using role playing to prepare for potentially difficult interactions, and learning to calm one’s own mind and relax one’s own body. The third principle is that people can learn better ways of coping which can relieve their symptoms and make them feel more confident and in control of life.
While common techniques are used in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, it can still be tailored to the needs of each individual. CBT is a collaborative approach and requires the therapist and client to work together to develop an understanding of the problem and how to treat it. CBT aims to help people be their own support system through exercises done in and out of session. CBT wants to teach people how to develop coping skills so that they can learn to change their own thinking, emotions, and behaviors independently.
CBT is, in part, a successful strategy because it is something that can be taught and transferable to different situations. This makes it long lasting so that you can keep the techniques with you and apply them to your daily life. If you are struggling with your thoughts, feelings, or behaviors, then CBT may be a very helpful type of therapy for you. It’s worth asking about!
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Written by: Lindsay Fortier, LGPC
Photo Credit: Alexandr Borecky, Polina Zimmerman, Monstera, and Polina Tankilevitch
Date of Download: 8/18/2021
Reference
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/cognitive-behavioral
