Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
What is CBT?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT is a short-term, problem-focused form of behavioral treatment that helps people see the difference between beliefs, thoughts and feelings, and free them from unhelpful patterns of behavior.
CBT is grounded in the belief that it is a person’s perception of events – rather than the events themselves – that determines how he or she will feel and act in response.
CBT can help individuals address a wide range of pain points by targeting maladaptive thoughts, behaviors, and emotional responses while promoting adaptive coping strategies, cognitive restructuring, and emotional regulation.
When We use cbt
CBT can help with:
- Adjustment issues
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Grief
- Self-Esteem
- Stress management
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, we encourage you to try cognitive behavioral therapy.
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.
Some CBT techniques are:
- Journalling
- Challenging beliefs
- Relaxation
- Meditation
- Mindfulness
- Problem-solving
- Assertiveness training
- Social, physical and thinking exercises
- Homework assignements to reinforce learning
How do we use CBT in therapy?
Therapists use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in sessions through a structured and restorative process aimed at helping clients identifying and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. Here is an overview how we typically use CBT in sessions:
- Assessments and goal setting
- Psychoeducation
- Identifying thoughts and belief that are unhelpful or destructive
- Cognitive restructuring
- Behavioral experiments
- Skill building
- Homework assignments
- Monitoring progress
Therapist use CBT in sessions by first assessing client's concerns and goal setting collaboratively. We educatie clients about the framework, highlighting the connection between thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and physical sensations. Together, we identify automatic negative thoughts and underlying beliefs contributing to distress.
Throughout the therapy process, therapists maintain a collaborative and empathic stance, providing support, encouragement, and feedback to empower clients in their journey of self-discovery, cognitive restructuring, and behavior change. The structured and goal-oriented nature of CBT helps clients develop practical skills and strategies they can apply beyond therapy sessions to improve their mental health and well-being.