Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a psycho-therapeutic approach that uses goal-oriented and explicit systematic procedures. The name is based on a combination of basic behavioral, cognitive principles, and research. Put simply, it means we’re going to look at your patterns of behavior that make you feel bad, put a game plan in place to change them, and then work on it. Because of that approach, not everyone who benefits from CBT has a mental health condition. CBT can be an effective tool to help anyone learn how to better manage stressful life situations – from business leaders, to athletes, to single parents.
Many treatment programs have been tested and the results favor CBT over other approaches. While no single therapy is right for everyone, CBT is a good starting point if you’re beginning you’re journey to feeling better. CBT can be used alone or in combination with other therapies to treat depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or even an eating disorder.
The emphasis of CBT is on what a person is telling themselves that might result in anxiety or disturbance. We then work to address rational concerns practically, and to challenge irrational beliefs, habitual thinking or catastrophizing. For example, a person who is upset about being single will be encouraged to take concrete steps to engage socially, but also question any undue negativity or unwarranted thoughts (“I will be alone forever”) that they attach to this present-day situation.