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How can you benefit from Cognitive Behavior Therapy? By Wendy Cabrera, LMHC
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that is used to treat individuals that need help with their thoughts, emotions and behaviors. While many think of therapy as diving into deep childhood issues and trauma, CBT focuses on finding the solutions in the now instead of staying stuck processing the root causes of where the problems are coming from.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapeutic treatment that helps people learn how to identify and change destructive or disturbing thought patterns that have a negative influence on behavior and emotions. Through CBT, these thoughts are identified, challenged, and replaced with more objective, realistic thoughts.
The underlying concept behind CBT is that thoughts and feelings play a fundamental role in behavior.
For example, a person who spends a lot of time thinking about plane crashes, runway accidents, and other air disasters may avoid air travel as a result.
The goal of cognitive behavior therapy is to teach individuals that while they cannot control every aspect of the world around them, they can take control of how they interpret and deal with things in their environment.
- By becoming aware of the negative and often unrealistic thoughts that dampen their feelings and moods, people are able to start engaging in healthier thinking patterns
Think of CBT as a three-step process. If I am able to control or change my thoughts, then my emotions and feelings will change and my behaviors will change as well.
CBT helps you become aware of inaccurate/negative thinking and limiting believes, so that you can view challenging situations more clearly and respond to them more effectively.
While our thoughts may be based on our experiences and past, such as our childhood, instead of focusing on just those events, it works in helping you find a solution in the here and now.
Once you have been able to identify your negative and harmful thinking, you will start to see how those thoughts are impacting your emotions and behavior. This allows you to reshape and reprogram those thoughts into ones that will be more helpful for your situation and in your life.
CBT, like all forms of therapy, can be difficult and emotional to work through. You are learning how to think differently about situations that may have been very hurtful in your life. But, if you stick to the plan you can find the relief that you are looking for and experience long-lasting changes.
To get the most out of your sessions, these are things to keep in mind:
· Be honest
· Do the work that is given to you
· Stick to it
· Ask questions and be involved in the process