What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a form of talk therapy (psychotherapy) based on the idea that our thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes cause our feelings and behaviors. CBT focuses on specific problems identified by the client and employs a solution based and goal-oriented approach to reshape these thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes.
Readily applicable techniques and concepts are the foundation for the answer to, “what is cognitive behavioral therapy?” and are taught during each session. The therapist shows the client how to achieve results rather than telling him or her what to do. CBT focuses on targeted solutions and requires the client to actively participate in challenging his or her distorted cognitions. Clients are given homework assignments based on specific tasks to help them change their destructive behaviors through repetition and implementation of techniques in their daily life.
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CBT’s popularity stems from its aim to produce clear, measurable change in thoughts and behaviors. CBT is a short term therapy, with a duration ranging from about 5 to 20 sessions, making it attractive to those who feel they don’t have the time or finances to invest in longer types of therapy. In addition, it is considered one of the most rapid types of therapies in terms of producing results.

​Candidates for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

What is cognitive behavioral therapy? It is a talk therapy appropriate for people of all ages, including children, adolescents, and adults. It has a wide variety of applications combating a range of disorders including but not limited to:

• Major depressive disorders
• Panic disorder
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
• Insomnia
• Social phobia
• Anger issues
• Substance abuse and addiction
• Borderline personality disorder
• Obsessive compulsive disorder
• Eating disorders
• Bipolar disorders
• Schizophrenia
• Sexual disorders

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It is sometimes combined with other treatments, such as medication to increase its effectiveness in these areas.
CBT is also utilized for people without classified disorders who may just be looking to change negative thoughts or learn how to better manage stress. It is a useful tool for assistance with processing a traumatic event, overcoming grief or loss, preventing a relapse of a mental illness, or resolving conflicts. The techniques are helpful to anyone who seeks specific and measurable ways to increase their positive mental health.

How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Works

In asking, “what is cognitive behavioral therapy?” part of the answer includes the process behind the method. CBT typically includes these steps:

1. Identify troubling situations or problems in your life you would like to overcome. The therapist and client then work together to create an action plan based on decided upon goals. These can be adapted throughout the duration of your therapy as you work through them.
   
2. Become aware of your thoughts, emotions, and beliefs about these problems and identify negative or inaccurate thinking. After identifying the issues you would like to address, you will discuss your thoughts surrounding them. This will require you to observe your self-talk, your interpretation of the meaning of situations, and your beliefs you have formed about yourself, others, and events. During this stage you may be asked to keep a journal to help you remain consistent in your practice outside of sessions and help you to identify patterns. You may also be asked to pay attention to your physical, emotional, and behavioral responses in different situations.
   
3. Reshape negative or inaccurate thinking. In this step you will be asked to go over all of your thoughts and beliefs, asking yourself whether your view of a situation is based on fact or on an inaccurate perception of what's going on. This step will take diligence and hard work. Learning that your long-standing ways of thinking about your life and yourself need to be reshaped can often be unsettling. Homework will be assigned at this stage where you will practice new ways to think and behave. Through practice and repetition, eventually they will become habit and won't take as much effort.​

CBT is one of the most common and best studied forms of therapy. Tools learned in CBT therapy last a lifetime and can be continually applied as new difficult situations arise throughout your life. Now that you have the answers to “what is cognitive behavioral therapy,” schedule your free 30 minute consultation with one of our trained professionals at Sample Therapy and let us show you how to tackle your current problems in a direct and effective way.