What is CBT?
CBT, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, is a type of counseling that many people find helpful. It's been around since the 1960s and is known to work well for a wide variety of issues. In CBT, the goal is to help you understand and change thoughts and behaviors that are unhelpful or misaligned with your goals and values.
Uses for CBT
CBT is useful for many problems, including anxiety, depression, and substance use. It can also help with chronic pain, insomnia, PTSD, and other mental health concerns. Here are some of the primary reasons that people engage in CBT for treatment at my practice:
Anxiety: CBT helps people face and work through fears and anxious thoughts, teaching relaxation and problem-solving.
Depression: CBT tackles negative thoughts and helps build satisfaction by connecting with things that bring joy.
Substance Use: CBT helps understand thoughts leading to substance abuse, creating opportunities for change and providing coping strategies.
The Basics
CBT is based on the idea that our thoughts, feelings, and emotions are all interconnected and influence one another. The basic idea is that thoughts can affect feelings and behaviors, and vice versa. In CBT, you work with a counselor to figure out and change thoughts and actions that don't help you reach your goals.
Key Components of CBT:
Identification of unhelpful thoughts/thought patterns - First, you and the counselor look for unhelpful thoughts and thinking patterns
Challenging and restructuring thoughts - Once you find those unhelpful thoughts, you work together to look at them differently. This involves checking the evidence, thinking about the situation in other ways, and creating more balanced thoughts.
Behavioral Changes - This is about doing activities that make you feel good. By doing enjoyable things, you can improve your mood and feel more in control of your life.
Practice outside of therapy - CBT often includes homework. You practice the skills you learn in real life, not just during therapy sessions. This helps you use these skills when you need them.
Addressing Misconceptions about CBT
Because CBT is widely used and has been around for a long time, misunderstandings of CBT are commonplace. Here, I will address a few of the more commonly held misunderstandings about CBT.
1. CBT is not one-size-fits-all: While critics might argue that CBT is a strict and rigid way of doing therapy, it can be adapted for each person. Skilled therapists can change it based on your needs and background.
2. Therapists don't say thoughts are "wrong": CBT therapists have historically described thoughts as "irrational," but now it's more about what helps or doesn't help you. Therapists don't judge your thoughts, but help you decide if they're helpful or not.
3. CBT looks at the "why" too: Some think CBT only deals with the "how" of problems, but it can also help you understand why things are the way they are, including past experiences.
Advantages of CBT
Empowerment: CBT makes you a part of finding solutions. You're the expert in your own experiences, and this partnership helps you build skills to manage your mental health.
Research Support: CBT is backed by more research than perhaps any other form of therapy. It's proven to work for many different problems and with different kinds of people.
Versatility: CBT can be changed to fit your needs. It's not a rigid approach but can be adjusted to what works best for you.
Conclusion
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a versatile and flexible approach that helps individuals build skills to self-manage their mental health. If you are struggling with PTSD, depression, anxiety, or substance use, I would be glad to talk with you about how CBT may be a viable treatment option for you.
