What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a highly effective form of therapy that allows clients to understand how thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes affect their emotions and behaviors. By gaining insight into how they think, clients using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can change the negative or disturbing thought patterns that contribute to emotional pain and discomfort.
Though CBT has roots dating back to both ancient philosophical traditions and the teachings of John Stuart Mill, Aaron Beck is typically credited with developing cognitive therapy throughout the 1960s. Upon noticing that patients tended to have “spontaneous, automatic” negative thoughts, Beck recognized the value of identifying consistent thought patterns in overcoming negative self-belief.
Because Cognitive Behavioral Therapy allows clients to change their relationship with their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, it’s used to treat a wide range of mental health challenges and conditions. CBT is often recommended as a primary therapeutic treatment for depression, anxiety, and mental illness. In addition, there is plenty of evidence to support Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as an effective treatment for substance abuse disorders, eating disorders, insomnia, and relationship-specific issues.
Today, CBT is considered the go-to therapy for an array of mental health conditions.
How Does CBT Work?
CBT is made up of three elements: cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, and mindfulness-based techniques.
In the cognitive stage, clients focus on thinking patterns that contribute to negative emotional responses and counterproductive behaviors. As a therapist helps clients recognize how thoughts are distorted or self-defeating, they can adjust their perspective to be more balanced and grounded. With this adjustment, clients can increase resilience and lower their stress.
From there, CBT’s behavioral element helps clients replace problematic behaviors with effective, affirming ones. The therapist’s role in this portion of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is to model new behaviors, encourage healthy exposure to triggering situations, and then increase the feeling of reward as positive reactions replace counterproductive responses.
Throughout Cognitive Behavioral treatment, mindfulness remains an essential component of therapy. In allowing clients to observe their thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without judgment, mindfulness creates a pathway for thought identification and behavioral change. Taking small steps toward larger goals, clients using CBT learn lifelong skills for coping, problem-solving, and reflection.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy allows clients to challenge self-defeating ideas as they access more realistic and objective thoughts. That’s why CBT naturally improves mood and outlook, removing the fearful and “bad” thinking patterns caused by depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.
CBT Is Among The Most Evidence-Based Of Therapeutic Modalities
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has been demonstrated to be just as or even more effective than medication and other forms of counseling. Due to its goal-oriented nature, results of CBT can be easily measured. Counselors, scientists, and researchers have observed the meaningful changes in clients using this modality. Not to mention, the effects of CBT have been shown to translate in online therapy sessions.
In clinical settings, CBT’s effectiveness has demonstrated how essential the mind-body connection is. For patients experiencing anxiety, insomnia, and other chronic issues, doctors are likely to recommend Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as part of their treatment. And a majority of psychotherapists across the globe are trained in and incorporate at least some element of CBT into their counseling practice.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy At The Relationship Suite
Our practice in New York City and New Jersey specializes in counseling couples and individual adults of all ages, and many components of CBT—including mindfulness and behavioral change—are used in sessions with our clients.
For couples, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can help defuse conflict and change unhealthy habits. And for individuals struggling with depression, anxiety, and other setbacks in their mental health, CBT improves outlook and self-perception.
When your thoughts, feelings, and the world around you feel out of your control, it’s possible to interpret and respond to your environment in a healthy way. With CBT, you can change your thinking patterns and develop a more balanced relationship with yourself.
Meaningful, Lasting Change Is Within Your Reach
At The Relationship Suite in New York and New Jersey, we incorporate the highly effective method of CBT into treatment for anxiety, depression, and marital issues, among others.
To schedule a free consultation with one of our online CBT specialists, please call (917) 273 – 8836 or contact us via our site.
