Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT is a short-term, problem-focused form of behavioral treatment that helps people see the difference between beliefs, thoughts and feelings, and free them from unhelpful patterns of behavior.
CBT is grounded in the belief that it is a person’s perception of events – rather than the events themselves – that determines how he or she will feel and act in response.
CBT can help with:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Phobias
- Obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD)
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Substance dependency
- Persistent pain
- Anger management issues
Once we identify the source of your anxiety, most people tend to reap the benefits from CBT in a short period of time.
With CBT, you’ll be able to adjust the thoughts that directly influence your emotions and behavior. This adjustment process is referred to as cognitive reconstructing, which happens through different CBT techniques. And the great benefit is that once you learn the skills, you hang onto these for life!
Some CBT techniques are:
- Journalling
- Challenging beliefs
- Relaxation
- Meditation
- Mindfulness
- Social, physical and thinking exercises
Cognitive behavioral therapy is much more than sitting and talking about whatever comes to mind during a session. CBT sessions are structured to ensure that the therapist and the person in treatment are focused on the different goals of each session, which in turn ensures that each and every session is productive.
If you or someone you know would benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy, please contact me today. I would be happy to speak with you about how I may be able to help!