What am I thinking?
How do I feel?
What do I do?
These are three questions you likely ask yourself, in some form or fashion, every day. Our emotions, thoughts, and behaviors guide everything we do, so it’s natural to feel like you’re constantly trying to sort through a jumble of all three.
But what if you could learn to understand your brain better? What if you could turn your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors into tools for personal growth rather than something that stops you from becoming the best version of yourself?
That's where cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) comes in. This blog will explore CBT's usefulness and when it may be right for you.
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
CBT is a goal-directed and solution-focused approach that helps you identify and challenge “problems,” such as harmful thought patterns and behaviors (like self-harm). This treatment also emphasizes your power to make changes in your life. With CBT, you’re empowered to take control of yourself and understand how each part of you is connected.
After recognizing and replacing these negative factors with healthier and more constructive ones, you can:
- Identify negative thought patterns and challenge them with more balanced ones
- Recognize and validate your emotions rather than suppressing or denying them
- Develop coping strategies and skills to manage difficult emotions and situations
CBT offers a straightforward and practical approach to tackling mental health challenges. By applying these principles, you can focus on the present moment and the specific issues you're facing rather than getting stuck trying to work through past struggles or childhood experiences.
Core Principles
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is built on a few fundamental principles that can help you change your mindset, emotions, and values in an empowering and practical way. At its heart, CBT recognizes that how you think and act dramatically impacts how you respond to situations. Here are a few specific principles to be aware of before you choose CBT as part of your therapy journey (including a few described above):
- Focusing on current issues helps you address harmful thoughts and behaviors in the present moment.
- You can instigate changes to your mental health.
- Behavior can be changed by changing thoughts and beliefs.
- Therapy should be problem-focused and collaborative between the therapist and client.
- To develop new skills and ways of thinking, you must practice them enough to become habitual.
- Goals help direct therapy and accelerate change.
Who Can Benefit From Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
As one of the most widely recognized types of psychotherapy, you’ve probably either heard of it or learned about it — especially if you’ve worked with a therapist before. It’s effective in treating most mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression. Here’s a breakdown of the different diagnoses CBT is most helpful with and why:
- Anxiety Disorders - helps reduce anxiety and avoidance behaviors
- Depressive Disorders - improves your mood and coping skills
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - helps you to process traumatic experiences
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) - reduces compulsive behaviors and fixation on harmful, obsessive, and intrusive thoughts
- Eating Disorders - develop healthier relationships with food and your body
- Bipolar Disorder - helps you regulate your moods
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): improves your organization, time management, and impulse control
- Insomnia: helps you learn relaxation techniques and regulate sleep quality
What About Kids?
As a parent, you want to give your child the best possible foundation for a happy, healthy life. CBT is a valuable resource for kids with different mental health conditions because it helps them develop essential life skills and navigate challenges they’ll experience at home, with peers, and at school.
By using the skills they learn in CBT, your child can:
- Learn to manage anxiety, depression, and difficult experiences
- Develop effective coping strategies
- Build resilience and confidence
- Develop strong social skills like effective communication and emotional intelligence
- Create healthy relationships
What Does a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Session Look Like?
Starting sessions with a new therapist might make you a little nervous, but that’s normal. Most people experience anxiety when sharing their personal lives with strangers, which is why learning about different types of therapy is important. Let’s go through what a typical CBT session might look like.
Therapist: "What's been on your mind lately? What brings you here today?"
Client: "I've just been feeling really overwhelmed and anxious about work. I feel like I'm constantly failing and that my boss is disappointed in me."
Therapist: "I understand. It sounds like you're experiencing some negative thoughts about yourself and your performance. Can you tell me more about what specifically is going through your mind when you feel this way?"
Client: "Well, I keep thinking, 'I'm not good enough' and 'I'm going to get fired.' I feel like I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop."
Notice how the therapist asks the client different, more specific questions about their thoughts. Specificity is important because it helps narrow down the problem. Next, the therapist will dive deeper into the specific CBT principles and introduce different coping skills to help the client change these thoughts and feelings.
Therapist: "I see. Those are some pretty distressing thoughts. Have you noticed any patterns or triggers that lead to these thoughts?"
Client: "Yeah, it usually happens when I'm facing a deadline or have to present something to my team. I feel like I'm being judged and that I'm not living up to expectations."
Therapist: "Okay. Let's take a closer look at these thoughts. Are they based in reality? Have you actually been told by your boss or colleagues that you're not meeting expectations?"
Client: "No, actually my boss has been pretty supportive and encouraging. But I still feel like I'm not doing enough."
Therapist: "I understand. It sounds like we might be dealing with some cognitive distortions here, like all-or-nothing thinking and catastrophizing. Let's work on reframing these thoughts in a more balanced and realistic way. What would you say to a friend in a similar situation?"
Client: "I guess I would tell them that everyone makes mistakes and that it's okay to ask for help."
Therapist: "Exactly! And what if we applied that same logic to your own situation? What would that look like?"
Client: "I suppose I would remind myself that I'm doing my best and that it's okay to make mistakes. And that my boss and colleagues are there to support me, not judge me."
Therapist: "That's a great start! Let's practice that reframing technique and see how it goes. And in our next session, we can explore some additional strategies for managing your anxiety and building confidence."
While there’s lots more you can cover in a CBT session, we hope this gives you a better idea of what to expect during therapy.
Find a CBT Therapist Near You
By asking yourself, "What am I thinking?", "How do I feel?" and "What do I do?" you're already taking the first steps towards a more mindful and intentional approach to your mental health. Finding a therapist to help you navigate your answers to these questions is the next chapter in your healing journey.
At Greenwood Counseling, all our therapists incorporate CBT into mental health treatment. This means we help you stay focused on the here and now and prioritize accomplishing your goals. We also integrate CBT with other treatment models, which varies for each client. We’re here to cater to your individual mental health needs, so no two treatment plans will ever look alike.
Schedule your first CBT appointment by filling out our contact form.