Cognitive Behavioral Therapy—How It Works and What It's For

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most common forms of talk therapy, used for a variety of mental health conditions. CBT can help treat anxiety, depression, PTSD, OCD, and more.

It works by helping people identify and eventually change the negative thought patterns causing them distress. These negative thoughts can take a toll on your daily life and affect your general well-being. Breaking that cycle is an important and effective way to truly heal from fear, uncertainty, sadness, and more.

With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at cognitive behavioral therapy and how it works.

What Is CBT Used For?

Again, cognitive behavioral therapy can help with different types of mental health conditions, depending on the thought patterns you’re struggling with. While it’s most commonly used as an anxiety treatment, it’s been used to help with everything from panic disorders to eating disorders.

Even if you haven’t received an official diagnosis, CBT could be beneficial to your well-being. It often helps with a variety of emotional challenges, including low self-esteem, anger, grief, and even relationship problems. If there is any area of your life being impacted by negative thought patterns, it’s likely that this modality can make a difference.

How Does It Work?

So, how can a type of therapy actually change the way you think?

The first step is recognizing and identifying the negative thought patterns causing problems. That isn’t always easy to do on your own, which is why working with a qualified therapist can make a big difference. CBT can help you recognize how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are all connected.

Once you understand what those thoughts are and how they are affecting your life, you’ll learn techniques to question them. As you start to challenge your negative thoughts, they will begin to lose their power and influence over your behaviors. You can eventually change the way you approach certain thoughts. You'll start looking at them with a positive perspective and focusing on the reality of a situation, rather than something negative and extreme.

CBT doesn’t just help you flip the script on existing negative thoughts. It also provides strategies that will make it easier to cope with difficult situations every day. Cognitive behavioral therapy covers a range of topics, including relaxation techniques and problem-solving skills, tailored to your specific needs.

Is CBT Right for You?

While CBT isn’t the perfect modality for everyone, there’s a reason why it remains so popular. It’s highly effective and uses a goal-oriented approach to help people stay motivated. It’s also highly structured, so you can see how far you’ve come while having a full understanding of what you have left to do throughout your treatment.

You and your therapist will set your goals together. While they can change over time, it’s often highly rewarding to recognize that you're accomplishing what you set out to do.

CBT is also helpful because it helps you stay grounded in the present. There are many modalities that explore past experiences. While that can be helpful depending on your needs, cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on the here and now, helping you to address current problems and challenges while learning how to cope with things in the future.

Again, it’s not easy to break negative thought patterns on your own. Working with an anxiety therapist you can trust and feel comfortable with is important, so don’t be afraid to do your research. If you’re still looking for someone to help you walk through this journey, I would be honored to be the one to guide you through it. Contact me today for a consultation.