Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

What happens during CBT?

During Cognitive Behavioral Therapy we work together to help you identify the situations, behaviors, feelings, and thought patterns that play a role in your distress. CBT uses individualized strategies to change limiting beliefs and narratives, break ineffective behavior patterns, and improve emotional regulation. CBT strategies include:

  • Challenging beliefs

  • Relaxation

  • Coping self-talk

  • Journalling

  • Social, physical, and thinking exercises

How effective is CBT according to research?

CBT is commonly used to accomplish a wide range of mental health goals and treat mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, addictions, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance dependency, and anger management. CBT alone is 50-75% effective for overcoming depression and anxiety only after 8-12 sessions. Medication alone is 50-75% effective. However, when both CBT and medication are combined, the effectiveness jumps, and 75%-90% of people become well again!

How can CBT change you if you consistently and diligently work at it over time?

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 each session’s different goals and that each session is productive. During the session, you'll work with me to examine your thoughts, physical feelings, and actions and find appropriate solutions to meet your mental health goals. CBT is a collaborative process, and to benefit, you will need to commit yourself to the process. I can advise you but cannot make your problem go away without your effort and sustained cooperation. The skills learned in sessions require practice and weekly action plans are common components of treatment.

CBT enables people to grow in maturity, insight, responsibility, decisiveness, and character strength. The focus of CBT is on solutions, not problems. CBT has found that people are naturally whole and may need help understanding themselves and are not helpless, broken victims that need fixing. People have the power to make choices and evolve. With a trained CBT therapist's guidance, you can make the often challenging and necessary choices and changes to meet their mental health goals.