What is CBT Therapy and How does it Help?

When we go through stressful life events, or when we’re experiencing thought patterns that are keeping us stuck, reaching out for help can be a great option. 

CBT stands for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It is proven to be effective with a variety of issues and can be paired with other therapies in order to help relieve a variety of symptoms. 

How do I know if it’s right for me?

You may be a good candidate for CBT if you are:

-Having negative thoughts often

-Having anxious thoughts often

-Struggling with anxiety

-Struggling with depression

-Have had traumatic experiences

-Experience compulsions such as OCD

-Are sleeping too much or too little

How does it work?

You will be encouraged to talk about your experience in terms of  your feelings, thoughts, and what is specifically troubling you. Your therapist will handle this first step with compassion and understanding, so no need to feel intimidated. 

CBT focuses on specific problems, using a goal-oriented approach. As you go through this process, you may be encouraged to complete homework and practice what you discussed in session in your everyday life. 

What will we work on?

Some practical techniques you may practice or discuss with your therapist may be topics such as 

• Relaxation

• Coping 

• Resilience

• Stress management 

• Assertiveness

What does the actual process look like?

• Identify troubling situations in your life. This could be one or more areas you feel most difficult for you at the time. It could be issues such as stress at work, difficulty with family relationships, or negative thought patterns.

• Awareness of your thoughts, emotions and beliefs about these problems. You’ll be encouraged to share your thoughts about the issue(s) and what your beliefs and feelings are surrounding them. You may also explore “self-talk” which is just your own internal dialogue towards yourself and/or your situation. 

• Identify negative or inaccurate thinking. Some of our thoughts, when challenged can be found to be untrue, without all the evidence, or without any evidence at all. Awareness will be drawn to certain thoughts and then challenged and processed. 

• Reshape negative or inaccurate thinking. This can be challenging. Many of our thought patterns have gone a certain way for a long time and changing them isn’t always easy. Give yourself room to face difficult truths and process new information with as much time as you need. 

Does it work?

Yes. Research shows that CBT is the most effective form of treatment for those coping with depression and anxiety. CBT alone is 50-75% effective for overcoming depression and anxiety after 8-15 sessions.

What about online CBT therapy? 

After studying 3,876 people, self-guided online CBT is found to be significantly more effective in lowering depression symptoms compared to face-to-face treatment.

Sound like CBT could be a good fit for you? Here at Calm Again Counseling, we have therapists specifically trained in CBT and can offer the experience and support you’re looking for. If you’d like to set up a free consultation with our assistant, or make an appointment now, click get started now!