What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
Have you experienced negative, intrusive thoughts? Do these thought patterns impede your life and distract you from being present? Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapeutic treatment that helps people learn how to identify and change the destructive or disturbing thought patterns that have a negative influence on their behavior and emotions. Consistent presence of negative thoughts can greatly impact our mood and can lead to more serious issues of depression and anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy works to change the automatic negative thought response so that we can interrupt negative cycles and live a full life with coping skills to manage anything that comes your way.
Types of Cognitive behavioral therapy?
Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) can be administered in a variety of modalities. Some of the specific types of therapeutic approaches that involve cognitive behavioral therapy include:
Cognitive therapy identifies and changes inaccurate or negative thought patterns, emotional responses, and behaviors.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) addresses destructive or disturbing thoughts and behaviors while incorporating treatment strategies such as emotional regulation and mindfulness.
Multimodal therapy suggests that psychological issues must be treated by addressing seven different but interconnected modalities: behavior, affect, sensation, imagery, cognition, interpersonal factors, and drug/biological considerations.
Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) involves identifying irrational beliefs, actively challenging these beliefs, and finally learning to recognize and change these thought patterns.
Techniques for Cognitive behavioral therapy
Identifying Negative Thoughts
Your thoughts and behaviors are often rooted in deeper trauma. With the help of a licensed mental health professional, you will work to identify the negative emotions that hold you back and provide insight that is key to the therapy process.
Practice
In cognitive behavioral therapy, you are taught new coping skills to identify an emotion and work through it in everyday life. While learning these skills is key, it is also essential to practice what you've learned in therapy out in the real world.
Setting Goals
With the help of your therapist, you will identify goals that you'd like to achieve through cognitive behavioral interventions. These goals are often small at first but can be completely customizable based on your specific mental health concerns and needs.
Problem Solving Skills
Problem-solving in cognitive behavioral therapy often involves five steps:
Identify problem
Make a list of potential solutions
Evaluate the pros and cons of each potential solution
Choose a solution
Implement the solution
Self-Monitoring
Self-monitoring or diary work is an important technique in cognitive behavioral therapy. Outside of the therapy sessions, this practice allows the patient to track their behaviors, mental state, and emotional health on a daily basis. For example, for patients who suffer from eating disorders, this practice may involve a journal to track eating habits and emotional state when consuming food.
How Cognitive behavioral therapy helps?
Cognitive behavior therapy is a useful tool to address emotional challenges. For example, it may help you:
Manage symptoms of mental health conditions
Prevent a relapse of anxiety disorders
Treat mental health conditions when medications are not working
Gain tools and techniques for coping with mental illness
Overcome symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder
Cope with grief or loss
Combat emotional trauma related to abuse or violence
Cope with a generalized anxiety disorder
Manage chronic physical symptoms
Who benefits from cognitive behavioral therapy?
Mental health disorders that may improve with cognitive behavioral therapy include:
Depression
Anxiety disorders
Phobias
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Sleep disorders
Eating disorders
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Substance use disorder
Bipolar disorders
Chronic Pain
Major Depressive disorder
How to Prepare for cognitive behavioral therapy?
Find a Mental Health Professional
The first step is finding a mental health professional you can trust. At Lakewood Counseling Center we offer Cognitive behavioral therapy that is patient-focused and brings measurable results. We will work to match you with a therapist that fits your unique needs and can provide the best care. CBT techniques will leave you with coping mechanisms to overcome any mental health conditions you may be experiencing.
Explore Insurance Coverage
Many insurance companies cover cognitive behavioral therapy but it's important to do some research to know how many sessions are covered and what the costs would be.
Your First Appointment
Beginning a new therapy treatment can be daunting but choosing cognitive behavioral therapy is a step towards feeling better and supporting your mental health. Be open to the experience and prepared to discuss the thought patterns and behaviors that hold you back. Your licensed mental health professional will be able to help you through deep traumas and get you on the path to healing quickly.
Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
After many in-depth studies, cognitive behavior therapy stands out as one of the most effective treatment choices for many different mental health issues. Furthermore, CBT treatments are usually of shorter duration compared to other therapies, and the results are more long-lasting than those of other treatment methods.
Closing
At Change Inc, we know you have choices in who you see for therapy, and we are confident that our team of expert professional counselors can help you find the balance you need to live your best life! So if you live in Lakewood, or anywhere in the Denver, metro area you can set-up an appointment for Cognitive behavioral Therapy in Lakewood at out Lakewood counseling center. Or if you prefer, we can help you with online CBT counseling. But the most important thing is that if you are struggling with your life or your emotions, get in touch with us. We want to help you feel better.