Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Altering Distressing Thoughts and Emotions
Jul 30, 2020
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a solution-based type of psychotherapy that counselors use to disrupt a patient's negative emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Although CBT can assists individuals with different types of issues, this form of therapy is often used with patients who suffer from severe depression or anxiety. CBT focuses on the negative ways in which a patient's thoughts and emotions influence their behaviors and how to overcome them.
CBT usually revolves around these few steps:
- Identifying distressing situations in your life. By identifying those situations that make you feel stressed, you are better able to pinpoint the areas that hold the most control of your thoughts and emotions. Figuring out what stressors dominate your life is an important step in ensuring CBT will work for you.
- Becoming aware and accepting your feelings about those distressing situations. Identifying the stressful situations allows you the opportunity to focus on exactly how they make you feel. Once you realize what it is that ignites those feelings of sadness, anger, or worry, you can begin altering them.
- Recognize negative assumptions about your situation. Out of all those feelings you are having about your current situation, which ones are factual? Which ones make you feel worse? These are likely the cause of much of your anxiety and stress.
- Reshape your thinking. This is the most difficult step of CBT. This step provides patients with the tools they need to effectively see their situation for what it is and alter their response to it.
While CBT is highly beneficial in treating patients who suffer from depression or anxiety, it has also been proven helpful in treating those who suffer from eating disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), phobias, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
CBT is an effective tool in helping counselors guide their patients in a direction that will alleviate their illnesses. If you are interested in learning more about CBT and how it works, please contact us anytime.