Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most important therapies offered by the experienced psychologists of Greene Psychology Group in Raleigh, North Carolina. We use this method for treatment of people of all ages, those suffering from a wide range of symptoms and mental health conditions. You can possibly benefit from CBT, as well.

Some of the conditions treated using cognitive behavioral therapy include:

Depression and other mood disorders

Anxiety and panic attacks

Eating disorders

Addictions

Anger problems

Personality disorders

Phobias

Stress

In the United States, one in 15 adults suffer depression in a typical year. The condition can occur for anyone and any time but is most common in people ages 15 to 28, particularly in women. You have a higher risk of experiencing it yourself if your parents, siblings or other first-degree blood relatives have a history of the condition.

What Is cognitive behavioral therapy?

CBT is a type of psychotherapy provided by experienced and specially-trained psychologists. This talk therapy helps you learn to recognize and change negative thought patterns that influence how you behave and feel. These are your automatic negative thoughts that add to your mental health problems and even make them worse. You work with your therapist to identify your negative automatic thoughts, challenge them and replace them with a more objective view. Doing so can improve your symptoms of depression, anxiety and other conditions.

Common methods used in cognitive behavioral therapy include talk therapy, journaling, role-play, relaxation techniques, mindfulness and mental distraction.

Types of CBT

Cognitive behavioral therapy is not just one type of therapy. It is a collection of methods and strategies that include talk therapy and methods of self improvement. Overall, these approaches work on your thoughts, behaviors and emotions.

Some types of cognitive behavioral therapy include:
• Cognitive therapy to recognize and change negative thought patterns, behaviors and feelings
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) that addresses thoughts and behaviors through strategies like mindfulness and emotional regulation
• Multimodal therapy that addresses your behavior, sensation, affect, cognition, imagery, interpersonal factors and biology
• Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) to recognize irrational beliefs, challenge them and make changes

Each of these methods relies on different approaches designed to address the thinking patterns that add to your mental distress. Overall, in your therapy you will focus on specific goals with your actively engaged Greene Psychology Group therapist. The therapist explains each step of the process to you and often provides homework for you to complete before your next appointment.

Does CBT work?

Cognitive behavioral therapy works on the understanding that your thoughts and feelings affect your behavior. Your goal in CBT is to learn that you cannot control the world around you. But you can control how you think about and deal with the events around you.

Cognitive behavioral therapy has worked for many people with mental health conditions just like yours. This is why therapists use the methods, just as they have since the 1960s.

Other reasons why therapists trust these methods include:
• People can engage in healthier thoughts patterns when they are aware of how negative and unrealistic thoughts promote negative feelings and moods
• CBT works well in a short period of time
• The therapy helps people who do not need psychiatric medication
• Studies support CBT results for helping people overcome a wide range of unhealthy behaviors

Cognitive behavioral therapy influences positive behaviors to affect most areas of your life. People going through this therapy typically see improvements in family life, interpersonal relationships, school performance and work.

How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Works

Together with your therapist, you learn much about yourself and your behaviors during CBT. How your therapy helps you includes:

Identifying Negative Thoughts
You learn how your thoughts and feelings contribute to your behaviors. It is not always an easy process, especially if you tend to avoid looking deeply inward. But you can make great strides in self-discovery to improve your treatment process and results.

Practicing Learned Skills
You will learn new skills in your therapy. You need to practice these in order to ease using them in real life. Some of this practice can involve role play or other methods with your therapist.

Setting Goals
Setting goals makes a big difference in your mental health recovery. By doing so, you influence real changes that improve your quality of life and overall well-being. Your therapist will help you set goals by helping you identify what you want to achieve, separating short-term and long-term goals and focusing on the process of achieving them. They help you set SMART goals in particular, those that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based.

Problem Solving
It is important to learn problem solving skills in your therapy to help you deal with life stress and reduce how your mental or physical conditions negatively impact your life. This problem solving involves five key steps, including:
• Identifying an issue
• Listing potential solutions
• Evaluating potential solutions
• Choosing which solution to enact
• Enacting the solution

Self-Monitoring
As part of self-monitoring, or journaling, you track your behaviors, symptoms and experiences. You then share these with your therapist who uses the information to fine-tune your treatment. This self-monitoring also provides you with great insight into your thoughts, feelings and behaviors.

You can expect gradual results through CBT. Your treatment provides you with steps to healing and living a psychologically healthier life. You can also expect to achieve both short-term and long-term goals during your therapy. These goals provide markers toward your improvement and help you see your positive results along the way.

Is cognitive behavioral therapy the treatment you need?

If you believe cognitive behavioral therapy may help you overcome your mental health problems, talk to an experienced therapist at Greene Psychology Group. Of course, this is only one type of method used by our Raleigh, North Carolina therapy team. We can help you find the right fit for your treatment, based upon your diagnosis and unique individual needs. Call us to schedule your in-person, telehealth or online therapy session today at 919-205-5339.