Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
What is CBT?
CBT refers to a group of therapies based on the principle that your perceptions and how you think determine your behaviors and feelings. Many people develop unhealthy or distorted thought patterns that result in problematic behaviors and negative feelings. To give you an example, one type of distorted thought process is taking an all-or-none approach. If you have all-or-none thinking, you may believe you’re a complete failure just because you underperformed on one test. During CBT, your Psychology Beverly Hills therapist helps you explore and identify your thoughts. Then you learn how to challenge those thoughts, compare them with facts, and purposefully change them to fit reality. As you restructure your thoughts, you can change your beliefs, behaviors, and feelings. Those changes set the stage for improving your life and eliminating the symptoms of your mental health problem.
When would I need CBT?
You might need cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) if you’re experiencing symptoms related to various mental health conditions, as it can be tailored for anyone aged 12 and older. For younger clients, techniques like role-playing, using pictures, and play therapy help make CBT more effective and engaging. CBT is helpful for managing depression, anxiety, trauma, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, phobias, eating disorders, panic disorder, and anger management. It teaches you how to recognize and address feelings like frustration and irritation early on, preventing them from escalating into intense anger.
What happens during CBT?
CBT takes a highly structured approach. Your therapist works with you to define your challenges and the goals you want to achieve. Then they create specific tasks and strategies to follow that teach you how to recognize and examine your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. One common CBT approach is “homework” to perform between your sessions. For example, your therapist may ask you to take notes about one or two times you’ve felt angry or anxious (depending on your goals) between therapy sessions. Then they can use the information to help you see and challenge negative thought patterns.
