CBT
CBT therapy also known as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and how it can help others suffering from mental illness or distress. There are many therapeutic ways to address anxiety disorders. The most effective is cognitive behavioral therapy, also known as CBT. CBT is used for disorders such as:
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Depression
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Panic disorder
- Social anxiety disorder
- Generalized anxiety disorder
CBT has been found to be highly successful. In fact, the American Psychological Association states that “CBT is and has been demonstrated to be just as effective or more effective than any other forms of therapy and therapeutic approaches.
A Licensed Professional Counselor helps the client identify faulty thoughts. These thoughts are usually formed through a pattern of unhelpful behavior. This creates our conditioning. CBT is used to modify these behaviors by challenging the patterns of our thinking.
CBT
What Are The Strategies?
CBT strategies include, but are not limited to:
Cognitive Restructuring
Cognitive restructuring is used to assist the client in creating ways to react to stressful situations without relying on their unhelpful or faulty thought patterns. Often, with cognitive restructuring, a thought journal is kept so the client can learn to identify these problematic thoughts and develop productive reactions to them.
Graded Exposure
Graded exposure, also known as exposure response therapy, is a great way to overcome anxieties. A hierarchy is made of anxiety-inducing situations from least to greatest. The client works their way up the ladder, increasing the anxiety with each step. By doing this, the client learns to manage anxiety, rather than avoid it
Mindfulness
With mindfulness, the client learns how to let go of unhelpful thoughts and focus on the present. Mindfulness is based on the ancient Buddhist practice and has shown great promise in helping with many psychological disorders.
CBT
It’s Effective
CBT is a problem-specific and goal-oriented approach that will need the individual’s active participation in order to succeed. It focuses on the clients present-day problems, challenges, thoughts, and their behaviors.
Most of the time therapy from the CBT model is time-limited. This means that the client knows when therapy will end. They have some sort of idea what to anticipate and expect. Often, a course of therapy sessions consist of 20 individual one-to-one therapy sessions. CBT also takes the form of individual therapy or group sessions.
CBT is collaborative. It will require that the individual and therapist work together. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), the client will eventually learn to become their own counselor or therapist.
CBT is a highly effective treatment with a great success rate. Many people have been able to change their lives for the better with cognitive behavioral therapy. If you’re dealing with any type of anxiety disorder, look into how CBT can help you. Call 407-967-1327 and let’s get started.
