CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)
Do you ever feel worried, stressed, anxious, or depressed?
Do you often do things you really don't want to because you feel like you should?
Are you convinced you're not as good as your friends, coworkers, or relatives?
Do you ever make problems much bigger in your mind than they are in reality?
Have you ever felt like it was the end of the world after you made a mistake?
Do you keep repeating unwanted patterns that you swore you'd never repeat again?
Have you been avoiding uncomfortable situations out of fear that something terrible will happen?
Are you prone to believing other people are judging you harshly?
Do you ever feel like you're at fault when something doesn't go as planned?
If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, you are not alone. Many of these thoughts are natural. However, these types of thought patterns may also be holding you back. Your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are connected. But oftentimes, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are automatic and aren't naturally something you spend a lot of time thinking about in the moment. CBT is a great tool for getting to the bottom of your patterns and strategizing to change the ones that are not serving you well.
CBT can help you strategically explore your patterns in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and how they impact your life. With the help of your therapist, you can create a plan for realistically changing your thought patterns and perspectives to help you feel and behave in a way that supports your goals. Thanks to neuroplasticity, it's entirely possible to help rewire your brain to overcome old patterns that are holding you back. Your brain can change throughout your lifespan.
Photo by Joackim Weiler on Unsplash
CBT is an evidence based technique effective for treating issues such as:
Anxiety
Social Anxiety
Phobias
Relationship Problems
Depression
Substance Use
Bad habits
Self defeating beliefs
Lifestyle challenges
Negative feelings
When you think, feel, and act similarly over and over again, your brain forms neural networks that lead to habits. This is what leads to the predictable patterns that we notice in people. While many patterns are helpful, patterns of unwanted thoughts and behaviors lead to distress and mental health issues. When patterns become problematic, it might be time to consider making a change.
CBT is very helpful for becoming more aware of your patterns and helping you develop a strategy to work toward changing them. Because patterns can be challenging to identify and break, getting the support of a therapist is very helpful. Your therapist can reflect back things that you may not notice about yourself. They can also help you identify the barriers that might be keeping you from changing and can make suggestions about how to overcome these barriers.
When participating in CBT, it’s important for you to practice the tools you learn in between sessions. Tracking your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors is also an important piece of CBT. It’s easy for people to forget their experiences in between therapy sessions, so logging them is a great tool. This also helps you track your progress. Change in therapy can be gradual, so it’s great to have something to use to track how you’ve changed.
Persistence and consistency are an important part of CBT and other types of therapy. Each person is unique and will find a unique way of applying CBT tools to fit their life. And, when life changes unexpectedly, your therapist can help you find new ways to adapt CBT tools to fit the circumstances.
Some clients find that EMDR therapy is helpful to receive in addition to CBT Therapy. While CBT can help you work toward changing your perspectives, EMDR Therapy can help you reprocess things that still might feel challenging or upsetting after you’ve applied CBT tools. Because every situation is different, it is important to collaborate with your therapist to determine which approaches and tools might be the best fit for your situation. Your therapist will help you put your strengths to work to help you reach your goals.
Reach out today for a free virtual consultation to see if CBT or another therapeutic intervention might be helpful for your situation.
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Lauren Borkowski, MA, LPC