COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (CBT)
Am I the Only One Feeling This Way?
Do you feel as if your emotional reactions often "come out of nowhere"? Are your thoughts constantly flooding your brain? Do you feel sad and worried more often than not? Do you wonder why you act in ways that you know you shouldn't or wish you didn't? Do you find yourself having negative thoughts seemingly out of nowhere?
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Do you hesitate about the idea of going to therapy and "dredging" up the past? Perhaps you hesitate about starting over with a new therapist and retelling your story all over again.
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With CBT, we can look at patterns of behavior or choices and make appropriate shifts so you can effectively alter those patterns and focus on how to move forward to get the things you want out of life and feel better.
Our Brains Can Have a Mind of Their Own...
Many people feel that their thoughts are out of their control and that their moods change seemingly out of nowhere. They experience intrusive thoughts that won't go away or act impulsively and don't understand why they engaged in that specific behavior.
Our brains are constantly working behind the scenes, taking in information and considering what is relevant to each moment and what is irrelevant. Our brains alert us to things it perceives as important or critical in each moment.
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Many people feel as if they have no control over what happens in our minds. This is not entirely the case. The theory of neuroplasticity explains that are brains are constantly learning and the more we focus on something, the more we can grow that neuropathway and shift our reactions or behaviors. With support of a trained therapist, it's possible to "turn down" the volume and frequency of the negative thoughts, better manage strong emotions and decrease undesired actions.
Blog Posts About CBT
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What is CBT Anyway?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), was developed by Dr. Aaron Beck in the 1970s and has become one of the most well-known evidence based psychotherapy practices. At it's basic level, it proposes that when we enter into a situation, our brains make interpretations about that situation based on our perception, and then the brain determines how to respond or react based on past experiences or evidence.
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In therapy sessions, clinicians work to educate clients on their automatic responses, perceptions, interpretations, or reactions and help implement strategies to shift these responses to more helpful or effective ones.
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More can be found on CBT on the Beck Institute Website: https://beckinstitute.org/about/understanding-cbt/
Can Things Really Change for Me?
When we have been living one way for our entire lives, it can feel like change is impossible. This is a negative thought that can be reframed! In CBT, we look at "Core Beliefs" in an effort to dispel these often erroneous assumptions and replace them with more accurate, useful beliefs. With time, patience, and practice with a trained therapist and outside of sessions, you will find that your brain can change the automatic patterns of thinking and switch to more present, conscious, and hopeful ones. By learning new coping skills and CBT strategies, individuals can improve their mood and overall quality of life.​​​​​​
Featured CBT Psychotherapists
