By altering thought patterns, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), a brief form of therapy, can assist patients in discovering new behavioural patterns.
The foundation of CBT is the idea that how people perceive events in life and frame their thoughts has an impact on how they act and feel.
The main goal of therapy sessions is to explore and create coping mechanisms for problems and daily actions. Treatment for depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and a number of other mental health issues can be accomplished with the help of this kind of therapy.
CBT typically entails five to twenty one-on-one sessions, however some patients may require more. Group sessions are another possible format for it.
Continue reading to discover more about CBT’s components and potential benefits.
What is CBT?
Psychotherapy called cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) focuses on how attitudes, beliefs, and thoughts influence feelings and behaviours.
According to the American Psychological Association, CBT is based on a number of tenets, including those that:
Distressing thoughts and behaviours might cause psychological problems.
People can pick up more advantageous ways of thinking and acting.
Developing new habits can help people act more benevolently and reduce the symptoms of both physical and mental illnesses.
According to the main thesis, issues are caused by events and the interpretations that individuals give to them. Unhelpful ideas might make it challenging for someone to act confidently in a variety of circumstances.
A person can alter their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours with the use of CBT. Additionally, it can give people coping mechanisms to assist them handle difficulties.
According to research, CBT can help those who suffer from depression, panic disorder, and other medical issues. Additionally, there is mounting proof that it can lessen chronic pain.
A CBT course is made up of a number of sessions when a counsellor meets with a person or group on a regular basis to work with them. These meetings are often held weekly by counsellors.
How does it function?
Some types of psychotherapy put a strong emphasis on going back in time to understand current emotions. CBT, on the other hand, focuses on current beliefs and thoughts. It highlights the necessity of recognising, challenging, and altering one’s perspective on a circumstance.
Modifying perceptions and distortions
CBT strives to change any thought patterns and behavioural patterns that get in the way of a person’s desire to live their life. This entails locating distorted or detrimental views that are influencing behaviour.
Having a biassed perspective can increase one’s susceptibility to
- a mindset that jumps to conclusions is not helpful
- perceiving everything as either excellent or evil, with nothing in between, and erroneously assuming that things are catastrophic
- People can begin to think in this way automatically if they develop fearful or harmful ways of thinking. CBT focuses on questioning and contrasting these habitual thoughts with reality.
A person’s anxiety frequently lessens when they learn to see a situation more constructively, allowing them to act or make choices that are more likely to benefit them in the long run.
Example: Fear of the dentist
A person who has dental phobia is afraid to visit the dentist because they think that the process would lead them to suffer excruciating pain or possibly pass away. This phobia might have its roots in a bad encounter, possibly from infancy.
The individual can engage with a CBT therapist to challenge the belief that “Because I had pain with a filling, all dental appointments would be difficult.”
The client and the therapist work together to create a plan that will help the client view future dental procedures differently. In order to overcome the phobia, they also come up with a strategy for approaching dentist checkups in discrete, manageable phases.
How does CBT work?
A CBT course can teach someone how to:
- become conscious of your automatic, harmful thinking
- challenge any potentially harmful underlying assumptions
- discern between damaging ideas and facts
- build a more beneficial perspective on situations and manner of thinking
The actions that were taken
Depending on a person’s symptoms and circumstances, the specifics of their CBT vary. In a typical course, an individual:
has regular one-on-one or group sessions, or a mix of both; receives feedback frequently; engages in role-playing exercises.
gradually increases exposure to the fears they have learns relaxation techniques and completes homework
keeps a cognitive behavioural journal and uses techniques to support behavioural growth and change
Takeaway
A type of psychotherapy is CBT. A person can develop the ability to alter their perceptions in a way that positively impacts their behaviour and emotions.
CBT can benefit a variety of mental health issues, from depression to persistent pain.
Together, a client and a counsellor define goals and anticipated results. For therapy to be effective, the patient must take an active role in it.
Anyone thinking about CBT should speak with an expert. Get in touch with the best cognitive behavioral therapy centre where you can get other services like Child Occupational Therapy, Speech therapy etc.
