Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a psychological treatment that may be used to modify a person's patterns of thinking and dysfunctional feelings and convert them into positive thoughts, beliefs and emotions in order to improve their quality of life. CBT covers a broad range of psychological therapies, each with its own distinct approach.
Fundamental Concept Behind Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
CBT is based on the theory that a person's feelings, emotion or behaviour is an outcome of his personal evaluation of a stimulus. Thoughts or feelings about certain events or situations may arise automatically even if these are erroneous and negative. Such thoughts eventually lead to anxiety and depression. CBT teaches the person to become aware of this negativity and develop a positive perception that is more realistic and healthy, without changing the situation itself.
Unlike drug therapy, which only addresses the symptoms of a physical or mental illness, CBT techniques go to the root of the problem to resolve it at the subconscious level. Solutions for difficult situations become easy to uncover, unpleasant feelings attached to memories from the past are neutralised, everyday life becomes more exciting rather than daunting. These are just some of the wonderful things that embracing cognitive therapies will lead to.
Journaling, relaxation techniques, breathing exercises, guided discovery, role playing, behavioural experiments and collaborative empiricism are the most common techniques used in this type of therapy. These are also used in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, another form of therapy that combines cognitive therapy techniques with meditation and mindfulness to treat major depression.
Conditions That CBT Can Help With
Cognitive behavioural therapy can help not only with a wide range of mental health disorders, but it can also address different medical conditions. After all, the physical state of a person mirrors that of their mind. Changing how their mind perceives situations, objects, places, other people and themselves, releases them from the chains of fear, uncertainty, anger or other negative emotions that make their daily life look and feel miserable rather than happy.
CBT can benefit people with depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), mood disorders, panic disorder, insomnia and other sleep disorders, personality disorders and chronic pain among others.
Characteristics of Cognitive Behavioural Therapies
There are many types of cognitive behavioural therapies that can shift automatic beliefs and alleviate psychological distress, but most of them share the following characteristics:
- CBT is based on the theory that a person's thoughts, not external influences, determine his emotions and behaviour. This is seen as an advantage since it allows people to change the way they perceive a certain stimulus and consequently adjust their behaviour to react in a positive manner even without changing the stimulus.
- CBT brings faster results and is completed within a specific period of time. CBT may take an average of 16 sessions, with the patient showing substantial improvement in a short period of time. At the beginning of the treatment procedure, the patient is informed that the process will not go on indefinitely and formal therapy will end at a certain point, as agreed by the patient and the therapist. Giving the patient related homework after each session also hastens therapy.
- While a constructive and trusting relationship between the patient and the therapist is a necessary feature of CBT, the function of the therapist is not just to counsel the patient but also to teach him how to apply rationalization skills to his thoughts and emotions.
- CBT is organized and follows a standard system. Each session has a specific programme where concepts and methods are taught so that the patient is not told what his goals should be, but rather how he should behave in order to achieve those goals.
- CBT is an evidence-based mode of therapy, supported by studies showing that most behavioural and emotional responses are learned. CBT practitioners know their role is to help the patient get rid of these types of reactions and learn a new and productive form of behaviour.
- CBT is educational as it uses homework to support individual sessions. Hands-on application of the techniques and concepts learned in CBT make the patient aware of his excessive reaction to a situation and teach him appropriate ways of handling his thoughts. A survey of actual results of CBT reveals that it is effective in reducing anxiety.
- CBT sessions are problem-oriented. Some people come to a therapy session with physical symptoms, while others want to resolve a long-standing personal issue rooted in incorrect beliefs, say, a dental phobia that has resulted in poor oral health and low self-esteem. A wide array of cognitive techniques can also assist people who are hoping to understand the underlying causes of their mental health conditions. At the beginning of a session, the client and practitioner will discuss and agree on a topic to work on.
- CBT involves Socratic questioning to guide the client in identifying the problem and what negative thought patterns might have contributed to it. Images of a traumatic event may be blocked by a client to avoid emotional distress. A therapist may use this technique to help the client establish perceptions of events or experiences in the past and identify what caused them.
- CBT applies exposure therapies beyond the clinical setting to encourage the client to test their new core beliefs and move past their negative thinking patterns for good. A person with social anxiety disorder or social phobia, for instance, may be instructed by their therapist to initiate a meet-up with friends and observe their heart rate, breathing and behaviour throughout the event. Through regular exposure exercises, they will realise that social situations aren't scary but enjoyable.
- CBT outcomes are hinged on goal setting and skilled therapists who are trained in a variety of behavioural and cognitive techniques. A certified practitioner develops a treatment plan based on their client's situation and SMART goals. The acronym stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-Limited.
Cognitive behavioural therapy can be delivered from a distance or in person. In fact, it happens to be one of the best online therapy options for depressed patients which can help them make progress over time. CBT is also highly effective in the treatment of anxiety disorders and often used in lieu of antidepressants. It's widely used in drug rehabilitation programs as well for the treatment of insomnia and to provide pain relief to elderly persons suffering from osteoarthritis. Consult a qualified CBT practitioner in your area through the Natural Therapy Pages.
Originally published on Jul 11, 2012
