Definition – cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a treatment method that effectively helps reduce symptoms of conditions such as anxiety and depression. It involves changing unhelpful or unhealthy thoughts and behaviors. It is a combination of two therapies: cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy. Both are based on the assumption that healthy, adaptive thoughts lead to healthy feelings and behaviors.
A-B-C, or thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
It seems that one of the basic goals of cognitive-behavioral therapy is to understand the impact of our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors on how we function. Let’s assume that a person who struggles with shyness may think in social situations that other people always consider them boring or stupid. This belief may cause the person to feel very strong anxiety when interacting with other people and develop behaviors that promote the avoidance of unpleasant emotions. They will isolate themselves more often and show less and less behavior that invites others to interact with them. With each bad experience, their fear of social situations will deepen even more.
Cognitive behavioral therapy aims to teach people that they can have a greater influence on their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It certainly provides an opportunity to overcome automatic beliefs and helps to use practical self-help strategies to change or modify behavior.
Working with thoughts in cognitive behavioral therapy?
In therapeutic work, it is undoubtedly important to work on the level of thinking. Negative thoughts, often habitual and automatic, contribute to negative emotions. Working on challenging certain beliefs can heal your perception of yourself and others. First and foremost, it is important to remember that:
- thoughts are separate from feelings; they trigger, alleviate, or intensify emotions,
- thoughts are not facts; our thoughts are often a very subjective experience of reality,
- thoughts change in intensity throughout the day, and our belief in their truthfulness changes.
Basic principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy
- It helps to develop new alternative ways of thinking and behaving that increase the chance of coping with difficulties.
- It focuses on the present and building an image of change. However, the past is not ignored. It is important to know when and how the problem has been present in our lives.
- Contact and cooperation with the therapist are very important elements of this psychotherapy. Safety and a sense of being understood are key factors that influence the success of psychotherapy.
- Online or in-officepsychotherapy is an active experience in which both parties work towards agreed-upon goals.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy includes psychoeducational modules that provide knowledge and specific tips on how to deal with specific problems. A very important element is developing awareness in understanding one’s own experiences.
- It can take the form of short-term psychotherapy lasting several months. Depending on the complexity and depth of the problems, it can also be used as a long-term approach.
Here you will find some more useful information about what cognitive-behavioral therapy looks like:
“What is CBT?”– publication on the Therapist Aid channel (in English)