COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY
You know you have been having a difficult time coping lately, and you after some thoughtful reflection you make the decision to get professional help, and begin your search for a therapist. As you start to do your research you notice there are several different acronyms that keep cropping up. CBT, DBT, EMDR, IPT, ACT. What in the world do these mean? This is not what you had anticipated at all. Isn’t therapy just therapy?
Psychotherapy falls into several different categories. How you do you know which one is right for you? It helps to do some research and to build a bit of an understanding of the different types of therapies, so you know what to ask for and have a better idea of what would be a good fit for you. In the coming weeks, we will be dedicating blog posts to breaking down the various therapy modalities out there, so you can be better informed in your search for a therapist.
One of the better known, and well researched types of therapy out there is called Cognitive Behavior Therapy, or as it is commonly known, CBT. CBT is an evidence based therapy, which simply means that it has been put through rigorous research and testing and has been found to be an effective form of therapy. CBT has been found to be effective in the treatment of several different mental health disorders (depression, anxiety, OCD, addictions, anger, disordered eating, low self-esteem). The research has shown that individuals who have been treated with CBT show significant improvements and the effects of the therapy are long –term.
The cognitive in CBT refers to our thoughts and the way we think. The B refers to our behavior and address the way we act. So simply put CBT looks at how our thoughts about a situation influence our emotions and feelings, which affect how we behave in any given situation.
Treatment in CBT usually involves targeting faulty/unhelpful thinking pattern and maladaptive/unhealthy behaviors and replacing them with more realistic thoughts and skills based coping strategies. An important aspect of CBT involves “homework”. Clients will be asked to implement and practice the skills and strategies discussed in therapy to their daily lives. This way the therapist and client and discuss what was helpful/beneficial for the client as well as further areas for growth and development.
CBT tend to focus on what is currently going on in the person’s life and places less of an emphasis on past difficulties. That being said, there is some information about the individual past that is needed but as therapy moves forward the focus remains on the present and how the person can develop more effective ways of coping with life.
