How does cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), work?
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a therapy technique that aims to help people find new ways to behave by changing their thought patterns. Therapists may use strategies such as role-playing and assigning homework.
CBT rests on the assumption that the way people think and interpret life events affects how they behave and feel.
Therapy sessions focus on exploring and developing methods to deal with challenges and behaviors that arise from day to day. This type of therapy can be effective
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in treating depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and other mental health conditions.
CBT often consists of 6–20 one-on-one sessions, though some people may have more. It can also take the form of group sessions.
Read on to learn more about CBT, including its aims, how it works, common strategies, and how it compares to other types of therapy.
What is CBT?
CBT is a type of psychotherapy focusing on how someone’s thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs may affect their actions and feelings.
The American Psychological Association explains that CBT relies on the following beliefs:
- Unhelpful ways of thinking and behaving can lead to psychological distress.
- People can learn more beneficial ways of thinking and behaving.
- New habits can relieve symptoms of mental and physical conditions and allow people to act in more beneficial ways.
The central theory is that problems arise from events and the meanings that people assign to them. Unhelpful thoughts may make it difficult for someone to function confidently in various situations.
CBT can help people make positive changes to how they feel and act. It can also equip people with coping strategies that help them deal with challenges.
A course of CBT consists of a series of sessions in which a counselor and an individual or group meet regularly and collaborate. Counselors typically hold these meetings weekly or every 2 weeks.
How does it work?
Some forms of psychotherapy focus on looking into the past to understand current feelings. Instead, CBT focuses on present thoughts and beliefs. It emphasizes the need to identify, challenge, and change how a person views a situation.
Although counselors typically personalize sessions to an individual, CBT steps may include:
- an individual assessment
- establishing goals and areas to work on early in the process
- regularly checking the person’s mood and any life updates
- collaboratively setting agendas for each session
- reviewing any homework
- punctuating discussions with feedback and summaries
- assigning further homework at the end of sessions
Changing distortions and perceptions
CBT aims to transform ways of thinking and behaving that stand in the way of how a person would like to live their life. This involves identifying negative perceptions or distortions that affect behavior.
A distorted view can make a person more susceptible to:
- an unhelpful mindset
- jumping to conclusions
- mistakenly seeing situations as catastrophic
- seeing things as either good or bad, with nothing in between
If people learn fearful or unhelpful ways of thinking, they can start to think in this way automatically. CBT focuses on challenging these automatic thoughts and comparing them with reality.
When a person comes to view a particular situation in a more helpful way, their distress may decrease, and they can take actions or make decisions that are more likely to serve them in the long term.
Summary
CBT is a form of psychotherapy. During CBT, a person learns to change their perceptions in a way that has a helpful effect on their behavior and mood. It can help with many mental health conditions, ranging from depression to chronic pain.
A counselor and client work together to identify goals and expected outcomes. The individual must be an active participant in the therapy to benefit from it.
Anyone considering CBT should find a qualified professional. A doctor may be able to recommend local CBT specialists.
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