What is CBT?
Cognitive behavioural therapy, CBT, is a form of therapy that is evidence-based, meaning it is based on research and theory development in the fields of behaviourism, cognitive psychology, and social psychology. The term cognitive behavioural therapy indicates that the emphasis is on the interaction between an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviours in their environment, here and now.
The psychotherapeutic methods and techniques developed based on this approach within their respective fields have proven effective in the treatment of mental health problems. The therapy always begins with a behavioural analysis of the interaction between the individual and their environment. The basis for the behavioural analysis is that each person is unique, and therefore the analysis is individualized. The analysis aims to map out the causes of this individual’s challenges and what maintains them.
In CBT, the focus is on changing thoughts, feelings, and behaviour patterns that are not functioning well and therefore lead to mental distress. CBT includes both cognitive therapy and behavioural therapy. CBT is a structured, active, and insight-promoting psychotherapy that is more focused on the present and the future than on the past but takes into account the past and its impact on the present.
CBT has been shown to be effective for a range of problems such as depression, low self-esteem and self-confidence, relationship problems, worry and anxiety (including generalized anxiety disorder), obsessive-compulsive disorder, various types of addiction, specific phobias, panic disorder, stress-related issues, shyness and insecurity (including social anxiety), and various types of traumas (including post-traumatic stress disorder).
How does CBT work?
Usually, the client and therapist meet 5-20 times, and sometimes more depending on the problem. You work on one or more specific problems. Each session (i.e., treatment session) usually lasts 45 minutes. The client and therapist work together to identify and find alternatives for thoughts and behaviours that are not appropriate. In CBT, the alliance between the client and therapist is very central and the therapist and the client work as a team, through the behavioural analysis, you work to change behaviour patterns that are not functioning well or to find ways to handle thoughts/behaviours that lead to anxiety and/or depression, for example. At each session, you follow a specific work plan, an agenda. The purpose of this is to give the conversation structure and to promote a structured way of thinking and reasoning about problems. The session ends with the client and therapist agreeing on a suitable homework assignment for the next session, and in this way, you work together towards the clients goal.
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