Quick Guide to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Techniques, Tips, and Resources

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Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that is widely recognized and used in the treatment of various mental health issues like depression, anxiety, addiction problems, and other mental illnesses.

It was developed by Dr. Aaron T. Beck, CBT, in the 1960s. CBT is backed by several studies and practical results from the patients. Personally, it has helped me also in recognizing my negative thought patterns and getting a little better.

CBT therapy uses different techniques, such as behavioral actuation and rationalization of thoughts, to help patients reduce automatic negative thought patterns.
In this blog post, we will explore CBT and how it can be used to overcome the cycle of negative thinking.

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?

Cognitive behavioral therapy is based on a cognitive model, in which cognitive stands for cognition, which means the mental process that the brain does, such as perception, thinking, language, learning, attention, and memory.

In simple words, cognitive behavioral therapy is used to fix our mindset or restructure our thoughts (cognitive restructuring). Different methods, like rationalization of thoughts, behavioral activation, and mindfulness, are used to alter the negative thought patterns of patients.

The principle of CBT is that our thoughts have influence on our emotions, behavior, and body.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a structured form of therapy that generally includes 6–14 sessions, depending upon the needs of the patient.

In each session, the therapist and patient work together towards a particular problem, such as identifying thought patterns and behaviors and challenging these patterns by replacing them with healthier and more positive thoughts, etc.

Different cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques

• Cognitive restructuring or reframing

When patients have strong negative and distorted thought patterns, this technique is used in CBT to help them view these thoughts from a different perspective and replace them with more rational and positive ones.

For example, if a patient’s friend forgets to say hi, the patient might overthink the situation, believing that their friend deliberately ignored them or doesn’t want to be friends anymore.

Through cognitive restructuring, the patient would be guided to challenge these assumptions and consider alternative explanations, such as ‘My friend might not have seen me’ or ‘There could be other reasons for their behavior.'

This helps the patient develop a more balanced and less distressing interpretation of the situation.

• Exposure therapy

Exposure therapy is used in CBT, in which the therapist creates a safe environment for the patient to gradually confront their fears while guiding them throughout.
People often avoid things or situations they are afraid of. While this can help manage panic in the short term, in the long term it makes our fear worse.

Exposure therapy can help patients overcome their fears and slowly make them less vulnerable and capable of confronting their fears.

• Behavioural activation

  Behavioral activation means engaging in the activities one tends to find enjoyable and productive. It is one of the key cognitive behavioral therapy techniques for treating depression, as patients often lose interest in the things they used to enjoy.

So by actively doing things and engaging in enjoyable and meaningful activities, patients can improve their mood.

• Mindfulness 

Mindfulness means being in the present moment fully without any judgement. It involves being aware of your current surroundings, feelings, and thoughts.

It involves different techniques like meditation and breathing exercises. Which helps to lower the stress and anxiety and make the body feel relaxed.

One study shows that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MCBT) can be really helpful in reducing anxiety and depression.

• Journaling/thought record

Journaling/thought records are tools and structured formats like worksheets and diaries in which patients can write specific situations that trigger negative emotions, the thoughts that arise in response to that negative emotion, and the behaviors or responses that follow.

The process involves breaking down these thoughts to evaluate how correct they are and identify cognitive distortions and common thinking errors like overgeneralization, catastrophizing, or beliefs like things should happen in particular way only (black-and-white thinking).

Practical Tips for Getting Started with CBT 

Start small

Starting small can give you a solid foundation and prevent you from feeling overwhelmed. Staring with something simple like journaling can help you to analyze your thought patterns and identify your triggers.

Find a qualified therapist

Finding a good and qualified therapist is really important because you are trusting your vulnerable thoughts and working on your sensitive parts with someone. Here are some points to consider for finding a good therapist:
 
1. Ask your therapist open-ended questions about their training and experience, how often they use CBT, and if they have any clients they are using CBT with.

2. Make sure they incorporate exposure therapy to help you face your fears and not just doing one thing like sitting in one place and using the same techniques.

3. Make sure your therapist is giving you homework and not just limiting it to sessions. Homework helps you to improve your skills and helps you to work better in next sessions.

Be consistent

Consistency is key to improving yourself. Commit yourself to CBT practice every day without skipping sessions. Regular practice will help you get better and see progress effectively.

conclusion

In conclusion, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) provides a structured, supported method for treating and resolving a variety of mental health issues. CBT allows people to actively participate in mental health well-being by emphasizing the links between ideas, feelings, and behaviors. 
Cognitive restructuring, exposure therapy, behavioral activation, mindfulness, and journaling are a few examples of techniques that are used in cognitive behavioral therapy that offer useful tools for recognizing and confronting negative patterns of thought, which eventually lead to more rational and positive ways of thinking.

Remember, the journey to mental wellness may be hard, but with the right approach and support, you can make quick progress. 
I wish you the best of luck in your journey and hope you will find a good CBT therapist.

Further Resources for CBT

Recommended Books/Journals for CBT:

1. Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy by Dr. David D. Burns

2. The CBT Journal for Mental Health by Dr. Kathleen S. Smith

Therapy Resources:

1. For the US: American Psychological Association (APA)

   • The APA provides resources to find licensed therapists, as well as information on various mental health topics.

2. For Canada: Psychology Today Canada

   • A comprehensive directory to find qualified therapists across Canada, along with articles and resources on mental health.