Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
- How is Cognitive Behavior Therapy Used?
- How effective is CBT in Treating Psychological Disorders?
- Why PCH Treatment Uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
Cognitive behavioral therapy applies to a group of psychotherapeutic techniques that focus on how our thoughts influence our emotions and the things we do. Traditional CBT approaches include rational emotive behavioral therapy, rational living therapy, and rational behavioral therapy. Other modalities include dialectical behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, systematic desensitization, stress inoculation training, cognitive processing therapy, assertiveness training, and even biofeedback and relaxation techniques. No matter which particular form is used, cognitive behavior therapies share some common characteristics. Central to all forms of CBT is the position that our thoughts our paramount, affecting our emotions and actions. Our environment, the people around us and the things that happen to us are not the important things in our mental health. How we respond to them is what matters most. Forming healthier attitudes and reactions improve our lives in spite of what happens in the external environment.
In contrast to the stereotype of psychoanalysis, which is a long-term client-therapist relationship, CBT can take place over a short, finite period of time. A client knows there is a beginning and an end to his or her treatment and can more easily develop and work towards specific personal goals. A cordial patient-therapist relationship is always a benefit but is not required for successful CBT treatment. Teaching the client to think in a more positive and constructive way is of primary importance. This positive thinking becomes a valuable tool to be used for the rest of a client’s life. In effect, the therapist and the patient work as a team for the duration of treatment to influence and change maladaptive or destructive thought patterns and behaviors. CBT never promise the patient a future trouble-free life. Rather, the patient learns to change his or her attitude about the challenges of life and to develop a more balanced response to them.
How is Cognitive Behavior Therapy Used?
Cognitive behavior therapy instructs the patient in ways to develop a more positive way of thinking about life situations. The patient is responsible for discovering and nurturing better mental attitudes and subsequent positive emotional responses. The patient is in control of his or her therapy by setting achievable goals. The therapist is there to assist and direct the patient’s progress.
Clients unlearn old patterns of thinking and behaving and learn new thought patterns and techniques. They also learn to turn off negative thinking patterns. This is accomplished through purposeful dialogue with the therapist. The learning that takes place during a session is bolstered through the assignment of homework. A client is usually given additional reading as well as some practice drills that reinforce the new thinking and feeling techniques. For example, a client will go through real life scenarios that elicit negative patterns with their therapist and then “practice” managing their thinking on their own in their life.
How effective is CBT in Treating Psychological Disorders?
Academic and scientific studies have shown the various cognitive behavioral therapy techniques to be very effective in treating stress/anxiety disorders in children and adolescents exposed to trauma. Among adults, CBT has been shown to be effective in the treatment of depression, anxiety disorders (especially phobias), and post-traumatic stress disorder. Dialectical behavioral therapy is now the cornerstone in treatment for emotional dysregulation as seen in borderline personality disorder.
Why PCH Treatment Uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
Psychological problems are highly variable and often feature unique attributes. PCH Treatment Center is familiar with the full spectrum of psychological problems, and we employ a wide-ranging holistic approach in treating our client’s conditions. One of the most effective and widely used modalities is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Cognitive behavior therapy puts the patient back in control of his or her life. A patient’s loved ones are assured that he or she is receiving meaningful care and direction during the process of shedding thoughts, feelings and actions that no longer work well for anyone.
PCH Treatment Center uses CBT in conjunction with other treatment modalities such as psychoanalytic psychotherapy, EMDR, somatic experiencing, and neurofeedback. Each client has a unique history and set of problems, and therapists are assigned based on their areas of expertise and how they line up with a particular client. PCH Treatment Center offers individual CBT sessions and group therapies, including DBT. Our emphasis is also on reducing or eliminating reliance on medications, offering healthy alternatives such as yoga, meditation, outdoor activities, acupuncture and other supportive therapies. Longterm healing takes place from within, and PCH Treatment uses cognitive behavioral therapy as an important component of this profound process.
