Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in New Jersey
There are many different types of treatment and therapy for those who are actively seeking out help for their addiction. There is no one-size-fits-all method for addiction treatment; everybody has their own journey to take, along with unique individual needs to be met. It’s only by meeting the needs of the individual that a person can overcome their substance use disorder successfully. For some, this means participating in cognitive behavioral therapy.
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What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is a form of psycho-social therapy that helps those struggling with a mental health disorder. On the surface, it seems like cognitive behavioral therapy is just like any other form of therapy; however, the process and intended outcomes are the distinguishing factors. It helps individuals dig deep to find negative thoughts or behavioral patterns. In cognitive behavioral therapy, the most important part of the process is to figure out why a person behaves the way they do. This form of therapy is the parent (for lack of a better word) of dialectical behavioral therapy.
What is Dialectical Behavioral Therapy?
Dialectical behavioral therapy, or DBT, is a form of therapy that addresses and treats a variety of behavioral disorders. Some of these mental/behavioral health disorders include the following:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- PTSD
- Substance use disorder
- Borderline personality disorder
- Bipolar disorder
It is specifically a form of cognitive behavioral therapy. The goal of dialectical behavioral therapy is to analyze the thought processes of those suffering from a mental health disorder. When this happens, those facilitating therapy can successfully determine the best course of action when it comes to treatment.
Dialectical behavioral therapy includes the following in its processes:
- Consultation
- Skills training
- Individual therapy
What Can I Expect from Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy?
There are many things one can expect from cognitive behavioral therapy, but don’t let that overwhelm you. Some of these include other kinds of therapy like individual therapy and therapy with others who have similar mental health symptoms.
When it comes to helping someone with the symptoms of their mental health disorder, there are different methods therapists employ. Some of these methods include stress management, coping mechanisms, and relaxation techniques. There’s much more to the process as well.
For the first few therapy sessions, the facilitator (professionally licensed therapists or psychiatrists) will gather information on the patient. The goal is to evaluate the individual’s unique needs. When evaluating this, medical and mental health history prior to the session will be taken into heavy consideration. This way, if a patient requires medication, the facilitator will know exactly what will and won’t work for them.
Lastly, there’s the session itself. In these sessions, a therapist will guide the patient toward disclosing their emotions and thoughts. Sometimes, a person may not feel very comfortable sharing this with another. However, that isn’t a problem. The facilitator will help a patient gain the confidence they need to do so. Sometimes ways to make people more comfortable involve things like casual conversation or role-play.
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How Do You Reach Your Goals in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
Reaching one’s goals in any form of self-improvement is a heavy task to take on. For cognitive behavioral therapy, there are steps to take towards that goal. This is because it’s a lot easier to step towards something far away than to try and leap to it outright. Ultimately, the goal is to help the patient improve and be better. Some of the steps to help patients reach their goals include the following:
- Recognize the circumstances that are the catalyst for addictive behavior
- Evaluate which emotions a client is feeling and their thought process to start working through their problems
- Observe the individual’s behavior and be conscious of the negative behaviors
- Help the patient to reshape their perspective and thus their behavior
Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy a Stand-Alone Treatment Method?
Cognitive behavioral therapy is not typically a stand-alone treatment method. Typically, cognitive behavioral therapy is done alongside other forms of therapy, like individual or group therapy. This particular approach aims to treat mental health conditions. These could include the following:
- Eating disorders
- Depression
- Anxiety
- PTSD
- Bipolar disorder
- Substance use disorder
Treating mental health disorders isn’t the end-all-be-all of cognitive behavioral therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy also helps people make sense of hard circumstances like a difficult marriage or childhood trauma.
What Kind of Treatment is Used With Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
Typically cognitive behavioral therapy is done in conjunction with individual, group, or family therapy. Sometimes it’s also done alongside medically assisted treatment. Overall, the goal is to identify personal challenges, and psychotherapy is a great way to do this. Once a person is able to identify and recognize their personal challenges, it becomes much easier to figure out where to go from there; however, they will still require guidance from a mental health professional.
This approach to mental health treatment allows a mental health professional to guide a patient in a more specific way. This ensures that some progress is highly likely. Not only is it effective, but it has proven itself successful in many cases of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and addiction. Some other mental health disorders that have been proven treatable by cognitive behavioral therapy include the following:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- PTSD
- OCD
- Phobias
- Eating disorders
- Sleeping disorders
- Bipolar disorder
- Substance use disorder
- Addiction
- Schizophrenia
Are There Other Types of Therapy for Addiction Treatment?
Some different types of therapy include the following:
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy
- Family therapy
There are many forms of therapy used for addiction treatment and other mental health disorders. As it relates to substance use disorder, it is an imperative step towards stability and sobriety. Therapy has been known as a difference maker between successful recovery and unsuccessful recovery. Sometimes this has all to do with whether or not a person follows up their official substance abuse treatment with after-care (in the form of therapy).
Individual therapy is a form of care that allows a patient to disclose their feelings, emotions, and circumstances with a professionally licensed counselor. This therapeutic technique allows individuals to maintain a sense of privacy during their treatment. For some, it’s not even about the privacy. A more quiet and smaller setting works better for those who need it to succeed in therapy sessions.
The whole point is that a therapist has access to the patient one-on-one, and vice versa. Such practices help zero in on the patient so that their progress can be closely monitored. In addition to this, there are certain exercises that may work better for one individual than another. Not only that, but those who participate in individual therapy are able to keep their sessions private, and with it their past traumas, circumstances, and progress (or regression).
Group therapy is a method of care that involves a group of people attending the same therapy session at one time. In these sessions, people meet in a group setting to share their current circumstances, experiences, trauma, and emotions. Typically, these sessions look like a group of people sitting together in a semi-circle; this isn’t just some arbitrary liturgy for group therapy - there is a purpose.
Those who are slightly familiar with group therapy may view it as the kind of thing that happens in movies. In these movies or shows, people are all arranged in a semi-circle and each person takes turns speaking. This is done in real life for more than just a trope. This allows individuals to see each other, validate each other, and be vulnerable with one another in ways they haven’t been with anybody else.
Family Therapy is a type of group therapy that allows an individuals family and loved ones to attend therapy sessions with them. In these sessions, a professionally licensed counselor will facilitate, and act as a sort of mediator. Sometimes this could even consist of family group activities or education.
Family therapy plays a significant role in changing the game of a person’s mental health. It allows not just the individual but also the family to evaluate their home dynamics that may contribute to the patient’s mental health. This allows for the root cause to be weeded out rather than just treating symptoms of a mental health disorder. It also helps the rest of the family understand why things went wrong, and how they can be aware of and help the patient’s mental health condition.
Don’t Hesitate – Call Today to Get Started
The hardest part of walking with any mental health disorder is taking the first step to recovery; this is true whether it’s you or a loved one who needs help. At Achieve Wellness and Recovery, our goal is to evaluate each patient’s unique needs and provide them with the best individualized programs available.
Our hope is that we can provide the best resources and care available for those who need it. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to treatment for mental health disorders. If you or a loved one are suffering from a mental health disorder and would like to find out more, you can contact us here.
