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 Can I Expect from Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy?

There are many things one can expect from cognitive behavioral therapy New Jersey, 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:

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.

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).

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