If you are searching for a therapy that can give you great results in the shortest amount of time then you should look for Cognitive Behaviour therapy. CBT therapy is a specific type of psychotherapeutic treatment that assists individuals to recognize and change negative thought patterns that have a pessimistic influence over a person’s mind and body. The focus of CBT therapy is to reduce and at the same time get rid of the automatic negative thoughts that come up and have an adverse effect on the mind and body leading to depression, anxiety or any other kind of emotional difficulties. All these simultaneous and spontaneous cynical thoughts create an apathetic mood change.
With the help of CBT, one can identify, address and replace these negative emotions with more practical, positive and approachable thoughts. The duration of this therapy is very short and limited, with respect to other types of therapies. The prime focus of CBT therapy is the thought of any individual. External factors like people or situations. The National Association of Cognitive Behavioural Therapists suggests that CBT is based upon the cognitive representation of emotional reaction. It reiterates that our emotional or psychological feelings and behaviours spring from our innermost thoughts. Any kind of external factors do not have a say in this. CBT therapy is extremely aspirational and analytic. The focus of CBT therapy remains in the present circumstances and rejects the developmental history of the client.
Benefits of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
There are several benefits of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and depending upon the client, CBT therapy sessions vary from five to twenty sessions depending on the client’s psychological condition. Other therapeutic processes take several months and sometimes even years before you can actually see positive results. Some of the notable benefits of CBT therapy are:
- CBT therapy is highly engaging
- The results of the therapeutic sessions solely depend on the clients
- The core idea of CBT therapy is that human thoughts and emotions are responsible for their respective behaviour and feelings
- It is a great way of showing people that they can simply change themselves by accepting and understanding their thoughts
- It is a different type of therapy than any other traditional therapies, it makes us realize that changing and re-evaluating thought processes can lead to a positive outcome
Application of CBT
As suggested earlier, CBT is a goal-oriented and solution-based remedy. In a very short amount of time it points out the origin of the client’s complexities and a limited amount of sessions is required to complete the whole treatment process. It is one of the most sorted therapeutic treatments implied by many counsellors and therapists for various disorders. Here is a list of psychological disorders for which CBT therapy is used:
- Phobias
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Bipolar disorder
- Psychosis
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Panic attacks
- Sleeping disorder
- Sexual disorder
- Sleep disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Addiction and Drug abuse
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
CBT therapy takes a short amount of time to show good results
Types of CBT therapy
CBT therapy comprises different techniques and procedures which are prescribed by the therapists according to the needs of their clients. These different approaches help people deal with their emotions, behaviours and thoughts. The procedure ranges from self-help materials to properly structured therapeutic sessions. Some special types of therapeutic sessions are discussed below:
- Cognitive therapy: In this therapeutic process, non-directive questionings are used to negate the contorted thoughts, behaviours and emotional reactions.
- Multimodal therapy: The seven distinct yet somehow connected modalities namely imagery, sensation, behaviour, cognition, interpersonal relationship and biological factors are taken into consideration and addressed in this therapeutic process.
- Dialectical behaviour therapy(DBT): In DBT, mindfulness and emotional regulation come into play. To reduce and remove unhelpful thoughts and behaviours particularly these two core ideas are used.
- Rational emotive behaviour therapy(REBT): The aim of REBT is to point out the cause of distress and negative emotional thoughts. To address and tackle this issue ABC analysis is used (antecedent-belief-consequence analysis).
Techniques
An extensive range of strategies is used in CBT to identify and help people overcome their distressing thoughts and behaviours. Some of these techniques include role-playing, relaxation exercises, journaling and mental distractions.
Identification of negative thoughts
Our thoughts play a pivotal role in our daily lives. Identifying and addressing negative thoughts can help us overcome our emotional shortcomings and complexities. This whole process can be very much difficult at times but eventually, it will lead to a clearer understanding of the self and our insights.
Practising new skills
You can also get rid of these negative thoughts by focusing on practising new skills that will help you in a real-life situation.
Self monitoring
Self-monitoring is an important part of CBT therapy. It is also known as diary work. Here you keep a track of the symptoms, experience and behaviours of your daily life which you can share with your therapist.
CBT is one of the best and proven psychotherapies available. Its duration is short and highly efficient. If you or your loved one needs help you can approach a certified counsellor who specializes in CBT therapy.
