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  • Writer's pictureGreg Custer, MS, LCPC

What is CBT?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a powerful and time-limited tool, offering individuals the opportunity to set clear goals for themselves with the help of their therapist. Through focused collaboration between client and counselor, clients can learn strategies that will help them work through issues they are facing in life. With CBT's goal-oriented approach, lasting change can be achieved together!


CBT encourages you to take an active role in understanding how your thoughts influence the way you feel and behave. Through keeping a thought diary and working with a therapist, it is possible to identify unhelpful thinking patterns that can create distress or interfere with establishing healthier habits. By using cognitive restructuring techniques, this therapy offers support as new helpful ways of looking at life experiences are explored for positive change.


Cognitive restructuring can help shift thinking away from flawed, overly negative ways of seeing yourself. It's a process that helps you take stock of the evidence for and against particular beliefs to find better equilibrium in your worldview: not writing off there being any point because classic case like "not getting a job" lead one to feel they are an automatic failure; rather finding different perspectives through which small successes could be celebrated - all supporting healthier cognitive styles going forward.


Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for many psychological issues. To increase its effectiveness, it often incorporates additional strategies such as exposure therapy - gradually facing fearful situations in a secure setting to help empower the individual and manage their anxieties or behavioral activation which encourages engagement with enjoyable pursuits that assist the client's mood and motivation levels. Relaxation techniques can also be used during CBT sessions to generate feelings of calmness while making progress towards therapeutic goals.


Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation can also be helpful in managing anxiety and stress.


Homework assignments are often given between sessions to reinforce the skills and strategies learned in therapy. These may include practicing relaxation techniques, engaging in activities that bring pleasure or meaning, or practicing cognitive restructuring.


CBT has been shown to be highly effective in treating a wide range of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and eating disorders. It is often used in combination with other forms of therapy and medication.


Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is an invaluable tool for those looking to make lasting and meaningful changes in their lives, providing guidance throughout the process by helping clients identify negative patterns and replace them with constructive strategies. By partnering up with a therapist, individuals have the opportunity to gain real insight into what drives their decisions - leading to more positive results down the road!


  1. "CBT is based on the idea that how we think (cognition), how we feel (emotion), and how we act (behavior) all interact together. Specifically, our thoughts determine our feelings and our behavior." - Judith Beck

  2. "CBT is a skills-based approach that focuses on changing patterns of thinking or behavior that are causing problems, with the goal of improving emotional and mental well-being." - Aaron Beck

  3. "CBT is a powerful tool for change because it helps people recognize the connections between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors." - David Burns

  4. "The evidence base for CBT is substantial, and the effectiveness of this approach has been demonstrated in numerous clinical trials and real-world settings." - Steven Hayes

  5. "CBT is a flexible, goal-oriented therapy that is focused on identifying and changing negative thoughts and behaviors that are causing problems." - Albert Ellis

  6. "CBT has been shown to be effective for a wide range of mental health problems, including anxiety disorders, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)." - Aaron T. Beck

  7. "CBT is a collaborative and active therapy that involves setting goals, identifying negative patterns of thinking and behavior, and developing practical strategies to change them." - Judith Beck

  8. "CBT is an evidence-based therapy that has been shown to be effective in treating a wide range of mental health problems." - David Clark

  9. "CBT is a practical and solution-focused approach that helps people develop the skills they need to cope with life's challenges." - Michael Neenan

  10. "CBT is a structured and time-limited therapy that focuses on helping people achieve their goals by changing their thoughts and behaviors." - Christine Padesky.

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