Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a cornerstone of psychotherapy and an approach backed by studies showing its effectiveness for many mental health disorders. Kristie Tse, MA, LMHC, NCC, and the therapists at Uncover Mental Health Counseling PLLC in Midtown Manhattan have extensive training and experience in the many types of CBT and often use it as their primary treatment. If you have questions about CBT or need to schedule an appointment, call the office in New York City or request one online today.
CBT includes several types of therapies, but they’re all grounded in one principle: How you think and behave affects your feelings. If you want to change your feelings and behaviors, you need to explore your thoughts.
In many cases, thoughts and perceptions are distorted, which in turn leads to problem behaviors and negative feelings. One example of a distorted thought process is called the all-or-none approach. If you think this way, you view yourself as a complete failure because you couldn’t do one task or test.
During CBT, your provider helps you explore your thoughts and identify negative patterns. You learn how to challenge those thoughts, compare them with facts, and learn to purposefully restructure your thoughts to fit reality.
As you shift your thought patterns, your behaviors, beliefs, and feelings change. Then you can respond to situations in healthy ways.
CBT is the main treatment for a wide range of conditions, including:
CBT helps people of all ages who have prolonged grief that doesn’t improve. This therapeutic approach is also great for those who have trouble controlling anger. In small doses, anger is appropriate and normal, as it allows you to stand up for yourself when you’re wronged and protect your needs.
However, anger that’s extreme, inappropriate, frequent, or that leads to out-of-control behavior often has serious consequences. With CBT, you can learn to recognize and resolve frustration before you snap into full-blown anger.
CBT is highly structured. You work with the team at Uncover Mental Health Counseling PLLC to define your challenges and goals. Then they give you specific tasks and strategies to follow that help you evaluate your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
These are a few examples of the different types of CBT:
Classic CBT focuses on identifying inaccurate thinking patterns and learning techniques or skills you can use to change negative behaviors and feelings.
This approach combines strategies such as mindfulness and emotional regulation with CBT.
Instead of first identifying distorted thoughts, this approach begins by identifying irrational beliefs. Then you challenge those beliefs and learn how to change the thought patterns associated with them.
To learn more about CBT or get help for a mental health condition, call Uncover Mental Health Counseling PLLC or request one online today.
