Treatment Utilizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
While Psychotherapy is often focused on how thought patterns, often stemming from childhood experiences, have personal meaning in your present life, CBT focuses on the relationship between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors (Positivepsychology.com).
Before we get into the therapeutic approaches, CBT holds the idea that psychological problems seem to develop from cognitive distortions.
Now, onto how we actually take control of these negative thought processes and begin to heal. There are many different therapeutic techniques used to aid in cognitive restructuring.
Albert Ellis coined the “ABC” technique, which breaks down how people develop cognitive distortions. There’s an activating event that gives someone a high emotional response, there's a negative belief about the activating event, and the consequence which involves the negative behaviors associated from the negative belief.
Therefore, ABC therapy asks patients to reinterpret their skewed belief systems which will in turn lead to more positive behavior (Positivepsychology.com). Another popular strategy that is often used for OCD or Phobias is Exposure Therapy.
This requires one to expose him or herself to the triggering experience in order to slowly reduce the intensity of the emotion evoked by that trigger (psychiatrictimes.com).
A third technique is called Cognitive Restructuring, a vital method in CBT, where one is asked to challenge negative thinking patterns in order to redevelop your reactions to problematic situations which will change his or her behavior.
In order to do this, you have to first increase your awareness of the thought. Then, you record these thoughts to identify patterns (this is what is meant by homework). Lastly, the client will ask many questions about his or her cognitive distortion in order to come to terms with the fact that it is not a rational belief (therapistaid.com).
These are just a few CBT techniques that are used to challenge cognitive distortions and change behavior. Most psychiatrists practice CBT so if you feel like you could benefit from this therapy, it is a great idea to reach out for help.
References
Cognitive Restructuring (Guide) | Therapist Aid. “Cognitive Restructuring (Guide) | Therapist Aid.” Therapist Aid, 2012, www.therapistaid.com/therapy-guide/cognitive-restructuring.
Kaplan, Johanna, and David Tolin. “Exposure Therapy for Anxiety Disorders.” Psychiatric Times, 6 Sept. 2011, www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/exposure-therapy-anxiety-disorders.
Miller, Kelly. “CBT Explained: An Overview and Summary of CBT (Incl. History).” PositivePsychology.com, 19 June 2019, positivepsychology.com/cbt/.