Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) isn’t a new concept; it’s been around for over 80 years. But, in recent years, it’s started to come back as a useful and reliable approach. In fact, it’s being hailed as highly successful in the way it provides day-to-day relief from many mental health issues.

 

Today, we’re going to share with you some of CBT’s tools and techniques. Read our Cognitive Behavioral Therapy101 guide to learn more.

 

Let’s get started.

 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 101

 

So, what is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy exactly? CBT is a blend of cognitive and behavioral therapy treatments that were developed in the 1960s by Aaron T. Beck.

 

This type of psychotherapy is based on the belief that our thinking controls how our lives turn out. In other words, how we think (cognition), the way we act (behavior), and the way we feel (emotion) are all connected.

 

The main focus of almost every CBT session is on how to shift our thinking from negative to positive. It also aims at overcoming self-defeating behavior, which ultimately leads to recurring episodes of depression and anxiety.

 

CBT can work on its own or in combination with other types of therapies. Either way, it helps us reduce our anxiety levels. More importantly, it teaches us various hands-on ways to deal with stressful situations.

 

The job of a CBT therapist is to try and get us to change our negative thought patterns to be more positive and hopeful. By changing our thinking, we can regain control over our lives. They encourage us to shift our mindsets for the better, regardless of what’s going on in our lives.

 

CBT is suitable for almost all types of mental and emotional health issues. Although, it’s more typically used to help treat the following:

 

• Anxiety and mood disorders
• Various disorders, such as PTSD, eating, or panic disorders
• Depression
• Anger management
• Chronic fatigue
• Certain phobias, such as agoraphobia

 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Goals

 

CBT has proven to be effective in allowing us to take charge of our lives, rather than letting external forces manipulate us. One way it’s proven its success is that it sets realistic goals. It also encourages clients to take an active part in therapy by directing their attention to the present instead of focusing on the past.

 

Most therapists will assign clients various tasks to complete on their own. These tasks are an opportunity to modify thought patterns. They also help establish healthy, practical coping methods.

 

Check out a few other goals that you can achieve through CBT:

 

• Recognize that you’ve become stuck in a pattern of unhealthy thought patterns
• Turn negative thoughts into positive, more realistic ones
• Make the right choices in difficult situations
• Have faith in your ability to make good choices

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Sessions

 

The beauty of CBT is that it doesn’t stick to one formula and try to apply it to everyone. It’s malleable and easily customizable.

 

Yet, every therapist has one aim in mind: to help their client achieve a certain goal. Depending on the situation, each goal has to be SMART, as in:

 

• Specific to you and the current events happening in your life
• Measurable goals need to be broken down into elements you can gauge and assess weekly
• Achievable goals are those that get you out of your comfort zone while still being possible to do
• Realistic goals give you a practical target to strive toward and help contribute to what you want to achieve in life
• Time-bound goals have a start and completion date so you can learn how to divide your time wisely and get more done.

 

Here’s a general outline of what you can expect to happen in a CBT session:

 

1. Check the overall mood
2. Review events of the previous week and identify negative thoughts
3. Talk about the assigned ‘task’ including which goals were met and which weren’t 
4. Discuss how to reshape thinking patterns that may be contributing to the problem
5. Set a new set of goals for the upcoming week
6. Assign a new ‘task’

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Pros and Cons

 

We’ve seen how CBT is effective and can be useful in treating many mental health issues. Yet, as with everything, it has its benefits and drawbacks.

 

Pros

• Is considered to be short-term compared with other forms of therapy
• Works great in cases where medicine, like antidepressants, doesn’t work by itself
• CBT techniques are available in different formats, such as self-help books, group therapies, and apps
• Teaches practical coping methods that you can apply in everyday life, both during and after treatment 

Cons

• Isn’t suited for those with learning difficulties or complex mental health issues
• Doesn’t delve into past problems, which could be the underlying cause of the problem
• Regular CBT sessions and ‘tasks’ can be time-consuming
• Involves facing your anxiety, which can be difficult for some people

 

A Final Note

 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has become a highly sought-after treatment method. It’s suitable for many mental health issues because it can be customized to each client’s individual needs.

 

Find a knowledgeable therapist who can help you pinpoint the right CBT techniques for you. This way, you get personalized treatment to help bring about the positive changes you need in your life.

 

Have One Week, Will Relax: Your 7-Day Program to Stress Management

They say there's more than one way to skin a cat. The same goes when you start tearing your hair out with all the frustration, grief, anxiety, and yes, stress. It's a state of mental conditioning that is like taking that bitter pill down your throat, causing you to lose your sense of self, and worse your sanity. Just thinking about it can drive anyone off the edge.

 

And they say that the proactive ones are already living off the edge.

 

As one stressed-out person to another, I know how it feels, and believe me there are many variants when it comes to stress. Coping with life, and carrying the problems that may or may not belong to you can scratch away the little joy and happiness that you can carry once you head out that door. You can't blame them for being like that; they have their own reasons, so much like we have our reasons to allow stress to weigh us down. They say that stress is all in the mind, well, what's bugging you anyway?

 

There are several ways to manage stress, and eventually remove it out of your life one of these days. So I'll try to divide it into a seven-day course for you and I promise it's not going to be too taxing on the body, as well as on the mind.

 

1.    Acknowledge Stress is Good

 

Make stress your friend! Based on the body's natural "fight or flight" response, that burst of energy will enhance your performance at the right moment. I've yet to see a top sportsman totally relaxed before a big competition. Use stress wisely to push yourself that little bit harder when it counts most.

 

2.    Avoid Stress Sneezers

 

Stressed people sneeze stress germs indiscriminately and before you know it, you are infected too!

 

Protect yourself by recognizing stress in others and limiting your contact with them. Or if you've got the inclination, play stress doctor and teach them how to better manage themselves.

 

3.    Learn From the Best

 

When people around are losing their head, who keeps calm? What are they doing differently? What is their attitude? What language do they use? Are they trained and experienced? 

 

Figure it out from afar or sit them down for a chat. Learn from the best stress managers and copy what they do.

 

4.    Practice Socially-Acceptable Heavy Breathing

 

This is something I've learned from a gym instructor: You can trick your body into relaxing by using heavy breathing. Breathe in slowly for a count of 7 then breathe out for a count of 11. Repeat the 7-11 breathing until your heart rate slows down, your sweaty palms dry off and things start to feel more normal.

 

5.    Give ‘Stressy’ Thoughts the Red Light

 

It is possible to tangle yourself up in a stress knot all by yourself. "If this happens, then that might happen and then we're all up the creek!" Most of these things never happen, so why waste all that energy worrying needlessly?

 

Give stress thought-trains the red light and stop them in their tracks. Okay so it might go wrong - how likely is that, and what can you do to prevent it?

 

6.    Know Your Trigger Points and Hot Spots

 

Presentations, interviews, meetings, giving difficult feedback, and tight deadlines. My heart rate is cranking up just writing these down!

 

Make your own list of stress trigger points or hot spots. Be specific. Is it only presentations to a certain audience that get you worked up? Does one project cause more stress than another? Did you drink too much coffee?

 

Knowing what causes you stress is powerful information, as you can take action to make it less stressful. Do you need to learn some new skills? Do you need extra resources? Do you need to switch to decaf?

 

7.    Burn the Candle at One End

 

Lack of sleep, poor diet and no exercise wreaks havoc on our body and mind. Kind of obvious, but worth mentioning as it's often ignored as a stress management technique. Listen to your mother and don't burn the candle at both ends!

 

So having stress can be a total drag, but that should not hinder us to find the inner peace of mind that we have wanted for a long time. In any case, one could always go to the Bahamas and bask under the summer sun.