“What Is CBT and Does It Actually Work” Reflection

Determining what kind of therapy is right for you can be a daunting task. A recent article published by Health Conscious titled “What Is CBT and Does It Actually Work” briefly describes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), an evidence-based treatment that has been shown to be effective for a variety of concerns.

CBT is an active and goal-oriented approach that implements researched, effective strategies. It offers a variety of treatment methods. A core principle of CBT treatments is that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interrelated. CBT often involves identifying maladaptive thoughts and behaviors and implementing strategies to build healthier habits.

The article lists an arry of cognitive behavioral therapies, including Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and more. The authors include a non-exhaustive list of possible issues that CBT can be used to treat, including relationship problems, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), mood difficulties, psychosis, chronic pain, grief, and substance issues. It is important to note that CBT can be used to treat a breadth of different issues not limited to any particular concern, although some modalities of CBT may be better for certain conditions than others.

A typical course of CBT will include an evaluation in which the therapist gathers information necessary to develop a collaborative treatment plan that is tailored to your unique presenting concerns.

CBT sessions often include both psychoeducation and homework where learned skills are practiced outside of sessions. CBT can be used both in-person and virtually which eliminates some barriers to accessibility. However, CBT is often recommended for about 8 weeks or more, which may be difficult to commit to.

You can read more details from our “What to Expect from CBT” page.

Finding the right therapist and approach for you can be difficult, but CBT can be provided in many different ways and tailored to you depending on your needs. If you are interested in pursuing CBT you can use our Find-a-Therapist tool.

Written By: Erinne Benedict

Edited By: Nicholas Crimarco, Ph.D.

Suggested Resources

What Is Cognitive Behavior Therapy?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a type of treatment that is based firmly on research findings. It places emphasis on changing your cognitions (thoughts) or behaviors (actions) in order to effect change in how you feel. These approaches help people in achieving specific changes or goals.

Changes or goals might involve:

A way of acting: like smoking less or being more outgoing;
A way of feeling: like helping a person to be less scared, less depressed, or less anxious;
A way of thinking: like learning to problem-solve or get rid of self-defeating thoughts;
A way of dealing with physical or medical problems: like reducing back pain or helping a person stick to a doctor’s suggestions.

Cognitive behavioral therapists usually focus more on the current situation and its solution, rather than the past. They concentrate on a person’s views and beliefs about their life. CBT is an effective treatment for individuals, parents, children, couples, and families. The goal of CBT is to help people improve and gain more control over their lives by changing behaviors that don’t work well to ones that do.

How to Get Help

If you are looking for help, either for yourself or someone else, you may be tempted to call someone who advertises in a local publication or who comes up from a search of the Internet. You may, or may not, find a competent therapist in this manner. It is wise to check on the credentials of a psychotherapist. It is expected that competent therapists hold advanced academic degrees. They should be listed as members of professional organizations, such as the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies or the American Psychological Association. Of course, they should be licensed to practice in your state. You can find competent specialists who are affiliated with local universities or mental health facilities or who are listed on the websites of professional organizations. You may, of course, visit our website (www.abct.org) and click on “Find a CBT Therapist”

The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) is an interdisciplinary organization committed to the advancement of a scientific approach to the understanding and amelioration of problems of the human condition. These aims are achieved through the investigation and application of behavioral, cognitive, and other evidence-based principles to assessment, prevention, and treatment.