Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a theoretical orientation used for both individual and group therapy that focuses on the link between thoughts (“cognitions”), behavior, and emotions. Research has demonstrated that CBT is the most efficacious form of treatment for several psychological problems, including depression and many forms of anxiety including panic disorder, phobias, generalized anxiety disorder, and obsessions­ compulsions. Whereas traditional insight-oriented treatment works to help you understand the impact of your childhood experience on your current functioning, CBT is a present-focused approach to therapy and the emphasis is on understanding the thoughts and behaviors that maintain symptoms, testing out new behaviors, and changing your approach to your thoughts, either by challenging maladaptive thinking or learning to accept internal experience in a non-judgmental fashion.

CBT is a collaborative, goal-oriented treatment, and you will work with your therapist to develop interventions that are best suited to your particular needs. Treatment is relatively short-term, although treatment duration is dependent on many factors including severity of symptoms and functioning, and commitment to practice between sessions. To that end, a targeted list of problems is often identified at the beginning of treatment, and you will work with your therapist to develop realistic and helpful interventions for symptoms relief. The idea is to provide you with a set of skills and tools that will help you reduce symptoms, prevent relapse, and improve overall well-being. Wellsprings therapists who practice CBT are skilled at integrating the many different techniques that fall under the “umbrella” of CBT, including

Cognitive Therapy (CT)

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)

Behavioral Activation (BA)

Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET)

Mindfulness Skills

Although each of these interventions has its own unique set of strategies, common to all of them is the idea that practicing (and doing homework) between sessions helps to enhance the therapeutic process and facilitates faster and more significant healing. Between session work may including such things as tracking your thoughts, moods, and behaviors, scheduling and completing activities, challenging negative thoughts, practicing diaphragmatic breathing and other relaxation strategies, and changing responses to others.