What is CBT?
CBT is short for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It’s a type of therapy based on the idea that our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors all affect each other. We can’t directly change our emotions, but we can change our thoughts and our behaviors. By changing how we think, what we believe, and how we respond in situations, we can start to feel better.
CBT can help treat the following issues:
Depression
Drug and alcohol addictions
Eating disorders/Body Dysmorphia
OCD
Social Anxiety
Sex addiction
Bipolar disorder
Anger problems
Procrastination / Changing habits
Insomnia and Sleep Issues
How does CBT work?
You want to feel better already. You’re tired of struggling. When you're having a rough time, you don’t want to waste your time on something that might not work, or that will take years to see progress. You want real tools and insights into your own mind that you can start applying to your life today.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy is the most widely researched and scientifically verified form of psychotherapy. But even more important to me is that I have seen many of my clients get better while utilizing CBT in our work together. I have also experienced the benefits personally, so I know first hand how effective it can be. By changing your thoughts and behaviors and developing a new relationship to emotions, you can start to see improvements to your mood and your life.
Like every other type of therapy, CBT also focuses on the importance of the client-therapist relationship. Therapy works best when the client feels comfortable, understood, and safe. My personal philosophy is that in order for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to be effective the client must be met with as much warmth and compassion as possible. This is something I vow to always do my best at providing.
What does a CBT session look like?
If you’ve been in talk therapy before (or at least seen it on TV) you might think that therapy is all about laying on a couch and saying whatever comes to mind. You might picture the therapist just nodding and saying “mhmm” or “tell me more about that”. CBT is pretty different than that. CBT is structured and goal-centered. Sometimes, in the beginning of treatment, you will work with your therapist to come up with concrete goals that you would like to work towards. You imagine what you would like to change in your life. Then, your therapist helps you build a road map for how to get there. If your goal is to feel less anxious, then your therapist will help you figure out how to break that down into small and manageable steps. This will improve your chance of success at leading a less anxious life.
Each session will consist of working towards at least one of your goals. There will be a balance between compassionate listening and practical tools, and problem-solving strategies used during CBT. You might fill out worksheets with your therapist that help address the issues you are working on. Or you might just practice these tools and concepts in a more informal way. A Cognitive Behavioral Therapist will also do their best to make sure the session stays on track. They will focus primarily on the issues that you feel are top priority. CBT therapists are all about efficiency and making sure you get the most out of every session. We are known for trying to make change happen as quickly as possible.
You can also expect to be given “homework.” This just means you will have something concrete to focus on or practice throughout the week. Think of it like piano lessons. If you want to get good at piano, then your teacher gives you scales and sheet music to practice every day. Think about how much better you get at it that way versus only practicing once a week when you have your lesson.
How to pick a CBT therapist
Unfortunately, there are a lot of therapists that say they do CBT, but they are actually just doing talk therapy. I don’t mean to speak ill of other therapists in any way. I just believe you as the client should be empowered with all the information to choose the right therapist. The most surefire way to know you are getting real CBT is to pick a therapist who has a degree from the Academy of Cognitive Therapy. You can find a therapist in your area by clicking here. I happen to be one such person. But I also know many amazing CBT therapists who have not chosen to pursue that certification. What is really important is that your therapist is following proper techniques. Here are some things you should notice if you are working with a proficient CBT therapist:
photo of coffee cup on a planner listing goals for the month | CBT | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy | Asheville, NC 28801
Your therapy has some goals and structure.
Your therapist helps you come to your own conclusions and decisions.
You are getting concrete tools and takeaways to improve your life.
You are invited to give feedback about what works and what doesn’t.
You are working on changing thoughts and beliefs that contribute to your distress.
You are working on changing behaviors that are impeding your life.
Your therapist is doing “psychoeducation” - teaching you about the brain, about how things like anxiety, depression, and addiction work, and teaching you about new skills to overcome these things.
You are given homework to work on between sessions (this is where the most progress occurs). If your therapist has never mentioned homework, there’s a good chance it’s not really CBT.
Begin Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Asheville, NC
If you are ready to begin emotional healing and learn useful tools to cope with emotional distress, I’d love to discuss how CBT can help.
To start Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) at my Asheville, NC counseling office, follow these three easy steps:
Call or email me to set up a free consultation
Learn about what makes Mike and Strive On Counseling different
Begin CBT and find hope and peace.
Other Mental Health Services at Strive On Counseling
If you are looking to find emotional healing, I would love to see you in our Asheville, NC counseling office. I treat a variety of mental health concerns including anxiety, counseling for chronic illness, therapy for chronic pain, substance use or addiction, therapy for family members of those struggling with addiction, and PTSD. To learn about the many other mental health concerns I treat during individual therapy click here. I use many different modalities of therapy including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), EMDR and trauma therapy, and meditation and mindfulness practices. To learn more about all the therapies I provide, please click here. Contact my counseling office for more information on how I can help you!