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Basically, there’s a good chance youve either received CBT or know someone who has.
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So what is it?
Does it really alleviate psychological distress, and if so, how?
How much does it cost, and can you just use the techniques on your own?
These kinds of details can be a mystery to the general public.
Lets dig into them one at a time.
CBT is one of scores of treatment methods used in psychotherapy.
By intentionally shifting them toward healthier, more productive goals, we can alleviate distress.
Is it right for you?
Thats a difficult question.
Do your problems concern how you think and behave?
For example, are you ruminating about a past breakup or finding yourself mindlessly shopping online?
If so, then yes, you could probably benefit from CBT.
One of the reasons CBT is so well-known and widely used is because it has been studied so extensively.
It is a good modality to study because it emphasizes brief, direct, solution-oriented interventions.
It also means you get to see quick results.
This is where homework comes in.
as he redirects his thoughts to something more positive like an affirmation or a meditation app.
Homework may involve practicing this technique at least once every day until the next session.
This brings up one of the major differences between CBT and many other forms of therapy.
According toDonald Meichenbaum, one of the founders of CBT, [We ask] what and how questions.
Why questions are not very productive.
Rather than examiningwhyyou are afraid of snakes, CBT focuses on helping you reduce your fear.
For them, deeper approaches like psychodynamic therapy may be more satisfying.
Have you ever kept a gratitude journal?
What about monitoring your donut intake?
Have you tracked your daily steps or monitored your sleep?
Then youre already applying some of the principles of CBT in your everyday life.
Maybe they want to explore their memories, dreams, and early relationships with guidance from their therapist.
CBT is not without its critiques, as even Dr. Hsia admits.
Fair criticisms of CBT highlight its one-size-fits-all assumptions about what helps people get better, he says.
Ryan Howes, Ph.D., ABPP, is a licensed clinical therapist who practices in Pasadena, California.
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