Many of us face challenges and difficulties that we often hide from some people, even our loved ones. No matter what you are experiencing, our CBT therapists here at Sivana Rehab are more than willing to help you navigate your journey and reclaim your sense of well-being by recognising faulty thought patterns that cause and maintain your distress.
What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a therapeutic intervention based on the underlying principles that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are interconnected and that individuals can overcome difficulties by identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts, distressing emotional responses, and problematic behaviours. This involves collaborative work between the therapist and the individual in developing skills for identifying and replacing cognitive distortions, relating to others differently, and changing behaviours.
CBT helps individuals build skills for recognising how situations are interpreted and how their thoughts influence how they feel and act. These skills are typically taught during sessions and applied outside therapy through practice and homework.
In addition, CBT is a type of talk therapy with a strong foundation in research and clinical practice. It is also a goal-driven and problem-oriented approach that provides individuals with long-term skills to maintain their wellness.
How CBT Works
The core principles of CBT operate on the idea that psychological problems are based, in part, on faulty ways of thinking and learned patterns of unhelpful behaviour. Individuals can learn better ways of coping with relieving symptoms and becoming more effective in their lives. CBT works by:
CBT sessions begin with building a therapeutic alliance between the therapist and the client, essential to improving the overall treatment outcomes. Building rapport promotes connection between them and establishes trust and healthy collaboration in working towards the desired goals. These can be achieved by creating a safe environment, accepting or welcoming, showing respect for their differences, allowing clients to say whatever they feel and validating them, and being honest and transparent.
CBT involves a rigorous assessment process crucial in identifying the client’s problems, setting treatment goals or desired outcomes, and tracking progress. A CBT therapist might ask about some details, such as what complaint brings the client into therapy, its severity, how and when it started, how it affects daily functioning, exploring what factors may have triggered or contributed to the distress, any medications taken, and past histories of CBT and other therapies. Furthermore, the assessment also allows the client to recognise how certain interpretations of a situation affect their feelings and actions.
One of the most essential parts of CBT is setting specific goals to be achieved throughout the therapeutic journey. This begins with developing a concrete understanding of what the client wants to change, for example, ‘to feel less anxious and improve mood.’ Thereafter, the therapist might ask what this goal means. And how will you know if you have met this goal? What actions are to be taken to achieve the goal? Once these questions are answered, the therapist and client work collaboratively to identify general and specific goals and ways to accomplish them.
Psychoeducation is a CBT strategy that aims to educate clients about the nature of their condition, its symptoms, how it disrupts their lives, and the treatment options available. It also discusses the rationale of the treatment, the principles of CBT, and how it works in treating a mental health condition. Understanding how the therapeutic process works is associated with high success and recovery rates.
The cognitive therapy element in CBT focuses on cognitive restructuring. This involves identifying and challenging faulty thought patterns so the client can modify, replace, and change them with healthier thoughts. Some of the most commonly identified distortions are:
Personalisation: When you feel personally responsible for things you cannot control
Catastrophising: Thinking about the worst-case scenario
All-or-Nothing Thinking: Seeing things in absolute terms, such as good or bad, success or failure
Overgeneralisation: Making a broad assumption based on limited or no evidence at all
Should Thinking: Having rules or expectations about how things or people should be
Similar to the cognitive aspect of CBT, its behaviour therapy element works on identifying problematic behaviours and modifying them to promote healthy coping methods.
One of the most commonly used techniques is behavioural activation, which encourages clients to engage in activities that they feel are rewarding or pleasurable. This includes activity scheduling, monitoring, and graded task assignments that help clients break the cycle of negative thinking and promote motivation.
In addition, CBT therapists employ exposure therapy, which involves the gradual confrontation of a fearful object or situation, to treat fear and anxiety-related disorders. Relaxation strategies such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, grounding techniques, and visualisation are also taught.
One of the characteristics that sets CBT apart from other psychotherapies is its ability to objectively evaluate the client’s treatment progress and improvement. The specific goals to be achieved throughout the therapeutic process are regularly assessed to identify what works and what does not. Based on this evaluation, the therapist and client can work together to adjust some strategies to align with the target goals.
Aside from activities and tasks done during therapy sessions, some homework may be assigned to help the therapist review progress and provide more insight into the client. Homework can be used to educate, identify faulty thoughts, and determine usual coping mechanisms. Some of the most commonly assigned homework includes journalling or thought recording, behavioural experiments, behavioural activation activities, and bibliotherapy.
What CBT Can Help With
CBT is a versatile therapy that can be utilised by both children and adults and can be delivered either in individual or group therapy. CBT has been long recognised as one of the standard treatments for individuals with
What to Expect from CBT Sessions
In a typical CBT session, individuals can expect the following:
The CBT process is generally time-limited because the therapist and the client agree on a specific time frame or number of sessions to achieve the therapeutic goals. This time-limited nature of CBT also encourages individuals to take an active role in the treatment.
CBT’s structured nature allows the therapist and individual to set clear, concrete, and measurable goals to be achieved throughout the process. This ensures that the strategies used in therapy sessions remain relevant and efficient in helping the individual reduce symptoms and improve overall wellness.
Unlike other psychotherapeutic interventions, CBT does not delve too deeply into the individual’s past experiences. Instead, it focuses on understanding what is contributing to and maintaining psychological distress in the present moment.
Benefits of CBT
CBT is a well-established and widely accepted approach to treating a wide range of mental health conditions. It is preferred by many professionals because of its effectiveness, as shown in research and clinical practice. Some of the key benefits of CBT include:
It can be delivered either as an individual or group therapy set-up.
It can be used as a standalone treatment or as an additional intervention.
Improvement can be seen in a short period of time or in a few sessions.
It can determine irrational thoughts, dysfunctional emotions, and maladaptive behaviours.
It teaches various coping skills to deal with distress and daily stressors.
Get Treated by CBT Therapists at Sivana Rehab
In today’s world, various treatments are simply around the corner. However, we understand that finding the right one that fits your needs and preferences can be challenging.
If you feel that CBT might be helpful or if you are not sure what treatment is best for your condition, Sivana Rehab is here to assist you. Our team comprises highly trained and qualified mental health professionals who specialise in various modalities, including CBT.
Connect with us and begin your mental health journey
FAQ's
Is CBT Effective?
Yes. Numerous research studies and evidence from clinical practice have consistently demonstrated its effectiveness in treating various conditions. CBT has evolved over time and continues to revolutionise the realm of psychotherapies, with each wave bringing unique contributions to improve its effectiveness for various mental health disorders.
Who Provides CBT?
Licensed mental health professionals who have undergone training are qualified to provide cognitive behaviour therapy. These typically include psychologists, psychiatrists, counsellors, and therapists.
What are the 3 C’s in CBT?
The 3Cs stand for ‘Catch, Check, and Change.’ This simplified version of CBT allows children and adolescents to easily understand its principles and how it works. First, they ‘catch’ the thought associated with a specific experience of negative emotion.
Second, they ‘Check’ these thoughts by gathering evidence against them or considering alternative interpretations of the situation. Third, once they have mastered the previous steps, they learn how to ‘Change’ those thoughts.