The word "THERAPY" written in vintage wooden letterpress type.
Therapy Services

A Guide To Different Types of Therapy: ACT vs CBT vs DBT

If you’re considering therapy, the sheer amount of options can be overwhelming. 

While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to therapy, understanding the different types of therapy available can help you decide which type might be right for you. 

Let’s take a look at three popular types of therapy: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). 

Who Should Seek Therapy?

Everyone can reap the benefits from therapy at one point or another. 

Therapy can have incredible advantages for people from a variety of backgrounds and circumstances. Everyone from busy corporate executives, to stay-at-home parents, to teenagers, to retired adults have found therapy to be an invaluable method of self-improvement. 

Not only this, but any person who is struggling with a mental health issue – including depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance use disorder or any other – could find great relief from speaking with a licensed therapist. 

Additionally, those seeking increased self-esteem or general emotional support could also benefit from the counseling process. 

Ultimately, it’s important that everyone understands they don’t need to face issues alone; professional help is available and is often life changing.

Female hand trying to connect a missing jigsaw puzzle of human brain

ACT vs CBT vs DBT: 

There’s no question about it: mental health is extremely important and everyone should strive to maintain good mental health. 

To do this, there are three different types of therapies that may be useful for different needs. 

These include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). 

Although all three therapies focus on increasing self-awareness and teaching skills to create a life worth living, they approach the process in different ways. 

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT):

ACT is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on increasing psychological flexibility by helping people accept their thoughts and feelings without judgment or trying to change them. This allows them to move forward with their lives in line with their values, even if they have unpleasant thoughts or feelings.

What Strategies Are Used In ACT?

  • Acceptance-Based Coping: This strategy encourages individuals to acknowledge difficult situations and emotions but strive not to be controlled by them. 
  • Cognitive Defusion: Another common technique is cognitive defusion which helps people develop psychological distance from their thoughts and allow themselves to tolerate distress instead of trying to control it. 
  • Behavior Change Strategies: ACT practitioners often use behavior change strategies such as identifying a value-guided plan with the aim of taking action while still maintaining an overall sense of wellbeing. 
  • Meta-Awareness: This strategy helps increase self-observation and reflection in order to recognize patterns in thoughts or behavior that might be harmful or disruptive. 

By utilizing these four strategies along with other techniques tailored to each individual’s needs, ACT can be highly effective in promoting meaningful lifestyle changes while increasing resilience and resilience.

Who Is Best Fit For ACT?

People best-suited for ACT therapy are those that want to break out of negative thought patterns, address unhealthy personal habits such as avoidance, look inwards at self-defeating behavior patterns, and take meaningful steps toward making positive life changes. 

This type of therapy is helpful in treating mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, OCD and substance abuse. 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): 

CBT is a form of talk therapy that focuses on identifying negative thought patterns and changing them into more positive ones. Unlike ACT, CBT focuses on actively challenging these negative thoughts in order to help patients reframe situations in healthier ways. 

It also helps patients learn coping skills and problem solving strategies that can be used in future situations. 

What Strategies Are Used In CBT?

  • Cognitive Restructuring/Reframing: Cognitive restructuring involves actively analyzing negative and irrational thought patterns, challenging them and then replacing them with more rational thoughts. Reframing involves looking at a situation from a different perspective to identify new opportunities for growth or explore alternative possibilities. 
  • Guided Discovery:  This technique involves asking questions that guide the client in exploring the impacts of self-talk and underlying beliefs on their behavior and mood. Through this process of uncovering meaning, clients are enabled to better understand themselves and resolve difficult mental health issues.
  • Journaling: This method of CBT means taking the time to properly and thoroughly record experiences and thoughts on paper, allowing individuals to gain insight into their behavior patterns, assess triggers for issues they are facing, and track progress over time. Journaling focuses on the identification and evaluation of thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs and how they translate into behaviors. As such, an individual can look back at their writings as a way to understand why certain reactions occur in certain circumstances. 

Who Is Best Fit For CBT?

CBT is an excellent choice for individuals who value structure, are motivated to make meaningful changes that stick, and are open to self-reflection and experimentation. Additionally, practical tools developed through CBT can be particularly beneficial for those trying to cope with ongoing life stressors such as relationship problems or work stress.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): 

What does dbt stand for? DBT focuses on helping patients learn skills related to emotional regulation, interpersonal effectiveness and distress tolerance. Components of dialectical behavior therapy emphasize the importance of balancing acceptance with change in order to effectively manage difficult emotions without getting overwhelmed by them or engaging in self-destructive behaviors. 

What Strategies Are Used In DBT?

Strategies are based on the “four stages of dialectical behavior therapy” that encourage the patient to explore various emotional states and find healthy ways to cope with distress and other distressing symptoms. 

These stages are: 

  • Mindfulness: In the first stage, the focus is on being present in the moment while accepting oneself with unconditional positive regard and validating experiences as they occur. This helps to reduce rumination and create healthier coping strategies for intense emotions. Mindfulness involves paying attention to each experience without judgment or criticism and encourages living in the “here and now”. 
  • Interpersonal Effectiveness: During this phase, participants build strong interpersonal skills such as engaging in active listening, respecting boundaries, and navigating relationships due to the individualized attention of their therapist. Additionally, patients learn how to present interests effectively while still respecting the other person’s opinion or point of view. This stage was particularly developed for those who struggle with maintaining close relationships; learning how to apply interpersonal effectiveness skills can help free individuals from damaging patterns of behavior influenced by anxious feelings.
  • Emotion Regulation: In this stage, individuals learn to recognize and label their own emotions through creating a “mindfulness skill set” that includes rapid emotion identification and conscious choice making. Patients are taught how to accept and validate their own emotional experiences as well as those of others, while also tailoring individualized coping strategies to challenging situations.
  • Distress Tolerance: As part of distress tolerance, individuals are encouraged to recognize and tolerate pain in difficult situations without being overwhelmed by strong urges to escape or avoid them. Techniques used for distress tolerance include logical problem solving, accepting reality, learning perspective, improving one’s mood by focusing on other activities, creating self-soothing plans and using self-distraction tactics.

Who Is Best Fit For DBT?

DBT can be beneficial for people looking to better manage their emotions, regulate their behaviors, and improve communication between themselves and others. 

It’s an especially ideal treatment option for those dealing with issues such as mood disorders, suicidal thoughts, or aggressive behavior; however, it can also aid those who suffer from anxiety, intense experiences of shame or guilt, difficulty managing stress, and some eating disorders.

In addition, people struggling with substance abuse and addiction have shown success integrating dialectical behavior therapy with the twelve-steps. This combination of therapies ensures that people achieve long-term recovery through a balance of self-acceptance and change.

Conclusion: 

All three types of therapies have been proven effective for treating many common mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. 

Ultimately, the best way to determine which type of therapy would be most beneficial for you is by talking with your therapist about your specific needs and goals for treatment so they can determine which type would be most helpful for you based on your individual needs. 

Whatever type of therapy you choose though, remember that it takes time—but it will be worth it! With dedication and consistency you’ll see results soon enough!

Resources:

https://www.verywellmind.com/dialectical-behavior-therapy-1067402

https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cognitive-behavioral-therapy/about/pac-20384610

https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-is-acceptance-and-commitment-therapy#:~:text=Acceptance%20and%20commitment%20therapy%20(ACT,of%20dwelling%20on%20the%20negative.

https://positivepsychology.com/act-acceptance-and-commitment-therapy/#:~:text=Acceptance%20and%20Commitment%20Therapy%20(ACT)%20encourages%20people%20to%20embrace%20their,therapy%20offers%20clinically%20effective%20treatment.

Read More
PTSD, Therapy Services

How Can Therapy Help Me Overcome My PTSD?

Does it feel like fear and guilt are always looming in the background of your life? Does sudden sadness take over sometimes with no warning?

If so, you might be living with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – a condition connected to traumatic experiences from one’s past. PTSD can make the world feel like a distant place, with loved ones feeling unreachable and everyday tasks unattainable. It is an unrelenting condition that gives its sufferers no escape from its barrage of unbearable symptoms. Thankfully, therapy is a great option for anyone looking to gain control of their lives again.

Let’s explore how therapy can help individuals suffering from PTSD.

Depression Concept with Human, Broken Brain and Heavy Rain
Depression Concept with Heavy Rain directly aimed at depressive Human Profile with a broken Brain. Illustrated with Chalk on Blackboard

How Do I Know If I’m Suffering From PTSD?

PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, has become more common as awareness grows
around it. But, how can you be sure if PTSD is what’s driving your inner-turmoil?

Symptoms of PTSD can range from mild to severe and can begin immediately after a traumatic event or show up months later. Signs such as difficulty in relationships, nightmares, panic attacks and avoidance behaviors towards certain places or activities may all indicate that PTSD is impacting your life.

However, the only way to be certain if PTSD is the underlying cause is to consult a mental health professional who can evaluate your symptoms and help create a personalized treatment plan if necessary. Don’t suffer in silence – understanding PTSD starts with consulting someone who can help.
What Is Therapy?

Therapy is an incredibly important tool that can help individuals in many different ways. It
provides a safe, non-judgemental environment where someone can explore parts of
themselves, find emotional resolution, and make meaningful changes to their life.

It is often described as a collaborative process between the therapist and the client.
The therapist helps the client to draw on their own resources and insights by posing thoughtful questions and offering strategies for addressing challenges in their lives.
Ultimately, therapy is an essential part of growth that can provide new perspectives and cultivate personal understanding.

What Are The Different Types Of Trauma Therapy?

PTSD therapies come in many shapes and sizes, so finding the right one for you is key.
Psychotherapy can include cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps individuals understand their PTSD better, as well as counseling that allows individuals to work through any underlying trauma or mental health problems.

For those looking for a more physical approach, neurological techniques such as Neurofeedback Training are also available. This focuses on measuring and regulating brain activity with advanced EEG monitoring systems in order to help PTSD sufferers regain control of their thoughts and emotions.

No matter which type of PTSD therapy is chosen, the main goal remains the same – to manage symptoms and allow those with PTSD to return to a healthy life.

Psychotherapy: Cognitive Processing Therapy

PTSD can have a huge impact on someone’s life, and cognitive reprocessing therapy is a greatoption to help manage it.This specific form of psychotherapy focuses on helping individuals reframe the thoughts and memories that trigger PTSD symptoms. It helps people in distress reassess their traumatic experiences so they can move past them without reliving the trauma each time.

It’s also effective for working through why certain situations evoke strong responses and how to better cope, making it an invaluable PTSD therapy choice for anyone looking for relief.

Psychotherapy: Prolonged Exposure Therapy

Prolonged exposure therapy is a PTSD therapy that, rather than avoiding the memories of
traumatic events, helps individuals confront them through detailed re-telling of the situation and related management of fear.

It has been found to be one of the most successful PTSD therapies, which is perhaps why it is long-term—individuals can benefit from it spread over an extended period. Sessions are tailored to each participant’s traumas, allowing for personalised treatment so that
recovery can begin as soon as possible. It is a safe and effective way to aid those suffering from PTSD in recovery, but also has been used by people who experienced other traumas such as single event trauma or bullying.

Neurological: Eye Movement Desensitization and Response

EMDR works by connecting cognitive information with biologic trauma reactions and allowing the patient to process the traumatic event in a safe environment.

It involves having the person track bilateral stimulation, such as alternating sounds or
side-to-side eye motions, to help decrease activation of trauma memories.
EMDR offers PTSD victims an innovative and effective approach to treating their condition, thus providing them with greater psychological freedom and life satisfaction.

Neurological: Emotional Freedom Technique

The premise of EFT is that a person will talk through their traumatic experience while physically tapping on acupuncture points around the body.

This practice serves to desensitize a person from their PTSD triggers, creating more neural
pathways in their brain and ultimately allowing them to develop more control over their
emotions.

While the efficacy of this type of PTSD therapy is yet to be conclusively proven, many
proponents believe that it could provide an empowering alternative in PTSD treatment.

What Is The Best Treatment For PTSD?

When it comes to how to treat PTSD, every psychiatrist has their own favorite flavor of therapy. Some like to babble on psychoanalytically about the root cause, some swear by specific treatments, and others just rely on time for emotional healing.

But if there’s one thing that far outshines the rest when it comes to treating PTSD, it’s targeted trauma-focused therapy. Trauma therapy programs work swiftly and effectively in helping PTSD sufferers break free from the chains of trauma, allowing them to begin the process of healing in a healthier, more meaningful way.

So if you’re looking for the very best kind of therapy to help you cope with your post-traumatic stress disorder – you may want to consider it!

Female hand trying to connect a missing jigsaw puzzle of human brain on gray background. Creative idea for solving problem, memory loss, dementia or Alzheimer’s disease concept. Mental health care.

The Benefits of Trying Therapy For PTSD:

PTSD can cause us to feel disconnected from ourselves and the people who love us, as we try to make sense of PTSD’s effects on our lives. But PTSD is also treatable, and therapy is an important part of that process.

A few ways therapy can help you overcome your PTSD:

  1. Relief from symptoms:

    Many people who suffer from PTSD find that their symptoms
    improve after starting therapy. This can include a decrease in flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, and depression.

  2. Improved relationships:

    PTSD can often strain relationships with family, friends, and
    partners. Therapy can help to improve communication and build trust.

  3. Greater self-awareness:

    Therapy can help you to understand your triggers and how to cope
    with them. This can lead to greater self-awareness and control over your emotions.

  4. Coping skills:

    Therapy can teach you healthy coping mechanisms to deal with your PTSD
    symptoms. This can include relaxation techniques, journaling, and exposure therapy.

  5. Hope:

    For many people suffering from PTSD, therapy offers hope for a better future. It can
    help you to see that your symptoms are manageable and that you can live a happy and fulfilling life despite your diagnosis.


Is Therapy The Key To Unlocking Your PTSD?

PTSD can be an incredibly difficult disorder to live with, but, if you live in Maryland, Gemini
Health can guide you in beginning the journey of recovery. While the process is often hard and lengthy, there are many people who have turned to PTSD therapy and have found it to be the best choice they make for themselves.

Through PTSD therapy, people find a safe haven to talk with a professional and share their stories without fear of judgment or consequence. Sessions often provide individuals with fresh perspectives and new ways of thinking about how to cope with their PTSD symptoms. PTSD therapy offers benefits that no other form of treatment can provide: true healing from the inside out. With PTSD therapy, many individuals gain confidence, security, and even a newfound purpose in life.

For these reasons and more, pursuing PTSD therapy is almost always worth it—and most
who try it don’t regret their decision!

Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/health/ptsd-treatment#neurological-therapies
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd-and-complex-ptsd/symptoms/
https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/treatments/prolonged-exposure
https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/treatments/eye-movement-reprocessing
https://www.reliasmedia.com/articles/142914-emotional-freedom-technique-and-post-traumatic stress disorder

Read More
Anxiety, Therapy Services

Types of Therapy For Anxiety

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Anxiety: 

For years, the go-to treatment for anxiety disorders was medication. But what if there was a way to train your brain to think differently about anxiety. That’s where cognitive behavioral therapy comes in. 

Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is a type of therapy that focuses on changing the way you think about anxiety. This, in turn, can change the way you feel and behave. CBT is different from other types of therapies because it is usually shorter-term and more focused on problem-solving. 

Types of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy:

There are different types of CBT, but they all share the same goal: to change the way you think about anxiety. Some of the most common types of CBT are: 

• Exposure therapy: This type of therapy helps you face your fears head-on. With exposure therapy, you’ll gradually work up to facing your fear in real life. For example, if you’re afraid of flying, exposure therapy might involve watching videos about flying, looking at pictures of airplanes, or even going to the airport and watching planes take off and land. 

• Cognitive restructuring: This type of therapy helps you identify and challenge negative thinking patterns. Once you’re able to identify these patterns, you can start to change them.

• Relaxation and stress management: This type of therapy teaches you how to relax your mind and body when you’re feeling anxious. Relaxation techniques might include deep breathing exercises or progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). 

Biofeedback Therapy For Anxiety: 

Biofeedback therapy is a form of treatment that uses sensors to monitor your body’s physiological response to stressors. 

The aim of biofeedback therapy is to help you become more aware of your body’s natural stress response so that you can learn to control it. Biofeedback therapy has been shown to be effective in treating a variety of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder.

Biofeedback therapy usually involves two different types of sensors: one to measure your heart rate and one to measure your skin conductance. The sensors are connected to a machine that displays your physiological data in real time. As you relax, you’ll see your heart rate slow down and your skin conductance decrease.

During the session, the therapist will guide you through a series of relaxation exercises. As you practice relaxing, you’ll begin to associate the physical sensations of relaxation with the exercises themselves. Over time, this will help you learn to control your body’s stress response so that you can manage your anxiety outside of the therapy sessions.

Female hand trying to connect a missing jigsaw puzzle of human brain on gray background. Creative idea for solving problem, memory loss, dementia or Alzheimer’s disease concept. Mental health care.

Rapid Resolution Therapy For Anxiety:

Rapid resolution therapy (RRT) is a newer type of therapy that is designed to help you resolve the underlying issues that are causing your anxiety. While RRT is a brief treatment, usually lasting only 3-5 sessions, it has been shown to be very effective in treating anxiety disorders. 

The first step in RRT is to identify the core beliefs that are causing your anxiety. Once these beliefs have been identified, the therapist will work with you to challenge and reframe them. 

One of the key features of RRT is that it uses a number of techniques to help you resolve your anxiety. These techniques include cognitive behavioral therapy, hypnosis, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). 

Occupational Therapy For Anxiety Disorders: 

Occupational therapy (OT) is a type of therapy that helps you learn new skills and find new ways to cope with your anxiety symptoms. OT can help you manage your anxiety by teaching you how to better handle stressful situations, how to relax, and how to take care of yourself both mentally and physically. 

For people with anxiety disorders, occupational therapy can help them learn how to manage their symptoms and participate in the activities they love without letting their anxiety take over. 

Here are a few ways that occupational therapy can help people with anxiety disorders:

1. Identifying Triggers

One of the first things an occupational therapist will do is help you identify what triggers your anxiety. Once you know what your triggers are, you can start to develop a plan for how to deal with them.

2. Developing Coping Skills

Another way that occupational therapists can help people with anxiety disorders is by teaching them coping skills. Coping skills are techniques that can help you manage your anxiety at the moment. Some common coping skills include deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, and guided imagery. 

3. Practicing Relaxation Techniques

In addition to teaching you coping skills, your occupational therapist can also teach you relaxation techniques that can help reduce your overall anxiety levels. Relaxation techniques such as yoga, Tai Chi, and meditation can all be helpful in managing anxiety disorders. 

4. Improving Sleep Habits: If you have an anxiety disorder, chances are good that you also have trouble sleeping. This is because anxiety can cause racing thoughts and make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep throughout the night. An occupational therapist can work with you on developing better sleep habits and teach you relaxation techniques that can help you fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night.

Anxiety: The Most Common Mental Illness In America

If you’re struggling with anxiety that feels out of your control, know that you’re not alone—anxiety disorders are very common. Thankfully there are many effective treatments available that can help you manage your symptoms and live a healthy, happy life. 

If you think you may have an anxiety disorder, talk to your doctor, a mental health professional, or give us a call at 301-363-1063 to get started on your road to recovery today.

Sources:

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9536-anxiety-disorders

https://psychcentral.com/anxiety/managing-anxiety-with-biofeedback#:~:text=Biofeedback%20is%20a%20type%20of,few%20reported%20negative%20side%20effects.

https://www.inspiredbyhopecounselingllc.com/blog/2018/4/23/rapid-resolution-therapy-what-is-it-and-how-does-it-help-with-trauma

Read More
Therapy Services

What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

 CBT is a form of talk therapy that helps people identify negative thought patterns and behaviors and change those patterns/behaviors. It is a valuable tool in mental healthcare that can considerably improve the quality of life and a person’s ability to function in daily activities. 

According to the American Psychological Association, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of psychological treatment that has shown to be an effective way to target a range of mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, drug addiction, eating disorders, and severe mental illnesses. CBT is a form of talk therapy that helps people identify negative thought patterns and behaviors and change those patterns/behaviors. It is a valuable tool in mental healthcare that can considerably improve the quality of life and a person’s ability to function in daily activities. This therapy can also be good for those who are not necessarily struggling with a mental health disorder, but simply struggle with stressful life situations and need help with learning how to cope.

A common form of psychotherapy, it is actually a combination of two different therapies known as cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy.  

  • Cognitive therapy: This type of therapy is meant to focus on someone’s thoughts, attitudes, and expectations. A cognitive therapist will help someone recognize their thought patterns and work with them to change false or distressing ideas. Targeting negative thoughts is important in terms of how someone might perceive situations and the way it can affect their day-to-day lifeday-to-day. For example, a person might over-generalize a situation and make it out to be bigger in their heads than it actually is. The cognitive therapist would help someone recognize when they are doing this so that they can change their thoughts and they can go on with what they are doing. 
  • Behavioral therapy: The theory behind this type of therapy is that behaviors are learned and can be unlearned or changed in order to improve someone’s quality of life. A behavioral therapist will work with someone to identify the behavioral patterns that are having negative effects on their life and then help them to change those behaviors. For example, someone with panic disorder will worry about having a panic attack to the point that they will actually give themselves a panic attack and the cycle will continue. A behavioral therapist will teach that person techniques, like breathing exercises, so that they can calm themselves down when they start to have a panic attack. 

The History Behind CBT 

Cognitive behavioral therapy came about in the 1960s when it was founded by Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis. Both men had been trained as psychoanalysts and were dissatisfied with the lack of results they were seeing with the therapy. They looked to develop a better and more effective way to treat anxiety, depression, and other related disorders. Ellis created rational emotive behavior therapy and Beck developed cognitive behavior therapy, which drew from the philosophies of rational emotive behavior therapy.  

Why Try Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? 

Cognitive behavioral therapy isn’t a one-size-fits all, but it is recognized for being very effective for numerous people and with a wide variety of issues. One of the biggest reasons it is so successful is because it actually focuses on identifying the issue and solving it, unlike previous approaches like psychoanalysis. It gives people the tools they need to be able to handle their problems as they come, with the end goal being to send people out of therapy and them not needing to return. Those who go through CBT are taught that they need to build new habits and continuously practice the methods shown to them in a mindful way. CBT can be helpful with the following mental health conditions: 

-Anxiety Disorders 

-Depression 

-Obsessive Compulsive Disorder 

-PTSD 

-Phobias 

-Sexual Disorders 

-Sleep Disorders 

-Eating Disorders 

-Bipolar Disorders 

-Schizophrenia 

-Substance Abuse 

Cognitive behavioral therapy can also be combined with medication, such as antidepressants, for optimal treatment. There is evidence that CBT can treat those with chronic pain, as well. CBT tries to reduce pain through changing physical sensations, catastrophic thinking, and maladaptive behaviors.  

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Approaches 

CBT therapists will work with people to figure out their individual approach and treatment needs are. There are a number of strategies that they might employ to address both the thought and behavior aspects of a mental health disorder. Some of those strategies could be: 
 

-Changing thought patterns by having someone realize their distorted thinking and getting them to have a more realistic viewpoint on situations. 

-Giving people better problem-solving skills so they can cope when things get hard. 

-Inspiring people to have more self-confidence in themselves and their abilities. 

-Demonstrating more of an understanding of the actions of others. 

-Having someone face their fears rather than continuing to avoid them. 

-Role-play to work through potential situations and interactions with others. 

-Teaching relaxation techniques so people are able to calm themselves when they begin to get stressed or anxious. 

Therapists will also assign homework so people can start to apply what they learn from their sessions in their day-to-day activities. This helps solidify the changes in thoughts and behaviors and increases the chances that someone will not need to return to therapy. The primary focus in CBT is the events going on in someone’s life currently, rather than past experiences. Although, there will be some discussion of a person’s past to give a better understanding of who they are. The point though is to look towards the present and future to develop the necessary coping skills to better handle difficult situations. 

What to Expect with CBT 

Cognitive behavioral treatment can be done in one-on-one sessions or in groups and it can take some time to find the right therapist for you, so do not feel disheartened if your therapist is not a good fit. You can generally find therapists for cognitive behavioral therapy through a referral from your general physician or through your insurance provider. Some employers also offer counseling services or referral programs as part of your health benefits package. Also, keep in mind that not all counselors have the same qualifications or titles. So, if that is something that is important to you then you need to check their credentials. For example, if you would like a therapist who can prescribe medication as well then you will need to find a licensed psychiatrist.  

Your first session will mostly consist of your therapist gathering your history, figuring out what your goals are and what you want to get out of therapy, and seeing if they are a good match for you. The therapist will also decide on the course of your therapy treatment and what your sessions will focus on. This is a type of talk therapy, so your therapist will encourage you to discuss your thoughts and feelings to help you begin to work through your issues. CBT is generally effective in a relatively short amount of time and sessions can range from about 5 to 20. 

Just remember that if you truly want CBT to be effective then that means you have to be willing to put in the work. You have to be able to be open and honest with your therapist, even if it makes you uncomfortable. They are not there to judge you, but simply to help you. You also have to be sure to attend all your sessions and not skip any, otherwise, you won’t get the full benefits. Putting in the work also means completing all “homework” assignments because they are meant to give you practice in applying what you learned in therapy to your actual life. If you feel that therapy isn’t working or your therapist isn’t for you then talk to them so that you aren’t wasting your time. They might try a different approach or may be able to refer you to another therapist. 

Are There Risks Involved with CBT? 

There is a certain kind of risk with cognitive behavioral therapy, although not the same as with medication. CBT forces you to confront uncomfortable or downright painful thoughts and experiences. This can be emotionally draining and physically exhausting. So, it is not something to consider lightly and your therapist should work with you to ensure that you maintain your boundaries.  

Want to See a Therapist? 

If you are interested in seeking help for a mental health disorder or any mental health issues you may be experiencing then reach out to Gemini Health for the appropriate treatment. Our healthcare professionals are highly skilled and experienced to provide you with quality health services. They offer both individual and group therapy, as well as access to psychiatrists for all patients. Plus, there are no wait times to join groups. Call (301) 363-1063 and speak to our staff to schedule your appointment today!   

Read More