Cognitive behavioral therapy, often referred to as CBT, is a therapy technique that can help you transform your behavior by altering your thought patterns. In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), you can learn how to identify and change harmful or alarming thought patterns that have a negative effect on your behavior and emotions. The automatic negative thoughts that you experience have a damaging impact on your mood. By engaging in behavioral counseling and becoming aware of negative thinking, you can respond to difficult situations more effectively and precisely.
Through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), your thoughts are:
Identified
Challenged
Replaced with more positive, practical thoughts
Anchor Therapy is a counseling center in Hoboken, NJ with psychotherapists specialized in helping children, teens, adults, and couples with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma, and life transitions. Anchor Therapy is accepting new clients and is now providing in-person sessions and telehealth (video/phone) sessions to residents of New Jersey and New York.
For some people, negative thinking may be automatic. With Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), you can interrupt your thoughts and focus your attention back on the present reality. If you learn to change your negative thinking patterns, your discomfort declines which will allow you to behave in a favorable way. As you gain new skills with behavioral counseling, you can solve your issues in a productive manner. This will lessen stress, make you feel more in control, and lower your possibility of a negative mood.
Behavioral therapy is used to treat many issues. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is usually preferred by clients due to its quickness. This type of behavioral counseling helps you promptly pinpoint and manage your unique obstacles. It is extremely structured and time-limited with you knowing when your end date is. Therefore, it typically mandates fewer sessions than other forms of therapy. Not only is cognitive behavioral treatment successful in treating mental health disorders, but it is also beneficial for anyone looking to enhance their life.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can treat the following mental health conditions:
Eating disorders
Bipolar disorder
Anger issues
Panic attacks
Phobias
Personality disorders
Cognitive therapy can also help people manage:
Stress management
Grief or loss
Behavioral issues
Low self-esteem
Chronic pain or illness
Break-ups/divorce
Insomnia
Bad habits (e.g., biting nails, picking skin, tics, etc.)
Sex issues
School or work stress
If you are taking the honorable step of starting therapy, you should be extremely proud of yourself. To some, therapy may seem overwhelming, but it does not have to be. By knowing the structured tendency of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), you are already preparing yourself for your sessions!
During your first session, your therapist may ask you about your regular emotions and feelings. Additionally, your therapist may want to know if you are experiencing any symptoms since emotions can manifest themselves physically. Do not be afraid to be specific in describing the obstacles that you are facing. No matter the situation, your therapist can help you. You will most likely discuss your goals from the sessions or what you want to take away from the treatment. Lastly, do not be afraid to ask questions.
In behavioral therapy, you work hand-in-hand with a licensed counselor to address and resolve your problems. When therapy is approached as a partnership, progress is obtainable. You and your therapist can create goals and analyze progress over time.
There are many tools that can be employed in behavioral counseling. The standard practice includes one-on-one discussions with a licensed mental health counselor. Group discussion sessions can also occur. You will receive continuous feedback and will learn various methods to ease the mind and body. Your therapist may also assign “homework.” This could potentially include reading, keeping a journal, or engaging in additional beneficial activities along with therapy.
What are the exact steps of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?
Recall the worrisome problems or circumstances in your life:
Some examples may include divorce, anger issues, stress management, or eating issues. You may come to therapy for one sole goal or you may have several issues you want to focus on. Whatever the case, your therapist can assist you in identified complications and crafting goals.
Learn to be aware of your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors regarding your problem(s):
When your complications are identified, you must also disclose your thoughts surrounding the topic. This can include your self-talk, interpretation of the problem, and general beliefs. It may be advised that you keep a journal, logging all of your thoughts.
Pinpoint your pessimistic or incorrect thinking:
Different situations may create distinct responses in your emotions and behavior. You should pay close attention to these reactions so you can understand how your thinking and behavior patterns have the ability to influence your worry.
Reconfigure your pessimistic or incorrect thinking:
Unfortunately, we can often become caught up in the “what if’s” of life without realizing that our mind is taking us out of our reality. To anchor yourself, you should ask yourself if your view of the problem is rooted in reality or fantasy. This can be a particularly tough step since it involves challenging long-established beliefs and patterns of thinking about yourself and your life. Eventually, your optimistic, new way of thinking will become natural, forming a habit.
Now that you know more about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), how do you get started?
Locate a licensed mental health professional in your area.
You should consider if you want to partake in online therapy or in-person counseling.
Contact your health insurance to learn more about your therapy coverage.
Fill out any preliminary paperwork for your first therapy session.
At Anchor Therapy, in downtown Hoboken, N.J., we specialize in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and can help anyone who resides in New Jersey or New York through telehealth. This evidence-based treatment highlights recognizing, comprehending, and modifying your thinking and behavior patterns. As a client at Anchor Therapy, you will learn to pinpoint unwanted triggers for automatic negative or harmful thought cycles which influence your behavior and social interactions with other individuals. The general objective of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is to cultivate coping skills so you can manage your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. So, when you are not in therapy, you continue to have the skills needed to progress.
Your first session with Anchor Therapy for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) will be a one-hour intake session. In this session, your background and obstacles will be discussed. Also, we will discuss how often we will meet and what to expect out of our therapy sessions.
Victoria Scala
is the Social Media Manager at Anchor Therapy in Hoboken, New Jersey. She is currently an undergraduate student at the Honors College of Rutgers University-Newark, looking to study Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the graduate level. As a Social Media Manager at Anchor Therapy, Victoria is committed to producing content for and managing the office’s social media presence and blog.
