Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and ACT
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT is a short-term, problem-focused form of behavioral treatment that helps people become aware of beliefs, thoughts, and feelings, and frees them from unhelpful patterns of behavior.
CBT is grounded in the belief that it is a person’s perception of events – rather than the events themselves – that determines how they will feel – and that no matter how they feel, they can always choose their actions.
ACT, or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, is sometimes called a form of (third-wave) CBT and sometimes is distinguished from earlier forms of CBT. It focuses more on behavior, values, and choice, and less on the content of thoughts. From an ACT perspective, it is how you respond to thoughts and feelings that create suffering rather than the content of thoughts and feelings. It is the power of thoughts and feelings to throw you off track in life that is the problem.
CBT and ACT can help with:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Phobias
- Obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Substance dependency
- Persistent pain
- Anger management issues
Most people with clearly defined behavioral and emotional concerns tend to reap the benefits of CBT. If any of the above issues resonate with you, I encourage you to try cognitive behavioral therapy.
With CBT, you’ll be able to become aware of the thoughts and feelings impacting your behavior and reclaim choice over your actions.
Some CBT / ACT techniques are:
- Developing Clarity of Awareness- thoughts, beliefs, feelings, physical sensations, urges, and impulses
- Function and Values Analysis- Identifying the function of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and what they show you care about deep-down
- Recognizing common mental processes (including traditionally defined positive and negative cognitive distortions)
- Working with the Inner Critic- transforming it to the Inner Coach
- Role Playing
- Journaling
- Real-Life experimentation with new, desired, flexible behavior (sometimes this is uncomfortable, and it’s labeled exposure).
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is much more than sitting and talking about whatever comes to mind during a session. CBT sessions are structured to ensure that the therapist and the person in treatment are focused on the different goals of each session, which in turn ensures that each and every session is productive.
If you or someone you know would benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy, please contact me today. I would be happy to speak with you about how I may be able to help.