Cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT is one of the most common types of treatment for mental health issues, such as anxiety. CBT is often a preferred type of treatment because it can quickly help patients identify and cope with specific challenges, and it usually requires fewer sessions than other types of therapy. When using cognitive behavioral therapy to treat anxiety, patients will work with a therapist, attending a pre-determined amount of sessions. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps patients become aware of their anxieties and ways of thought, whether they be inaccurate or negative ways of thought. This helps patients view situations clearly and respond to them in a more effective way than they normally would. CBT can help anyone manage stressful situations, and better manage their reactions in these situations.
How To Prepare:
First, anyone who is experiencing anxiety, depression or any other mental illness and is interested in CBT needs to find a therapist. Take the time to look into the background of the therapist of interest, looking at specifics such as education, certification and licensing. If possible, see how often the therapist has used CBT in their practices, the more experience the better.
Make sure it is financially responsible to start CBT. If you have insurance, check with the provider to see what coverage they offer for therapy. Make sure they cover all the sessions you need, because some providers only cover a certain amount of sessions per year. Also, once you have chosen a therapist, talk to them about payment options that work best for the both of you.
Take the time to write down what you are most concerned about. This will give you and your therapist a good starting point, and let you address the issues you are most worried about. Often times, getting a hold of the big issues helps coping with other issues a bit easier.
What Happens During CBT Sessions:
First, you and your therapist will identify the most important and troubling concerns. Once these concerns are identified, the therapist will want you to share your thoughts and feeling about them. This may be a difficult task, but it is important to share the train of thought you have on certain issues so the therapist can help you go through a less harmful thought process.
Next, you and your therapist will identify negative or inaccurate ways of thinking. This step can only occur if you have identified concerns and what your thoughts and feelings are about them. Your therapist will most likely ask you to pay attention to the different responses you have in different situations, such as physical, emotional and behavioral responses.
One of the most difficult steps is to challenge the inaccurate or negative ways of thinking. The way you have been thinking or responding to different situations has been something you have experienced for a long time, and can be difficult to change. Your therapist may ask you whether your view of a situation is based on fact or an inaccurate perception of what is happening. It is important to think about these responses and be honest with yourself when answering this question.
In most situations, CBT will help give a patient the power to cope with different situations in a healthy rather than self-destructive way. Make sure to stick to the treatment plan, and don’t expect anything to be instantaneous. This process takes time, but learning to cope with situations that cause anxiety can help your thought process in any difficult situation you may face.