Cognitive-behavioral therapy is highly effective for a wide range of problems in everyday living, such as anxiety, panic attacks, fear, depression, worry, anger, marital conflicts, relationship issues, and parent-child conflict. It is relatively short term, with the focus being on the way in which you think, behave and communicate in the present. For the most part, one’s early childhood experiences are discussed in a very limited manner, or in reference to how they may affect your present thinking and coping skills.
The therapist will help you to examine and challenge unrealistic thinking that leads you to experience negative emotions and behave in unproductive ways. The therapist provides you with guidance in how to learn to think in a more rational, optimistic, and positive fashion. You will learn effective self-help skills and how to cope with negative emotions, so that your emotions do not control you.
In Cognitive-behavioral therapy the therapist is active and will work with you in a collaborative fashion, helping you to outline your goals and develop a plan to achieve your goals. Typically, you and the therapist will devise assignments that you can do outside of the therapy in order to help you to change the way in which you think and behave. The goal of therapy is to help you to perceive yourself as having options or control over your life, and to develop the tools to deal with life’s challenges.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy has been extensively researched. Controlled studies have demonstrated that CBT is highly effective for depression, anxiety, worry, anger, stress, and OCD. It is also effective for marital discord.
