Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: fundamentals, benefits and more!

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Jennifer Sherman

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

Called CBT, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is based on psychotherapy and the combination of some concepts of Behaviorism. Events can affect the human being, but how he sees them can cause discomfort, sadness and negativity.

Not necessarily being about something that happened, but how it demystified in someone and bothered. More than that, this process uses its specification with the clarity and without unnecessary beating around the bush. Mental disorders can also be processed and in a concrete way. Therefore, habits are unraveled and showing the origin of the impasses.

Read the article to understand Cognitive Behavioral Therapy!

More about Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has its approach, within its bases and fundamentals. Using techniques to unravel some problems, all this can be transformed into comfortable situations for a person. Helping in personal involvements, it talks about choices, losses, relationships, separations, etc.

The mourning here can also be well worked, joining the stress and the difficulties to learn. That is, it makes a catching of specific issues determined by the patient. In the axes of psychology there are many approaches that can be studied and this is one of them.

Keep reading the article to learn more about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy!

Bases of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy the basis of it can be explained emotionally. Thus, it presents all the processes that affected a person and the events that made it so. The problems should be passed on to the professional, in order to unravel all the demands that bother.

Some tests will be applied, aiming the demonstration and its totalities. There are also rational and sentimental questions that will be evaluated, to demonstrate what triggered them. Frustrations, rejections and failures will also be analyzed. From the writing and training everything can become easier, collaborating to the therapist's help.

Foundations of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

The fundamentals of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy are processes of psychological disorders that can be distorted and dysfunctional. Showing and influencing behaviors, the professional must pay attention to these processes to unravel. Emotions are also worked and aiming a better perception of the complexity.

There are three levels within these fundamentals and they are: automatic and spontaneous thoughts, evidenced in everyday life, beliefs that become assumptions, speaking about deep ideals, and core beliefs that demonstrate structures formed by absolute and rigid constructs.

Who was Aaron Beck

Neurologist, Aaron Beck constituted Cognitive Therapy around the 1960s, being that he also worked as a psychiatrist and was American. Presenting a specific model of depression, he transformed and evolved the treatment of other mental disorder processes.

Differentiating from psychoanalysis, which Sigmund Freud developed and which talks about the unconscious, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy represents what is in the present. In addition, it makes a stimulus with patients and unravels situations in order to identify thoughts to overcome them.

How Cognitive Behavioural Therapy works

In the goal of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy it is possible to present the functionality and within the imposed systems. Thus, patients are evaluated within their behaviors and emotions, giving space for the therapist to understand these uncomfortable systems.

Through description it is possible to analyze established patterns, along with perceptions and beliefs. Each lived experience also becomes important, facilitating consultation. Dysfunctional and adaptive systems are processed by the professional, showing alternatives for solutions.

Continue reading the article to learn how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy works!

Changing meanings

There may be some changes in the patterns of meaning, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is being unravelled over time. There is not necessarily a deadline that can be set, the evolution is seen over the consultations.

With a differentiation that is being noticed not only by the therapist but also by the patient, only one parameter is common. The mood, the disposition and the relationships are being nurtured and giving indications that the solution process is really being effective for an individual. It is important to pay attention to the fact that in the second consultation one can already recognize an improvement.

Changes in behaviour

Some behaviors may change during Cognitive Behavioral Therapy sessions and there are strategies that professionals use. Incorporating techniques that can be varied, they analyze mood and behavior. Since it can vary from person to person, this analysis should be cautious.

Depending also on the needs of each person, the best results will be seen with ease and optimum absorption. For this, questioning, recording of thoughts, emotions and communications. Personal skills can also be developed and with conversational ideals. Simulations should analyze current and real thoughts, exposing everything that can be transformed into relaxation.

Identifying limiting patterns and beliefs

By identifying patterns in a patient, the therapist can visualize some beliefs that also limit him in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. By presenting techniques that can solve the problems, his behaviors and emotions influence negative processes. After identifying these impasses, he will indicate what will be best and help.

New possibilities will be imposed, relying on the recognition of new things and within the pattern of this work. By giving consequences, situations will become more assertive. By changing thoughts and giving other possibilities in beliefs, the patient will be able to stimulate themselves through what is healthy.

Target Assignments

Goals in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy will be implemented, as well as adaptive and dysfunctional processes. Therefore, it depends on each therapist and how he will give the possibilities to his patients. Alternative thoughts will give a new formulation, enabling sociability and resourcefulness.

The focus will be important, because the patient will be able to meet in the sessions and have assurance. Autonomy will also be constituted over time, presenting and giving possibilities on their own. Restructuring will only come with the comfort that is being established, giving focus and power to the approach.

For whom is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy indicated?

While it can be used for all people, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has some specific indications. The processes generally need more attention for the anxious, with behavioral problems, cognitive distortions and psychological disorders.

Having even the influence of science, this treatment demonstrates all its effectiveness. Researchers from

University College London conducted a study that was presented in a journal named Current Biology, where the therapy was indicated with a volume and activity in the brain.

Read the following topics to understand the indications for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy!

Depression

Depression can be treated with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, also helping in the treatment of bipolar disorder. The use of this method can analyze the issues, presenting a specific effectiveness and treatment model. Thus, the focus should persist on depressogenic processes and automatic reasoning.

As a person also relates must enter into context, presenting some behaviors to be able to face a problem, for example. The active presence of the patient is essential for him to have a perception of all his actions.

Anxiety disorder

Anxiety disorder can be controlled and overcome through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, helping the patient deal with issues that are not fully under their control. Suffering from anticipation can cause some uncomfortable symptoms, as well as being unable to focus on the present.

Acknowledging is the first step to overcoming, as well as seeking alternatives in thoughts for them to start flowing. Sustaining needs to be worked on and presented, to find solutions and methods that will help. Restructuring will only come through credit associated and connected with the cognitive process.

Panic syndrome

Who suffers from panic syndrome can use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as treatment, and the result can be seen in a short and long term. Depending also on the patient's symptoms, it can help to combat what is persistent and gradual.

This problem is constituted through some distorted interpretations of reality, giving effects that can be catastrophic and affecting the physical. Some palpitations can turn into dizziness, besides a heart attack. Heart attacks can also happen, not allowing time for treatment.

Social phobias

There is a model of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy implemented by Mattia, Heimberg, Juster and Hope from 1995, which seeks to present some results of research and processes. Being so, the method develops this impasse of social phobia, giving the processes nurtured since childhood.

It can even sensitize a person, this problem that was built in adolescence and transformed into a process that threatens, needs to be fought with the exaggerated issues and perfection. An overprotection may also have leveraged this, needing a reality with automatic thoughts.

Eating disorder

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy can help combat eating disorder by giving a structured intervention to be used widely and with evolving processes. Some personal experiences may have developed this, as well as some biological and cultural issues.

Addressing this disorder, a body image must be designed to begin with. Involving three categories, one needs to have a perception of size, the anxiety generated by this factor, in addition to behavior to avoid exposure of the physical.

Addictions

Depending on the addiction and it can even be chemical, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can help stimulate some exercises to recover from this problem. Some techniques can be used to combat this impasse, making room for the records of thoughts, exposure of images, behavioral experiences and enjoyable activities.

The first is based on examining evidence to refute thoughts, in addition to the listed goals; the second talks about recovering a memory that reproduces negative emotions; the third portrays an analysis of self-criticism and the last about activities to change the routine and stimulate healthy tasks.

Obsessive compulsive disorder

The obsessive compulsive disorder can be treated with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, because this problem is characterized by a compulsion that can significantly interfere with a person's routine. Thus, it can affect social life, family, etc. Starting with some exercises aimed at the imagination of objects, need to avoid situations and places.

Having also a certain affliction, he needs to get in touch with what he provokes. To prevent some responses the patient must try to keep his fears neutral, besides the discomforts and the maneuvers he does to relieve and avoid this process that wears him out.

Sexual disorder

With Cognitive Behavioural Therapy it is possible to treat sexual disorder and using techniques that can address issues that interfere in this area. Needing a specific and cognitive model, there are also some skills required for this. Thus, you need direct contact with the therapist and his methods.

By being aware of the beliefs and patterns that have probably been distorted, he needs to modify his practice, besides having real satisfaction with it. How he feels can affect the organism, besides the sexual behavior that has been established. During the treatment the patient can understand new ways of acting, besides the control of his thoughts.

Tips for successful therapy

There are some tips for success with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, but they do not count with any secret. Following all the methods applied by the professional is possible to adapt well, in addition to the problem in question. Varying from 10 to 20 sessions, he who will indicate what will be best for the individual.

The approach can be short or long, but the practices must be really stimulated and perfected. The effectiveness will be proven over time, and may vary from person to person. It is important to have a mutual relationship with the therapist, in addition to the collaboration for development. The bond created can stimulate and improve more and more, in addition to the manifestation of one's own feelings.

As an expert in the field of dreams, spirituality and esotericism, I am dedicated to helping others find the meaning in their dreams. Dreams are a powerful tool for understanding our subconscious minds and can offer valuable insights into our daily lives. My own journey into the world of dreams and spirituality began over 20 years ago, and since then I have studied extensively in these areas. I am passionate about sharing my knowledge with others and helping them to connect with their spiritual selves.