What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? CBT Guide

It isn’t a job title and doesn’t suggest a specific type of education, training or licensure. CBT can be an effective way to learn how to better manage stressful life situations. Eligible participants included adult cancer patients aged 18 years or older. Studies involving children and adolescents with cancer, as well as studies focusing on caregivers of cancer patients, were excluded.

Intervention

However, more research is needed to determine the efficacy of using CBT to treat negative symptoms, such as low motivation and social isolation. According to 2023 research, the goal of CBT is for you to take an active role alongside your therapist to change unhelpful patterns of thoughts and behavior. Understanding how CBT can help you cope with stressors may help you determine if it’s the best fit for you. Your mental well-being is just as important as your physical well-being. Cleveland Clinic’s mental health experts can help you live life to the fullest. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a structured, goal-oriented type of psychotherapy (talk therapy).

The Goal of CBT: Changing Thoughts and Behaviors

Furthermore, there is a lack of consensus on the most effective formats, delivery methods, and duration of CBT for cancer patients. CBT is a well-established psychological intervention and has been widely used to improve mental health and enhance psychological resilience 20. However, research specifically focusing on its effects, adaptability, and optimization for cancer patients remains limited and warrants systematic research. Psychological resilience is a crucial psychological defense mechanism that improves patients’ quality of life by mitigating psychological distress and alleviating symptoms of depression 6. Psychological resilience refers to an individual’s capacity to maintain or regain psychological well-being in the face of adversity, trauma, or stress (D, 1987). Patients’ self-perceived resilience has been linked to significant clinical outcomes, such as psychological distress, health-related behaviors, and ease in conveying values to medical teams 7.

Negative Self-Schemas

Whether you need child cognitive behavioral therapy or therapy for adults, a CBT counselor can tailor a treatment plan to your needs. This study provides important clinical guidance for improving psychological resilience in cancer patients. The results demonstrate that CBT has a significant effect on improving the mental health of cancer patients, particularly with respect to emotional regulation and stress management.

The Role of the Therapist in CBT

This process enhances the evolution of therapy to better assist those seeking help. Furthermore, CBT’s ability to adapt to individual client needs enhances its overall effectiveness and makes it appealing for use in therapeutic settings. CBT has gained significant recognition and popularity as a psychotherapeutic modality for the treatment of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents (Sigurvinsdóttir, et al., 2020). Numerous studies conducted over the past 20 years have demonstrated the effectiveness of CBT in this demographic, showing that therapy can considerably reduce anxiety symptoms and enhance general functioning. A noteworthy advantage of CBT is the use of evidence-based strategies that are personalized to meet the unique requirements of every client (Beck, 2020; Sigurvinsdóttir, et al., 2020).

Together, these sets of assumptions cover the cognitive and behavioral aspects of CBT. Also be prepared to answer questions about what brought you to therapy, your symptoms, and your history—including your childhood, education, career, relationships (family, romantic, friends), and current living situation. There is no magic therapy bullet – all therapy, including CBT, takes time and effort. Initially, some patients suggest that while they recognize that certain thoughts are not rational or healthy, simply becoming aware of these thoughts does not make it easy to alter them. Your therapist encourages you to talk about your thoughts and feelings and what’s troubling you. Your therapist can help you gain more confidence and feel more comfortable sharing.

In subsequent sessions, the client will Substance abuse identify the negative or maladaptive thoughts they have about their current problems and determine whether or not these thoughts are realistic. If these thoughts are deemed unrealistic, the client will learn skills that help them challenge and ultimately change their thinking patterns so they are more accurate with respect to a given situation. Once the client’s perspective is more realistic, the therapist can help them determine an appropriate course of action. CBT is a popular type of psychotherapy that can help people struggling with mood problems, anxiety disorders, impulse control and substance use disorders. CBT therapists tend to use more structured approaches in therapy that focus on teaching skills to help clients reach their goals.

• Some people see results after only a few CBT sessions, while others require a few months to learn how to manage their symptoms.
• CBT techniques, including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), can help individuals confront and manage intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.
• While you and the therapist should set specific goals, CBT’s general aim is to reframe negative thoughts into positive feelings and behaviors.
• It’s about making those incremental changes that, over time, can lead to significant improvements in how you feel and function.
• A fundamental aspect of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is empowering clients to take an active role in their therapy by selecting activities aligned with their goals.

Different types of cancer present unique psychological challenges; therefore, personalized CBT interventions may have varying effects. Furthermore, different stages of treatment (e.g., early treatment vs. recovery) may influence patients’ psychological needs and responses to CBT. Thus, future research should evaluate how the effectiveness of CBT changes across stages to identify the optimal intervention timing. Furthermore, future studies should also consider the potential impact of cancer treatment modalities (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy) on CBT outcomes. Cross-cultural research will help to reveal how cancer patients’ psychological resilience outcomes vary in different cultural contexts, thus advancing global cancer mental health intervention strategies.

• Different types of cancer present unique psychological challenges; therefore, personalized CBT interventions may have varying effects.
• A special section delves into alternative treatments for anxiety, such as relaxation techniques, mindfulness meditation, and biofeedback.
• Some people irrationally assume they are failures if they are not loved by everyone they know – they constantly seek approval and repeatedly feel rejected.
• These include not only depression but also anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorder, and specific phobias.
• The assessment will be based on an increase in significant relationships and a decrease in conflicts with significant individuals.
• CBT often includes practice activities and homework assignments, which promotes persistent improvement outside of therapy sessions and encourages active engagement.

CBT is one of the most researched types of therapy, in part, because treatment is focused on very specific goals and results can be measured relatively easily. Rachel Goldman, PhD FTOS, is a licensed psychologist, clinical assistant professor, speaker, wellness expert specializing in eating behaviors, stress management, and health behavior change. There was a considerable amount of heterogeneity among the included studies, as evidenced by the high I2 value of 77.7% postintervention. This significant heterogeneity was further indicated by statistically significant Q tests.

Cognitive therapy

• For example, your therapist may add interpersonal therapy that focuses on your relationships with other people.
• This is because CBT can cause you to explore painful feelings, emotions and experiences.
• In general, there’s little risk in getting cognitive behavioral therapy.
• By progressively working toward a larger goal, the process seems less daunting and the goals easier to achieve.
• This emphasizes the significance of individualized treatment plans and ongoing study to pinpoint the variables linked to treatment response.
• Based on the notion that ideas, feelings, and behaviors are all interconnected, CBT is a brief and economical intervention (Beck, 2020; Cuijpers et al., 2023).

It requires persistent effort over the course of several sessions, so commitment to the process is essential. If you’re considering CBT, how it works is probably something you’re wondering about. CBT’s purpose is to help you become aware of thought patterns that are adversely affecting your quality of life. A psychologist or therapist helps you make connections between your thoughts, emotions and behaviors. While there is no certification required for mental health professionals to administer CBT, getting a certification from the NACBT can bolster your understanding of CBT and inspire confidence in potential patients. Other kinds of talk therapy to consider if CBT doesn’t suit a patient include interpersonal therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, brief therapy, gestalt therapy, among others.