Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Jacksonville

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a structured, goal-oriented form of psychotherapy, or talk therapy. It was developed by Aaron T. Beck, MD, in the 1960s and 70s. Originally employed to treat people with depression, CBT’s uses have expanded considerably through the decades.

Today, this approach is part of treatment for patients who have been living with a range of mental and behavioral health concerns, including:

• Anxiety disorders
• Eating disorders
• Personality disorders
• Psychosis
• Grief
• Anger management problems
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Substance use disorders (addictions)

CBT can also help patients manage the symptoms of certain medical conditions, including chronic pain, chronic fatigue, migraines, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Versions of CBT have proved to be beneficial for children, adolescents, adults, and seniors, as well as couples and families. 

Components of CBT

Cognitive behavioral therapy is based on the view that psychological distress often results from maladaptive thought patterns and unhealthy behaviors. 

With the guidance and support of a trained CBT professional, patients work to identify and adjust their self-defeating ways of thinking and acting. This, in turn, can alleviate their mental health symptoms and improve their overall quality of life.

The “cognitive” component of CBT focuses on three specific areas:

• Negative automatic thoughts: These occur without intention, as reactions to events or experiences that clinicians refer to as triggers. If your boss asks you to give a presentation at work, and the first thing that pops into your mind is, “I’m probably going to screw this up and embarrass myself,” you just had a negative automatic thought.
• Dysfunctional assumptions: Also sometimes called cognitive distortions, dysfunctional assumptions are incorrect, unhelpful interpretations of external events. Examples can include:
  • Overgeneralizing, such as making one mistake at work and taking that as evidence that you are completely incompetent
  • Dichotomous thinking, which involves viewing events or people as being either completely good or absolutely bad, with no room for complexity or shades of gray
  • Catastrophizing, which means you immediately predict the worst possible outcomes, even before anything has happened
  • Personalization, or consistently assuming that either you or someone else is responsible for every bad thing that happens
  • Filtering, which usually involves ignoring positive experiences or successes, while focusing solely on flaws, failures, and setbacks
• Problematic core beliefs: Your core beliefs are the principles that shape how you view yourself, others, and the world around you. Examples of problematic core beliefs are thinking that you are unlikeable or unworthy of love, that people are generally untrustworthy and likely to hurt you, and that the world is fundamentally dangerous and unfair. 

The “behavioral” part of CBT involves engaging in activities that your unhelpful thought patterns have conditioned you to fear or avoid. Depending on why you are taking part in CBT sessions, these activities may involve:

• Speaking honestly with your partner about problems that you have been too ashamed to discuss previously
• Saying “no” to requests for your time or attention when you don’t have the capacity to take on additional responsibilities
• Overcoming the urge to isolate yourself from others, such as by joining a group that you’re interested in or reaching out proactively to schedule a get-together with friends
• Improving your self-confidence by making a list of your strengths and successes, or using daily positive affirmations