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How To Find A Cognitive Behavioral Therapist

Working through mental health problems such as depression or anxiety can be very taxing. It can be exhausting to put in the work to make you feel like yourself again, and many people wind up thinking they can do it alone. You are not alone. There are many trained and highly experienced professionals who have a variety of scientific methods for helping people cope with mental illnesses. There is no shame in asking for help.

Finding a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist to work with will allow you to get the proper support you need to work through your problems. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most common types of therapy. It is used to help address an array of mental health conditions and has seen some very impressive results. There are many therapists who practice this kind of therapy and many benefits to be gained for clients who participate in it.

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a form of talk therapy. It is designed to help clients overcome negative thought patterns in order to make significant changes in their lives. CBT works by helping people identify and alter negative thoughts and behaviors. It is a longer form of therapy, meaning it may take some time in order to see results. However, some people report improvement after just one session! It is all relative. CBT is very successful in helping people with mental illnesses cope, but can also help people deal with stress.

Examples of CBT Techniques

Cognitive restructuring is one technique many therapists use in CBT practice. In order to understand and modify these thought patterns, patients may be asked to keep a journal for their thoughts. The therapist will then ask their patient to create healthier thoughts that will challenge anything negative in the journal. This can be done both during the session and outside. Below are a few examples of techniques these CBT therapists use in their sessions:

3. Gratitude Can Improve Your Sleep.

Did you know that there is a direct correlation between displaying/receiving acts of kindness and your hypothalamus? This is the part of your brain that controls sleep functions. Research has shown that when we activate that part of our brain, it becomes easier to fall asleep and stay asleep longer. When we are filled with happiness and kindness, there are less of those ‘late night thoughts’ to creep in and keep us up with worry or stress. So think about your hypothalamus today and spread some gratitude!

Managing a Schedule

Keeping track of activities is a very important part of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It may seem odd to think that keeping track of a schedule is part of a therapy technique, but it is part of scheduling your life to increase positive behaviors. Your therapist will work with you to figure out what positive behaviors you need to focus on exactly and help fit those into your schedule.

There are many positive behaviors that can be added to your schedule to support positive mental health. Exercising, meditating, reading, and practicing mindfulness are all ways to get started. Scheduling is a great way to make sure you have time to get all of these positive activities done and get into the habit of practicing self-care. This is one of many techniques that CBT therapists use.

Skills Training

There are many Cognitive Behavioral Therapists who focus on skills training. Many people with social anxiety will lack certain social skills because of their fears, so therapists use skills training to help change this. This particular CBT technique works to make up for this deficit and help the client gain confidence. The therapist works with their client to help them develop those social and communication skills that will retrain their brain and behaviors.

Practicing Mindfulness

The practice of mindfulness is crucial to CBT. Many people share common anxiety surrounding ‘what-ifs’. Focusing on these worries can lead to depression and anxiety, but learning how to use mindfulness can help change this. Mindfulness techniques help clients be present. You are asked to focus your attention on what is happening right now rather than drift away into the past or future.

Breathing is a main component of mindfulness. A therapist may ask you to sit and just breathe; checking in about how the chair you are sitting in feels against your body. They may also ask you to touch things around you and focus on what those sensations are like. Engaging with mindfulness helps manage anxiety and depression symptoms because it helps people be brought back to the present when they find themselves slipping into an anxious or depressive state.

Anxiety and CBT

We have listed a few benefits of engaging in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and coping with anxiety is always one of the largest. Anxiety is made worse by falling into negative thought patterns, and CBT therapists are able to help those living with anxiety change those patterns and habits to relieve them.

Your therapist will work with you to recognize what triggers your anxiety symptoms, and sometimes that involves changing a thought pattern or two. Other times it will have to do with avoiding situations that are stressful entirely. Repeated exposure to this situation or stressor may also be helpful to lessen the impact.

It is possible that people who experience anxiety can be significant improvements from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Learning to change these patterns and think in a more positive way helps change your whole mindset. If you are experiencing anxiety, you may benefit from working with a CBT therapist.

Finding the Right CBT Therapist

There are many ways to find a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist. If you have health insurance, we recommend looking at their website to filter and find therapists in your network. If not, do not worry! There are still many options available. Online and in-person therapy are both great options. Internet Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has been found to be just as effective in treating mental health conditions. It is also more cost-effective for clients and professionals.

Mental Treat is very helpful in finding the right therapist for you. We have a network of dedicated and talented licensed professionals who are here for you. Our platform allows you to use filters in order to find the perfect therapist. You can search by price, location, specialty, and more! Many of our therapists are available for online, over the phone, or in-person therapy, so you can start getting the support you need as soon as possible. We also have several articles on the different kinds of therapy available, so be sure you check those out as well. Therapy can be a difficult thing to start, but once you start, you will find that you are hopefully feeling much better and much more supported.

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