The clinical practice of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is based on a well-developed set of theories that are used to guide the therapist's actions in formulating treatment plans. CBT is an approach based on two central principles:
1. Our abilities to know (cognitions) have an impact on our emotions and behaviors.
2. How we behave and act can powerfully influence our thought patterns and emotions.
The view that developing a healthy way of thinking can reduce sadness or lead to greater happiness has been a common theme across many generations and cultures. Aaron T. Beck was the first to develop theories and methods for using cognitive and behavioral interventions for emotional disorders. Beck's early formulations focused on the role of maladaptive information processing in depression and anxiety disorders. In a series of articles published in the early 1960s, Beck described the scientific conceptualization of the type of depression in which symptoms are associated with negative thinking in three domains: the self, the world, and the future. The theories and methods outlined by Beck and many other contributors to the cognitive behavioral model have been extended to a wide variety of conditions, including depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, chronic pain, personality disorders, substance use disorders. p>
How does this model work?
Cognitive processing is given a central role because people constantly evaluate the significance of events around them and the environment in which they exist, and cognitions are often associated with emotional reactions. In CBT, the therapist encourages the patient to develop and apply adaptive conscious thinking processes such as logical thinking and problem solving. It also strives to help patients recognize and change pathological thinking at two relatively autonomous levels of information processing (automatic thoughts and schemas). Automatic thoughts are thoughts that come to our minds quickly when we are in the middle of a situation or when we remember events. S Emas are our core beliefs about ourselves that are difficult to change and are formed in early life. They tend to last a lifetime. These have a very important role in helping people scan, filter, code and assign meaning to information coming from the environment.
CBT teaches people to think about the way they think. It is a therapy aimed at the given problem, often in a short-term format. It is usually applied in sessions lasting 40-45 minutes. A problem-focused approach is highly emphasized because paying attention to current issues helps stimulate the development of action plans to counter symptoms such as hopelessness, helplessness, avoidance, and procrastination. One of the additional benefits of focusing on current functioning is that it contributes positively to the therapeutic relationship.
Many of the behavioral techniques used in CBT help people:
Prevent recurrence of the disease. The aim is to develop CBT skills. CBT is one of the most widely applied forms of psychotherapy for psychiatric disorders.
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