What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?

How therapists use CBT to help teens address a variety of issues.

​

Cognitive behavioral therapy, often referred to as CBT, is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on making connections between thoughts, behavior, and feelings. Psychotherapists who use CBT help people identify and change dysfunctional patterns.

CBT is often used with adolescents. It can be effective in treating a wide range of issues including eating disorders, substance abuse, anxiety, and depression.

The Basic Principles of CBT

CBT is based on the idea that there is a clear link between thoughts, behavior, and feelings. Here's an example:

• Thought: I'm socially awkward

• Feeling: Anxious

• Behavior: Teen sits in the corner alone while at a party

A teen who thinks she is awkward might avoid eye contact and shy away from conversation. Then, when she doesn't have positive social interactions, her belief that she's socially awkward is reinforced.

CBT aims to break that cycle by changing the way a teen thinks or behaviors. 

A psychotherapist may help the teen challenge negative assumptions with a behavioral experiment. For example, the teen who thinks she is socially awkward might challenge herself to strike up a conversation with five new people. If she experiences some success, her belief that she is socially awkward might not be as strong. 

Additionally, the therapist may help her change her thoughts. When she tells herself, "People think I'm weird," she might remind herself, "Everyone is different and that's OK." Changing her thoughts can reduce the anxiety she experiences. 

By Amy Morin, LCSW 

click this link for the full article:

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-cbt-2610410