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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Is It Right For You?

When a good friend of mine began cognitive behavioral therapy for an issue she had struggled with for over a decade, I was relieved. Then she told me that she would only have four to six sessions and be done.

Done? In four to six sessions? I was a little skeptical at first. Like most Americans today, the picture I had of professional counseling was an ongoing, neverending process.

Cognitive behavioral therapy, on the other hand, takes place within a limited time frame, as determined by the therapist, with a specific goal in mind. The goal is to extinguish the unwanted behavior and replace it with more acceptable and moral responses.

What is cognitive behavioral therapy?

CBT has its roots in Albert Ellis' rational therapy of the 1950s. Disillusioned by the nebulous methods of psychotherapy, Ellis developed rational therapy, which is focused and goal-oriented, as opposed to psychotherapy which can endlessly wind down a hundred different roads.

Modern day CBT is very similar, with a goal-oriented, systematic approach. The theory behind it is that thoughts, rather than people and situations, lead to particular feelings and behaviors. Change how a person thinks in particular situations, and the person will change how they feel and behave.

How does cognitive behavioral therapy work?

For example, suppose you smoke and want to quit. A cognitive behavioral therapist will first get at the root of why you started smoking. If you started because it helped you relieve the stress from your job, the therapist may then do a couple of things. One is to lead you, by questions, to form new thoughts about the stress.

What are the chances you will lose your position because you don't meet your quota every month? Could it be that your obnoxious co-worker has issues you don't know about?

Another is to find new ways to respond to stress besides whipping out a cigarette. Your therapist may have you wear a rubber band on your wrist and snap it when you feel your blood pressure starting to rise. Or use deep breathing and stretching exercises to calm yourself.

The CB therapist will also give you homework. Since s/he realizes that your mental healing can't possibly come about in a mere fouror even eight hours of sessions, s/he will often assign relevant books, which you discuss in part during the therapy.

As the therapist sees that you are putting the alternative behaviors into practice and eliminating cigarettes from your life, s/he determines when the therapy will end.

Does it work?

Many people with mood, anxiety, and eating disorders, as well as people with various addictions, are finding healing, happiness, and wholeness after years of bondage. And that's without spending months and years and thousands of dollars on psychological counseling.

Of course, the more strategies to put into place to aid in your journey toward mental health, the better. Here a few you might consider:

Read the New Testament, and discover the love God has for you. I apologize if this sounds corny; however, many non-organic mental health challenges stem from feeling unloved or not being able to trust in Goodness.
Support groups and other resources. Growth Central provides print, audio and video resources for people encountering various challenges.
Coaching. Although coaches are not licensed psychologists, they can help you improve your life by holding you accountable to fulfill your goals. If you have a problem with anger, angercoach.com has great resources to help you learn to manage your emotions.
Bach Flower Therapy. Ever heard of Rescue Remedy? It's a blend of flower extracts that alleviate feelings of stress, a product that more and more mothers are coming to depend on in helping to calm their children.

There are many more remedies. Cherry Plum aids in stabilizing
uncontrolled, irrational thoughts. Impatiens helps to eradicate--guess what?--impatience. Other flowers help eliminate such feelings of loneliness, terror, or self-pity.

Even without cognitive behavioral therapy, the Bach flower remedies can boost your mood and general sense of well-being.

May I coach you? If you are struggling with a persistent mental disorder or addiction, CBT might be your answer. It was for my friend. She is doing great and not had to return to therapy.

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