Cognitive therapy is one of the few forms of psychotherapy that has been scientifically tested and found to be effective for many different problems. In contrast to other forms of treatment, cognitive therapy is usually more focused on the present, more time-limited, and more problem-solving oriented. In addition, clients learn specific skills that they can use for the rest of their lives.Cognitive therapy is based on the cognitive model, which is simply that the way we perceive situations influences how we feel about them. For example, one person reading this paragraph might think, "Wow! This sounds good, it's just what I've always been looking for!" and feel encouraged. Another person reading this information might think, "Well, it sounds good but I don't think it would work for me." This person might feel sad and discouraged. So, it’s not the situation that affects how a person feels, but rather his or her thoughts about that situation. When people are in distress, they often don’t think clearly and their thoughts are distorted in some way, meaning that they are not completely true. Cognitive therapy helps people to identify their distressing thoughts and to evaluate how realistic or true those thoughts are. They then learn to change their thoughts, which in turn helps them feel better.Once we have begun to think about our lives in ways that are more helpful, we can evaluate our behaviors and determine which of those need to change as well. Thoughts, feelings, behaviors and even our body sensations are strongly affected by each other. Making changes in one area will naturally create shifts in other areas as well, helping you to feel better and make progress toward achieving your goals. |