Thoughts, Feelings, & Behaviors

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an approach to psychological treatment that is structured, present-focused, and time-limited. The central tenants of CBT are that thoughts have a controlling influence on behaviors and emotions, and that behaviors influence thoughts and emotions. Therefore, when understanding and treating a problem from a CBT perspective, clinicians look at the dynamic relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and look to develop skills for change in at least one area. The idea is that this change will influence the other aspects and reduce unwanted symptoms and improve functioning that lasts long-term; long after therapy has ended. Unlike other theoretical orientations for mental health treatment, CBT looks at what is happening in a person’s life at the time of treatment. Interventions typically target symptoms with less emphasis on past events or experiences that may have contributed to a person’s symptoms at the time of treatment.

While the principles of CBT can be generally applied to treatment, there are also several specialized treatments that fall under the umbrella of CBT because they use the underpinnings of CBT to treat specific mental health disorders (e.g. ERP for obsessive compulsive disorder and CPT for posttraumatic stress disorder). These cognitive-behavioral interventions are considered empirically-supported, or evidence-based, which means they have been shown to reduce targeted symptoms in research and clinical settings using a method that can also be replicated. Treatment is designed to follow a standardized approach, which typically includes clinical assessment, psychoeducation, and active participation from the patient. In fact, most CBT interventions call for additional participant practice (“homework”) between sessions and is often a crucial component for favorable treatment outcomes.