Which clients can benefit from cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)? Cognitive-behavioral therapy is one of the most evidence-based therapies that are part of treatment programs for mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Most clients with common mental health issues would benefit from CBT. However, clients with severe depression or suicidal tendencies could be challenging to manage with CBT alone.
At AssuraSource, our team believes that cognitive-behavioral therapy can be the foundation of proper mental health. That’s why we provide telehealth services that provide wider access to our cognitive-behavioral therapy program. If you or a loved one may benefit from this type of therapy, reach out to our team by calling 972.233.1010 or reach out to us online and join our many satisfied clients.
What Is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy?
CBT is an approach to mental health treatment that’s effective for substance use disorders, marital problems, eating disorders, and other severe mental health disorders. CBT sessions could significantly improve a client’s quality of life, should it be part of their treatment program. In many cases, cognitive-behavioral therapy has been demonstrated to be as effective as, or even more effective than, other forms of psychological therapy or common psychiatric medications.
CBT is based on several core principles, which include:
- Psychological problems are based partly on faulty ways of thinking.
- Psychological problems are based partly on learned patterns of unhelpful behavior.
- People suffering from psychological problems can learn better ways of coping with them, thereby relieving their symptoms and then becoming more effective in their lives.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy may be done one-on-one or in groups. The latter can be with family members or with peers that have similar issues.
In general, there’s little risk in going through cognitive behavioral therapy. But clients may sometimes feel emotionally uncomfortable. CBT can have them explore painful feelings, heavy emotions, and experiences they’d rather forget. During challenging cognitive-behavioral therapy sessions, they may cry, get upset, feel angry, or get physically drained. Some forms of CBT may even require clients to confront certain situations they’d rather avoid, which can lead to temporary anxiety or stress.
How Does CBT Work for Anxiety?
CBT is the leading treatment for anxiety. Research shows that CBT for anxiety can be an effective treatment in as few as eight sessions, with or without complementary treatment like medication.
CBT identifies and addresses how a client’s thought patterns and behaviors interact to create anxiety. Therapists work with clients to recognize how negative thought patterns influence feelings and behaviors. With CBT, clients can change negative thought patterns, learn relaxation skills, and address behaviors that lead to their problems worsening.
How Does CBT Work for Depression?
CBT is a common type of talk therapy, and for some clients, talk therapy works better than medication to treat depression. CBT for depression can be particularly effective if the depression is mild or moderate. However, CBT could help you better in combination with other treatments, such as antidepressants.
Therapists work with clients to help them identify negative or false thoughts and then replace those thoughts with healthier and more realistic ones. CBT makes clients aware of their negative thoughts. Then, it teaches them to swap out those thoughts for more positive ones. The change in their attitude should lead to a change in their behavior. This is how CBT works to ease depression, although it may take weeks or even months of regular CBT sessions before clients start to feel better.
Explore AssuraSource’s Behavioral Therapy and Counseling Services
Sometimes, ease and comfort can help convince people to help themselves. If you or someone you love needs professional mental health care, consider telehealth or other services that provide easy and non-threatening access to treatment.
Are you looking for telehealth or in-home counseling services in Texas? Call AssuraSource at 972.233.1010 or reach out to us online and join our many satisfied clients. We accept Medicare and Medicaid insurance to ensure that people are able to receive the high quality care they deserve. Take the first step in your wellness journey by contacting our team today.