Important Facts On Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

By Thomas Graham


Psychotherapy forms an important component of management for many physical and mental illness. In most cases it is offered alongside other forms of treatments (such as pharmacotherapy). Cognitive behavioral therapy, CBT, is available in New Jersey and involves attending talk sessions with a trained therapist with the aim of identifying possible causes of an illness and working on their solutions. The conditions for which it has been found to be most effective include eating disorders, depression and anxiety disorders among others.

Sessions may be held once a week or one every fortnight. One session typically lasts between 30 minutes and an hour. The total number of sessions required in a particular case is determined by a number of factors that include the nature and severity of illness and the client response to treatment. Generally, five to twenty sessions are needed. The therapist will help you divide your problems into three categories that include thoughts, feelings and actions.

To be effective, the treatment needs to be approached as a partnership. Clients who actively participate in the sessions have better outcomes than those who do not. The client and the therapist should strive to agree on the major issues regarding their illness and its treatment. Goals should be set by the two and regular assessment done to determine progress.

The results of CBT are not instant. A lot of patience and hard work are required before any meaningful change is seen. A significant number of clients may experience worsening symptoms as they attempt to confront their illness. This should by no means discourage them from sticking to the treatment plan. Sharing these struggles with their psychotherapist may help create solutions on how to deal with them.

CBT is effective for conditions that affect individual clients as well as groups. Couples and family therapy are examples of treatments that have greatly benefited from the therapy. Other forms of groups may similarly benefit as long as they have similar problems. One of the main advantages of offering the therapy to a group is the fact that group members tend to share their experiences and coping skills.

The client should be honest and as open as possible if they are to benefit from this treatment. They need to freely share their thoughts, experiences and emotions with their therapist to make it possible for solutions to be formulated. In case one feels that sharing some information is embarrassing or is likely to result into emotional pain they should let the therapist know. The therapist is obliged to maintain client confidentiality (except in very rare circumstances).

Symptoms may recur after some time in some patients even after successful treatment. When this happens, the right thing to do is to practice the skills that were gained in previous CBT sessions. If very severe, a repeat of the treatment may be necessary. Other forms of treatment may be helpful in increasing the effectiveness of CBT. This includes drugs such as depressants (in the case of depression) and other types of talk therapy.

When you decide to seek the help of a CBT specialist, do your research to ensure that your chosen therapist is qualified. They should have the right education and licensing. Find out whether you can meet the costs involved to avoid dropping out before the treatment has been completed.




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