Aaron Beck has said that people suffer most not because of what happens to them, but because of the interpretation of these events
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) states that a person’s thoughts, emotions and behaviors interact with each other. During our life, we experience both pleasant and unpleasant situations, from which we build fixed beliefs and behaviors (ways of coping). Some of them do not serve us or our loved ones, causing us to experience suffering or unpleasantness. In these cases, it is worth engaging in CBT therapy.
“If our thinking is bogged down by distorted symbolic meanings, illogical reasoning and erroneous interpretations, we become, in truth, blind and deaf”. Aaron Beck
During therapy, we learn to recognize distorted interpretations of reality and change the way of thinking (cognitive part) and behavior (behavioral part). Behavioral therapy helps develop new skills, reduces old, less adaptive schemas and develops more positive behavior patterns.
During the first meetings, the therapist wants to get to know the patient and their history of coping mechanisms throughout their life. After that, together we check our understanding of the emerging difficulties: where they come from, what way of thinking was developed, what beliefs we have about ourselves, others, and the world, why we react the way we do, and what had a particular impact on the patient. Then, we set up therapy goals with provisions for verification as deemed necessary during the therapeutic process.
“Cognitive therapy seeks to alleviate psychological stresses by correcting faulty conceptions and self-signals. By correcting erroneous beliefs we can lower excessive reactions.” Aaron Beck
Importantly, between meetings, the therapist arranges for the patients to do their own work – the purpose of which is to familiarize themselves with CBT materials, experience new ways of thinking, more adaptive beliefs and new skills in everyday life. All this helps move closer to achieving therapy goals.
Research confirms that cognitive-behavioral therapy is effective in difficulties such as:
- depression
- anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder
- phobias
- compulsive-obsessive disorders
- post-traumatic stress
- eating disorders
- difficulties in coping with stress and many others
Stop it, and give yourself a chance. – Aaron Beck
Below are articles on the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy (written in Polish)
https://www.pttpb.pl/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/PrzegMeta_v3.pdf