Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Specialist

What is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)?

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a treatment for psychological disorders like:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Panic disorder
• Social anxiety disorder
• Insomnia
• Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)
• Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Separation anxiety disorder
• Chronic Pain Management
• Sport Psychology
• Health Psychology
• Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder

CBT can result in significant improvement in patients’ functioning and quality of life. Many patients find a course of CBT with expert psychologists at Dr. Messina & Associates is more helpful than other types of therapy or medication.

What are the principles of CBT?

CBT principles state that psychological problems are partly due to unhelpful or faulty ways of thinking. You may have learned certain patterns of thinking or behaviors as you grew up, or developed coping mechanisms that weren’t helping you in the long run.

When you’re experiencing trauma or stress in your life, these ways of thinking and behaviors take over and trap you into believing there’s no way of dealing with the problems you’re facing. 

Without intervention, these faulty thought patterns can lead you further into despair and leave you unable to cope.

CBT’s solution is to address these unhelpful thought processes. Rather than focusing on the past and what might have led to your current problems, CBT looks at how you can overcome the immediate challenges facing you, like an inability to leave the house or a fear of meeting new people.  

How does CBT work in practice?

When you start a course of CBT at Dr. Messina & Associates, the providers use several strategies to help you see the truth behind your faulty thinking. Once you recognize the impaired logic affecting your thoughts, you can work with them to change them.

CBT can help you recognize the distortions in your thinking that are creating problems and show you the reality of any situation. CBT enables you to gain a better understanding of other people so you don’t assume you know what’s behind their motivations and behaviors.

Once you’ve begun to break down these unhelpful thought processes, the providers at Dr. Messina & Associates work with you to show you how to use problem-solving skills to cope with the situations you find difficult. 

Learning to face your fears and take control of your thinking helps you develop more confidence.

You might do role play to practice how you would deal with a problem if it should arise. The providers at Dr. Messina & Associates can also teach you how to calm your mind and let the tension go from your body. 

You need to engage with the homework tasks the providers might give you, and practice the new thinking and coping strategies to reinforce what you’re learning.

To find out more about the benefits of CBT, call Dr. Messina & Associates today or book an appointment online.