Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most common and best studied forms of psychotherapy. It is a combination of two therapeutic approaches, known as cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy. Once you’ve gone through all the basic questions, established your goals, and identified distorted patterns of thinking, your therapist can work with you to pick the right techniques to assess and adjust those thoughts. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based and widely used form of psychotherapy that’s helped many people around the world. According to the Mayo Clinic, CBT can take between 5 and 20 sessions to show improvements among patients with acute conditions. However, patients with chronic conditions or more severe symptoms may not go into remission for 6-18 months.

The simple act of writing down these good things can forge new associations in your brain that make it easier to see the positive, even when you are experiencing negative emotions. It can be overwhelming to be faced with a huge goal, like opening a business or remodeling a house. This is true in mental health treatment as well, since the goal to overcome depression or anxiety and achieve mental wellness can seem like a monumental task. Mindfulness meditations, in particular, can function as helpful cognitive behavioral therapy tools for your clients in between therapy sessions, such as to help ground them in the present moment during times of stress. Functional analysis helps you (or the client) learn about yourself, specifically, what leads to specific behaviors and what consequences result from those behaviors. Cognitive-behavioral therapy aims to change our thought patterns, our conscious and unconscious beliefs, our attitudes, and, ultimately, our behavior, in order to help us face difficulties and achieve our goals.

Which thought and behavioral patterns are harmful, which are not?

CBT is rooted in the present, so the therapist will initially ask clients to identify life situations, thoughts, and feelings that cause acute or chronic distress. The therapist will then explore whether or not these thoughts and feelings are productive or even valid. The goal of CBT is to get clients actively involved in their own treatment plan so that they understand that the way to improve their lives is to adjust their thinking and their approach to everyday situations. While cognitive behavioral therapy may sound simple—CBT therapist Seth Gillihan writes that he tells clients that the things he’ll ask them to do are “stupidly obvious”—it can be quite challenging in practice.

Such reframing can help someone refrain from engaging in counterproductive behavior. CBT is a preferred modality of therapy among practitioners and insurance companies alike as it can be effective in a brief period of time, generally 5 to 20 sessions, though there is no set time frame. Research indicates that CBT can be delivered effectively online, in addition to face-to-face therapy sessions. Reframing involves countering the negative thought(s) by noticing things you feel positive about as quickly as possible.

Unraveling cognitive distortions

The emphasis is on what a person is telling themselves that might result in anxiety or disturbance. A person is then encouraged to address rational concerns practically, and to challenge irrational beliefs, rumination or catastrophizing. CBT is appropriate for people of all ages, including children, adolescents, and adults. Evidence has mounted that CBT can address numerous conditions, such as major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, and many others.

One is less anxiety in the relationship; chronic worry in generalized anxiety disorder frequently leads to tension and irritability, causing conflict between partners. Another is greater presence, because a CBT framework can help translate one’s intention to be present into a plan of action to make it happen. Positive mood, better sleep, happier children, and healthier thought patterns, are also ways in which CBT can improve a relationship. All you need to do is write down the things in your life that you are thankful for or the most positive events that happen in a given day.