Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Talking through mental health issues

If you’ve been diagnosed with a mental health condition such as anxiety, depression, or PTSD, a mental health professional might have recommended cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as part of your treatment plan.  

CBT is an important part of treatment for many different types of mental illness. It’s a form of psychotherapy — or “talk therapy” — that allows you to talk through what you’re experiencing and ways to overcome your symptoms.

This type of therapy might be recommended as a standalone treatment or along with other types of treatment, such as medication. It’s designed to not only help relieve your symptoms but also to teach you coping skills to prevent them in the future.

Cognitive behavioral therapy at Reid Health

If you’re experiencing symptoms of a mental health issue, you can find the specialized care you need at Reid Health. We offer diagnosis and treatment for a full spectrum of mental health conditions, with CBT as a core treatment for people we serve.

Our multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals, which includes psychologists, psychiatrists, licensed clinical social workers, and substance use disorder counselors, has specialty training in CBT and its potential benefits. 

We’re here to provide you with the tools you need to get back to feeling your best and to stay that way. You can access these services right here in East Central Indiana and West Central Ohio, meaning you never have to travel far to get the care you need. 

What is cognitive behavioral therapy?

CBT is a type of psychological therapy used to treat many types of mental illness. This form of therapy focuses on how cognition, emotion, and behavior interact.

During therapy sessions, you’re encouraged to talk through your thoughts and feelings with a mental health professional. Doing so can help you identify negative thought patterns and behaviors and find ways to overcome them.

One of the benefits of CBT is its focus on emotional and behavioral patterns, offering both short-term relief from symptoms and coping tools that can improve quality of life in the future. 

What is cognitive behavioral therapy used for?

Cognitive behavioral therapy is recognized as an evidence-based treatment for a spectrum of mental health conditions, including:

• Anxiety disorders
• Bipolar disorder
• Depression
• Eating disorders
• Mood disorders
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Personality disorders
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Substance use disorders

In some cases, your provider might recommend CBT even if you don’t have a diagnosed mental health condition. It can be helpful in alleviating the mental health effects often caused by chronic health conditions, such as brain injuries, migraines, sleep disorders, or irritable bowel syndrome. 

Types of cognitive behavioral therapy  

There are multiple types of CBT that can be adapted to meet your specific needs, including:

• Rational emotive behavior therapy: This type of therapy focuses on negative thought patterns and how they affect behavior. Considered the original form of CBT, it has proven to be effective for many mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression.
• Acceptance and commitment therapy: This therapy involves learning to accept negative or unwanted thought patterns.
• Dialectical behavior therapy: This approach incorporates mindfulness and emotional regulation into therapy.  
• Exposure therapy: This method involves gradual exposure to situations, people, or activities that cause anxiety or stress.
• Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy: This therapy uses mindfulness and meditation as part of therapy.

Your provider can recommend the type of CBT that’ll work best for your specific situation, including the medical condition it’s being used to treat. If you have an eating disorder or borderline personality disorder, for example, dialectical behavior therapy might be particularly effective, while OCD might be best treated by exposure therapy. 

What should I expect during cognitive behavioral therapy?

During CBT sessions, you’ll be encouraged to discuss your thoughts and feelings and identify ways to overcome negative patterns. Talking about what you’re feeling can help you see the connection between your thoughts and behaviors. Once you see the connection, you can then work on changing negative patterns.

Your mental health provider will coach you through these sessions, helping you develop tools to cope with difficult situations in the future. You’ll learn ways to change your specific thoughts and behaviors by, for example, identifying and facing your fears or role-playing ways to handle difficult situations. You’ll also learn techniques to calm your mind and body.

Because CBT focuses on identifying and changing patterns of behavior, your experience with this type of therapy might be different than someone else’s.

CBT is usually a short-term treatment done over several months. It’s a goal-based therapy, so you and your provider will set up specific targets when you start therapy and adapt them, as needed, as your treatment progresses.  

Choose Reid for cognitive behavioral therapy

CBT is considered an optimal treatment option for many mental health conditions. If your provider recommends CBT as part of your treatment plan, you can get the care you need at Reid Health.

We offer cognitive behavioral therapy and other forms of psychotherapy on both an inpatient and outpatient basis. While most people participate in CBT as outpatients in a medical office setting, those with severe symptoms may require short-term inpatient care, where they receive services such as CBT in the hospital. You can access both levels of care from providers you trust, close to home.

Our goal is to help you overcome negative thoughts and behaviors and get you back to feeling your best. CBT is one way we can help you do that, giving you the tools you need to thrive in the future.