| An introduction to CBT |
[ | |
July 24, 2005] |
CBT is a form of psychotherapy that emphasizes the important role of thinking in how we feel and what we do. Cognitive-behavioral therapists teach that when our brains are healthy, it is our thinking that causes us to feel and act the way we do. Therefore, if we are experiencing unwanted feelings and behaviors, it is important to identify the thinking that is causing the feelings / behaviors and to learn how to replace this thinking with thoughts that lead to more desirable reactions.
There are several approaches to cognitive-behavioral therapy, including Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, Rational Behavior Therapy, Rational Living Therapy, Cognitive Therapy, and Dialectic Behavior Therapy.
I learned through a hospital recently, they used Dr. David Burns' book The Feeling Good Handbook. I am not certified in teaching CBT, I am currently in CBT myself. So I know the main focus, and there are many resources that I use. For this reason, please do not look to me as a therapist, I am not one, I am just trying to educate others.
Summary of Cognitive Psychotherapy Approach
First, remember that we cannot present cognitive psychotherapy in one entry, or in a few paragraphs. But, the essence of cognitive therapy is the assumption that irrational thoughts and beliefs, overgeneralization of negative events, a pessimistic outlook on life, a tendency to focus on problems and failures, and negative self assessment, as well as other cognitive distortions, promote the development of psychological problems, especially depression. Psychologists use cognitive therapy to help you identify and understand how these cognitive distortions affect your life. Cognitive therapy helps you to change, so that these issues will not rule your life. If you are feeling overburdened, that life is not working for you, and you don't know what to do next, talk to someone who can help, consult a psychologist.
Here are some of the resources I use and will be discussing, these are basic forms that you can use with CBT:
The CBT ABC
Use this form to fill in your personal events etc.
A ) Activating Event: this is the event such as Quitting Smoking.
B ) Beliefs/Thoughts: these are your core beliefs and thoughts(see understanding core beliefs below) such as I can/can't quit.
C1) Feelings: these are your feelings such as strong/weak.
C2) Actions: these are your actions such as Use of stop-smoking materials/continue to smoke.
C3) Consequences: these are the consequences such as Quitting smoking/lung cancer.
The A FROG Questionnaire
Use this to challenge your beliefs/thoughts in the B) section of The CBT ABC above.
The key is 3 or more "no" answers to these 5 questions means that your beliefs/thoughts are distorted.
Alive: Is this thought keeping me alive and healthy?
Feeling: Is this thought helping me to feel the way I want to feel?
Reality: Is this thought based on reality?
Others: Is this thought helping in a relationship with others?
Goals: Is this thought helping me to achieve my goals?
Identifying Cognitive Distortions
1. ALL-OR-NOTHING THINKING(or black and white thinking):
You view a situation in only two categories instead of on a continuum.
Example: "If I am not a total success, I'm a failure."
2. CATASTROPHIZING(or fortune telling):
You predict the future negatively without considering other, more likely outcomes.
Example: "I'll be so upset, I won't be able to function at all."
3. EMOTIONAL REASONING:
You think something must be true because you "feel"(actually believe) is so strongly, ignoring or discounting evidence to the contrary.
Example: "I know I do a lot of things okay at work, but I still feel I'm a failure."
4. LABELING:
You put a fixed, global label on yourself or others without considering the evidence might be more reasonably lead to a less disastrous conclusion.
Example: "I'm a loser." "He is no good."
5. MENTAL FILTER:
You pay undue attention to one negative detail instead of seeing the whole picture.
Example: "Because I got one low rating on my evaluation(which also contained a majority of high ratings) it means that I am doing a lousy job."
6. MIND READING:
You believe you know what others are thinking, failing to consider other more likely possibilities.
Example: "She did not say hello to me in the hall. She must be thinking what a jerk I am."
7. OVERGENERALIZATION:
You make a sweeping negative conclusion that goes far beyond the current situation.
Example: "because I felt uncomfortable at the meeting, I don't have what it takes to make friends."
8. PERSONALIZATION:
You believe others are behaving negatively because of you, without considering more plausible explanations for their behavior.
Example: "The doctor was curt to me because I did something wrong."
9. DISQUALIFYING THE POSITIVE:
You unreasonable tell yourself that positive experiences, deeds, or qualities do not count.
Example: "I did that project wee, but that doesn't mean I'm competent; just that I got lucky."
10. "SHOULD" OR "MUST" STATEMENTS:
You have a precise, fixed idea of how you or others should behave and you overestimate how bad it is that there expectations are not met.
Example: "It it terrible that I made a mistake, I should always do my best."
Understanding Core Beliefs
Core beliefs are one's most central ideas about the self. These beliefs often develop in childhood as the child interacts with significant others and encounters a series of situations. While many people are able to maintain positive core beliefs about themselves most of the time, negative core beliefs surface when people are experiencing psychological stress.
It is important for us to understand the following about a core belief:
That it is an idea, not necessarily the truth.
That a person can believe it quite strongly; even "feel" it to be true, and yet have it be mostly or entirely untrue.
That, as an idea, it can be tested.
That it is rooted in childhood events; that it may or may not have been true at the time that person came to believe it.
That it continues to be maintained through the operation of a person's schemas, in which the person recognized only the evidence that supports the core belief, while ignoring the evidence that might dispute it.
That people can work on using a variety of strategies over time to change this idea so that they can view themselves in a more realistic way.
Examples of negative core beliefs:
I am powerless.
I'm out of control.
I am not good enough.
I'm unlovable.
I am defective.
I'm inadequate.
Examples of positive core beliefs:
I have control over many things.
I'm a generally likeable person.
I am a person with both negative and positive features.
I'm a normal human being, with strengths and weaknesses.
|
|
|
