Cognitive Therapy Center of Long Island ~
11 Middle Neck Rd, Suite 312 ~ Great Neck, NY 11021
Phone:(516) 466-8485 Disclaimer Email: info@ctcli.com
General Description of Cognitive Therapy
by William C. Sanderson, PhD
What is cognitive therapy?
Cognitive therapy is a structured, problem-focused psychological treatment approach in which the therapist collaborates with the patient to use specific techniques to improve one's emotional well-being and overall functioning. The focus of cognitive therapy is on your cognitions, or thoughts. Cognitive therapy was originally developed by Dr. Aaron Beck at the University of Pennsylvania as a treatment for depression. Since then research has shown that cognitive therapy is an effective treatment for a wide range of problems, including depression, anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, relationship & marital problems, and stress-related disorders.
The way you feel is related to your thinking
The basic premise of cognitive therapy is that thoughts and beliefs have the greatest impact on your emotions and behavior. Emotional disturbance (e.g., anxiety, depression) is seen as a result of distorted thought patterns that determine the way that a person interprets the events in their life. These negative thought processes are usually "learned" during childhood. Since thought patterns become habitual and ingrained they are experienced as automatic, and therefore, go unnoticed by the individual. Nevertheless, they have a profound effect on the way one is feeling and behaving.
You can feel better by changing the way you think
The overall aim of cognitive therapy is to help clients restructure their thinking. It is important to realize that cognitive therapy is not "positive thinking." Instead, the point of cognitive therapy is to view your life and your problems in a realistic perspective - that is, to encourage accurate, logical thinking.
The process of cognitive therapy
There are three broad phases of cognitive therapy. Gaining
awareness of your thoughts is the first phase. You must become aware of exactly what you
are "telling yourself" before you can change it. Once you have identified the
thought pattern that is making you feel bad, the second phase is to examine the validity
of this pattern (that is, scrutinize the accuracy of the thoughts). Typically, negative
thoughts are incorrect or are an exaggeration of the truth. The third phase is to
challenge" your negative thoughts by answering them back with a more accurate way of
thinking that fits reality. Clients are taught to utilize this process outside of therapy
sessions.
Advantages of cognitive therapy
Proven Effective. There are hundreds of research studies demonstrating that cognitive therapy is an effective treatment. For many disorders, cognitive therapy is a more effective treatment than other forms of psychotherapy and equivalent to medication. In a recent review of Empirically Supported Treatments by the American Psychological Association's Division of Clinical Psychology, Task Force on Psychological Interventions, cognitive behavioral interventions were by far the most common to qualify as empirically supported.
Short Term Cognitive Therapy achieves results quickly. Most patients experience positive changes in approximately 12-15 sessions. The course of treatment tends to be considerably shorter than for traditional approaches to psychotherapy.
Cost-Effective. The active and focussed psychotherapeutic approach makes the cost of treatment less expensive than other forms of therapy. The focus on skill building and patient independence minimizes the course of treatment and reduces the risk of relapse.
Lasting Results. Cognitive therapy
emphasizes many practical strategies that can be used even when therapy is over to cope
with life more effectively.
Problems that can be treated
Depression
The most common sign of depression is a sad mood. Other common symptoms include feelings of worthlessness, low self-esteem, hopelessness about the future, suicidal thoughts, fatigue, loss of energy, sleep difficulties, weight changes.
Treatment of Depression
Research has demonstrated that an important factor in depression is that the depressed person interprets many situations incorrectly. Depressed people have continuous, unpleasant thoughts and with each negative thought the depressed feeling increases. Patients are often unaware of the thoughts they are having. These thoughts are generally not based on real facts yet make a person feel sad when there is no objective reason to feel that way. The negative thoughts may keep the depressed patient from engaging in activities that will make him feel better. The overall aim of cognitive therapy is uncover this faulty thinking pattern and change these thoughts.
Anxiety Disorders
The characteristic features of anxiety disorders are feelings of fearfulness, apprehension, and nervousness in anticipation that something bad or dangerous is going to happen. Very often patients avoid situations that provoke the fear (phobic situations). There are several different anxiety disorders:
Panic Disorder (Agoraphobia): Patients with this disorder often experience panic attacks. Panic attacks are episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms such as dizziness, rapid heartbeat, chest pain, faintness, shortness of breath. Patients often believe they are dying, going crazy, or will lose control during the attack. Patients with panic disorder typically develop agoraphobia: fear and/or avoidance of certain situations (e.g., elevators, trains, stores) because they bring on panic attacks and anxiety.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Patients with this disorder experience persistent worry. Other common symptoms include muscle aches, restlessness, fatigue, insomnia, abdominal upset, concentration problems, edginess, and irritability.
Simple Phobia: Patients with this disorder experience irrational fear of a particular object or situation and avoid it. The most common phobias are of animals, flying, heights, and closed places.
Social Phobia: Patients with this disorder experience excessive, unreasonable fear in social situations that he or she may do something or act in a way that will be humiliating or embarrassing. The patient often avoids such situations whenever possible.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Patients with this disorder experience intense anxiety and emotional distress following a traumatic event, such as rape, assault, or wartime combat duty. Physical symptoms such as restlessness, jumpiness, insomnia are common.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Patients with this disorder experience recurrent obsessions (thoughts, ideas, images that are intrusive and senseless) and/or compulsions (repetitive behaviors performed in response to an obsession).
Treatment of Anxiety Disorders
Cognitive therapy uses various cognitive and behavioral techniques to treat anxiety disorders. Cognitive restructuring attempts to alter the way a person thinks about certain circumstances that trigger his/her fear or anxiety. Cognitive restructuring is intended to change the thought patterns that cause anxiety. Relaxation Training and Breathing Exercises are often used to provide anxious patients with a strategy to decrease their symptoms, especially in stressful situations. During Exposure Therapy, patients follow a gradual, systematic plan to learn to use anxiety management strategies to cope with phobic situations.
Longer-term Problems
Schema Focused Therapy, a form of cognitive therapy, was developed by Dr. Jeffrey Young to deal more effectively with lifelong personality problems. Such problems include chronic low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy, loneliness, dependence on others, mistrust, an undeveloped sense of self, constricted emotions, problems choosing appropriate partners, and failure ot fulfill one's potential in school or career. Compared to standard cognitive therapy, Schema Focused Therapy looks more deeply into childhood origins and problems, uses more imagery and emotive techniques, and is longer-term. However, Schema Focused Therapy uses all the techniques of standard cognitive therapy, and keeps the practical, focused, problem-solving approach.
Other Problems That Are Effectively Treated
With Cognitive Therapy: Eating Disorders, Anger Problems,
Procrastination, Bereavement, Assertiveness, Stress-Disorders, Hypochondriasis, Sexual
Problems, Psychosomatic Disorders, Marital & Relationship Problems.