How Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Works at KMA Therapy Toronto
Have you Ever Wondered What is CBT (Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy) and How it Works?
Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is the most evidence-based form of therapy to date. Research has shown a breadth and depth of benefits for both long and short term CBT for clients facing a number of issues - depression, anxiety, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and even motivational and career issues.
To help clarify what CBT is, we at KMA Therapy are going to use a cognitive-behavioral technique called “Schema Therapy” to help us identify these for you.
Remember your answer for Question #2 of the last blog post? Your answer underlined what challenging situations/patterns might hold you back in achieving your 5-year vision. This now becomes your target ‘goal’ for growth.
Examples of your most difficult or challenging situations you want to master as ‘goals’ include:-Being faced with confrontation-Interacting with the opposite sex-Asking for something that you want-Dealing with difficult family members
What is your goal? Identify one and write it down. Now, write it at the top of your page, with the following:
Situation: Saying ‘no’
Feelings:
Cognitions:
Behaviour:
Now, fill in the categories of cognitions, feelings and behaviour as follows:
Feelings: Identify the actual feelings (such as fear, doubt, worry, guilt, etc) that come over you when you’re in this situation.
Cognitions: What comes to mind when you feel these feelings? Finish this sentence: If I _____, then ________.
Behaviour: How do the feelings and cognitions impact your behaviour in this situation? Does it become a self-fulfilling prophecy?
A good final schema will look like this:
Situation: Saying ‘no’
Feelings: Guilt, Remorse, Sadness
Cognitions: If I say no to something, others will think I’m selfish, if I say no to somebody, they might think I’m mean, if I continue saying no, I will end up alone. if I have no friends, I will be lonely, isolated, and miserable
Behaviour: Saying yes to everything (even things you don’t want). Encourages more asking from family and friends (they know you’ll say yes).
Take a good look at your chart. If you have a lot of cognitions (especially ones that seem anxiety-provoking) no wonder this part of your life feels ‘stuck’! Internalizing this is the first step towards making positive change.
