Thankfully, recent years have seen an improvement in addressing the stigma that surrounds mental health challenges. This is helping more people to take the steps that are needed to get the help that they need. Mental health challenges are treatable, and many people would be able to improve the quality of their life if they would just get the help that they need. If you have been struggling, you may be wondering what steps you can take and what therapy could help you. If you've done a little research, one of the things you may have come across is cognitive-behavioral therapy or CBT. Before you go searching "where to find cognitive-behavioral therapy near me?" here are some things you may be wondering.
CBT is a type of therapy that focuses on teaching people skills that help them cope with their struggles and overcome them to move forward. This is a type of psychotherapy, but it's a little different than what many people think of with psychotherapy. Most people think of talk therapy as being when the therapist will help their patient to talk through emotional situations, such as those that they experienced in childhood. What most people think of as talk therapy is a person processing through old experiences and feelings until they get to the root cause of the problems they are experiencing, and then addressing those.
CBT works differently. Instead of processing through all the old situations of life and focusing on the past, the therapist helps you focus on learning the skills to improve your future. The therapy works by helping people learn how to identify and replace negative throughs.
Many different people can benefit from CBT. The therapy is often used for people that are experiencing anxiety disorders and depression. It's also beneficial for people that struggle with addiction, depression, bipolar disorder, and other mood disorders, along with schizophrenia, eating disorders, and other mental health challenges. This therapy can also help anyone looking to improve their level of contentment or satisfaction in life.
There are several stages to CBT. Therapy will begin with an initial session where your therapist will talk to you to find out why you have decided to come to therapy. Your therapist wants to know what your goals are. Once they have this information, they can start to help you identify the steps that need to be taken to make progress.
If you have never been to counseling before, it's important to know that you shouldn't expect to see any progress during the first session. It can even take several sessions before you start to notice improvement and progress towards your goals. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a type of therapy that typically only uses a specified number of sessions. It is not designed to just continue for an undetermined amount of sessions.
Once you have your goals set and a plan established with your therapist, the next step is to start processing through what's leading to your struggles. You work on identifying what thoughts and emotions are holding you back or adding to your problems. This could be things like "I'm not good enough" or "I will never be able to overcome this addiction" or any other negative thought that is keeping you stuck in life.
Once you know where the problems lie and what thoughts and beliefs you are struggling with, your therapist will work with you to change them. You will learn how to recognize when they are happening and replace them with something better.
While many people have great success with CBT, there are some who believe that in a sense all you are doing is putting a Band-Aid on the problem. Since CBT only addresses certain areas and works forward, you may not be addressing the real root of the problem. So, while you have the coping skills that you need to deal with and overcome the struggles that you are having, it doesn't fix the issue that started it all in the first place.
CBT is also a type of therapy that requires you to participate in it fully. You aren't going to benefit simply from showing up at therapy sessions, talking, having a breakthrough, and heading home again until your next session. Instead, CBT requires you to participate in it actively. You will be given homework to do in between sessions. If you are unwilling to put your time and effort into the therapy, you will not make a habit out of the skills that you were taught, and then you will not experience the changes you want to see in your life.
Just like with many things, you can find that your struggle becomes slightly greater before it improves. For CBT to work you have to spend time identifying your wrong and negative thought patterns and beliefs. To do this, you may end up having to force yourself to think about things that are unpleasant and things that you might not want to deal with. However, you aren't able to change your thought pattern if you first don't learn how to recognize the wrong one.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How Do I Find Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Near Me?
CBT can be an effective form of therapy for the right people. However, it does take work, and you have to be willing to invest in the process. The more you focus on it, the faster it will become a habit for you that you don't have to try so hard to accomplish.
If you are interested in participating in CBT, then you need to look for a therapist that offers this type of therapy. As described above, not every therapist is going to choose to treat you with this form of treatment. You can contact local therapists in your area to see if they believe in the use of CBT with your symptoms. The therapist may want to meet with you before deciding if this is something that would be a good option for you or not.
You can try searching online for therapists in your area, or you can try asking for recommendations for family and friends. You can also try finding a therapist that offers this type of therapy online, like those with BetterHelp.
How to Save On CBT?
If cost is something you're concerned about, there are ways that you can save money on therapy. Start by contacting your health insurance company to see if they offer any type of coverage. Most insurance plans are required to provide some form of coverage for mental health services. This may be limited to a certain amount of appointments or who you can see, so you will want to ask about the information first.
You can also save money on your sessions by finding a therapist that offers reduced fees based on your income. This is an option that many therapists offer to make mental health services more affordable. Other options for discounted services would be to look for community services or an office at a local college campus. Places like these often offer reduced pricing on therapy services.
Another way to save money on CBT is to make the most out of your sessions. The harder you work at sticking to the treatment plan that you and your therapist set, the faster you will see progress. On the other hand, if you refuse to do the exercises that they want you to do or don't practice what they ask you to do, then it could take longer for you to see progress. This means you will need more sessions.
What If It's Not Working?
If you have been trying CBT and don't see any differences, there are a few things that you can try. The first is to stick with therapy. Again, the process takes time so if you have just recently started, stick with it to see if it gets better. The second thing that you can do is look for a new therapist. It might not be the type of treatment you are receiving but the therapist that you're working with. The final thing you can try is locating a new therapist. If your current set up isn't working, don't be afraid to make changes until you find the plan does work.
How do I find a cognitive behavioral therapist?
Finding a cognitive behavioral cbt therapist that offers psychological services is not so difficult. There are various options you can explore, some of which include:
Start by entering ‘cognitive behavioral cbt therapy near me’ into your search engine's search bar. In no time, a cbt therapist that provides psychological services around your vicinity would pop up.
Sometimes, you may need to opt for an online therapist, especially if you are busy or uncomfortable with interpersonal therapy. In that case, you can click here to contact a certified therapist.
You must know that online cognitive therapy is as effective as physical therapy for various conditions like psychotic disorders. For instance, 78% of BetterHelp users living with anxiety depression experienced a great turnaround in their mental health after sessions with a cbt therapist. The lack of one on one interaction will not affect your social skills as the virtual platform is optimized to maximize communication.
Alternatively, you can visit the American Board of Professional Psychology today. On the website, tap the 'Cognitive and Behavioral Psychology' option to get started. But suppose you have the therapist's name. In that case, you can look for it in that section to get the professional's address and other necessary information.
How much does cognitive behavioral therapy cost?
Most cognitive behavioral cbt psychologists charge at least $100 per hour. Although this is quite high for experts in psychology today, in the real sense, no amount of money should be considered too much for your mental health and wellness. Also, you should not forget to ask the therapist if they accept installment or third-party payment.
Meanwhile, if your budget is low or you probably don't have health insurance, you can patronize some federal mental centers. In this facility, your health and wellness are considered as you would be charged based on your income or financial prowess.
Lastly, you can search for some universities that offer therapy with experts in psychology today. Most of them are nice treatment centers that perform well on a low budget while prioritizing the health and wellness of their patients. These options are great for both teens and adults alike.
How long does it take for cognitive behavioral therapy to work?
An average cognitive behavioral cbt therapy session lasts for about 30 minutes to an hour to manage different mental health issues. And this might go on for three to five months.
Recently, people are now going for intensive CBT sessions due to its lesser number of sessions. For instance, some patients love to go for longer sessions that run into shorter weeks or months instead of the traditional long sessions. This new strategy is suitable for people who are usually busy and don't have much time to spare.
That said, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence recommends six to twenty-four sessions in anger management and psychotic disorder treatment centers. So, the cbt psychologist may recommend more sessions depending on the severity of the patient's condition.
What does cognitive behavioral therapy involve?
Mental treatment centers offer various counseling services, one of which is cognitive behavioral cbt therapy. The therapy only lasts for a short period of time. It focuses on using an experimental and factual approach to solve various mental illnesses and can involve couple’s counseling.
Unlike other mental therapies, cbt mental health professionals aim to re-orientate and redirect their clients' thinking patterns and behavior. And they achieve this by evaluating the patient's thoughts, belief system, and general outlook about life.
Mind you. The remedy performs excellently well when used for clinical social skills improvement, emotional healing, grief, anger management, and other mentally challenging situations. Also, the therapy can be of help in patients under the influence of substance abuse.
Though most psychologists specialize in one-on-one therapy, useful strategies can still be used in family counseling services, family therapy, and group therapy in treatment centers.
Can I do cognitive behavioral therapy on my own?
For one reason or the other, some people may not be privileged to see a licensed clinical psychologist for their management in treatment centers, so they give up, consequently worsening the situation. But the good news is that you can have the therapy on your own. However, it is subjected to the severity of the condition. Two research pieces have shown that self-treatment of anxiety depression using the CBT procedure can help manage/treat the condition well. However, the recovery may not be 100%.
We must reiterate that those who are qualified for self-cognitive and behavioral remedies are those whose anxiety depression is minimal and can still carry out their day-to-day activities. Mind you. We won't recommend a self remedy for those who can barely do their daily routine or leave their beds. Besides, the aim of the remedy is to the end that you become your own therapist later in life.
If you would like to carry out the self-therapy, here is a catalog of books that can help you learn more about human psychology today. The books already received the seal of the Association of behavioral and cognitive therapies. You should note that they may not equip you with knowledge on family therapy.
Are therapists worth it?
You need to know that therapists are an important part of the mental healthcare team. Therefore, they are important and indispensable. Since your psychology today may not be the same tomorrow, what a therapist does is provide you with clinical social skills and emotional healing that you may not find elsewhere. The knowledge and skills patients acquire from clinical psychologists can last them a long time, even after the therapy sessions.
Surprisingly, a study in the UK showed that investing in your mental health, that is, consulting a therapist, can increase your income. Simply put, if you find a cognitive behavioral specialist and invest in your psychology today, it is more likely to pay off in the future.
We won’t deny that some people have experienced little or no changes after consulting a therapist; still, that does not deny the fact that therapists are indispensable. More so why we advise that you find a therapist that is competent.
What is the difference between cognitive therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy?
Most people patients think both therapies are the same; in fact, some people use the words interchangeably. While the former only uses a single therapeutic approach, the cognitive behavioral cbt therapy combines several approaches (that is, cognitive, behavioral, and others).
Cognitive therapy is premised on the fact that your experience and view about things can affect how you relate, think, or perceive situations.
On the other hand, cognitive behavioral cbt therapy believes that your thinking pattern can affect your mental health. So what the therapist does is help you replace those dangerous thoughts with fruitful and realistic thoughts.
Lastly, while the former therapy focuses on probing past events, other management plans in some treatment centers is mostly concerned about your present thought and how it affects you.
