What Is Cognitive Therapy? Definition And Applications

By: Nicole Beasley

Updated March 08, 2020

Medically Reviewed By: Lauren Guilbeault

Cognitive therapy is one of the types of psychotherapy that is frequently used by therapists to treat a variety of mental health conditions. It is very helpful for many people, and it is one of the primary methods of psychotherapy being used today. It is a short-term therapy that provides long-term solutions. Read on to learn more about what cognitive therapy is and how it is used.

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Cognitive Therapy Definition

Cognitive therapy is psychotherapy in which negative patterns of thought about self and the world are challenged and used to alter behavior patterns or treat mood disorders such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and more. Cognitive therapy focuses on mindfulness and harnessing negative thoughts to turn them around to be more positive influences on mood and behavior.

Cognitive therapy has long been used to treat these disorders because it has proven to be highly effective. In cognitive therapy, one can harness negative thoughts that cause depression and anxiety and challenge them, learning that they are by far untrue and therefore unworthy of affecting behavior and mood.

The key to successful cognitive therapy is not just to overcome the mood disorder or behavior, but to learn skills that will help negate these disorders in the future. While cognitive therapy is a short-term therapy, it teaches skills that can be used throughout one's life to continue combatting depression and anxiety for years to come.

The Basics Of Cognitive Therapy

The concept behind cognitive therapy is that thoughts and feelings can affect behavior and mood. Cognitive therapy uses techniques to help patients identify these negative thoughts and feelings and turn them around into positive thoughts, which can then be used to change behavior and mood. While you cannot control what goes on in the world or even many aspects of your life, you can control how you think and feel about these events and how they affect your behavior and mood. Cognitive therapy is the process by which all can have this power over thought and mind.

Cognitive therapy is usually used to treat a specific problem, and it is a very short-term therapy. This makes it very popular with both patients and clinicians because it is more affordable and has excellent results. Also, the tools learned in cognitive therapy for one specific problem can be used by the patient to combat additional problems as they arise throughout their lifetime.

Types Of Cognitive Therapy

There are a few different types of cognitive therapy that may be used by therapists and psychologists. Each type of cognitive therapy uses different treatment approaches which may include individual psychotherapy as well as self-help reading assignments. Which type of cognitive therapy works for you may not be immediately clear, but a good therapist will be able to determine the right type for you and your situation.

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy

This type of cognitive therapy is based on discovering and changing irrational beliefs. The patient delves in deep with the therapist to discover what irrational beliefs are affecting their behavior and mood, and then work to change those beliefs over time. Once those beliefs are changed, patients learn how to identify irrational beliefs in the future and how to overcome them so that they can live more happy and productive lives.

Traditional Cognitive Therapy

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In traditional cognitive therapy, the patient learns how to identify and change inaccurate or distorted thoughts that affect mood and behavior. The patient will learn skills to change emotional responses and behaviors by changing thought patterns. This is the most common type of cognitive therapy.

Multimodal Therapy

This type of cognitive therapy is based on seven modalities that should be addressed in treating behavior and mood disorders. The seven modalities focused on this type of cognitive therapy are behavior, affect, sensation, imagery, cognition, interpersonal factors, and drug or biological factors. All of these modalities are addressed in multimodal therapy.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

This type of cognitive therapy is another common type used by therapists. In this type of cognitive therapy, emotional regulation and mindfulness are used to address thinking patterns and behaviors. The patient is taught how to recognize negative thoughts and use emotional regulation and mindfulness to isolate those thoughts and eliminate them so that they do not affect them negatively.

What To Expect From Cognitive Therapy

When you go through cognitive therapy, there are some stages to the process. First, your therapist will take you through an assessment to determine what areas you need to work on, such as depression, anxiety, self-esteem, or phobias. The assessment process may involve some self-report forms in which you will explain your thoughts, feelings, mood, and behaviors.

After the assessment or functional analysis, the real work in cognitive therapy begins. Functional analysis can be a journey of self-discovery, and for some people, the introspection can be difficult. Yet once the negative thoughts and feelings have been identified and it is examined how they affect behavior and mood, changes can begin to overcome those barriers.

The second half of cognitive therapy focuses on the behaviors and thoughts themselves. You will learn skills to cope in the real world to overcome these negative thoughts and behaviors. This is not a quick process, but it is a gradual changing of behavior and thought processes. Often the work of cognitive therapy is broken up into small steps that gradually change behavior and thought processes.

There are several tools that the therapist will use in cognitive therapy. You may be asked to do some self-help work, either through recommended books or through handouts your therapist will give you. You will leave most sessions with a homework assignment, a way to apply what you are learning in therapy to the outside world. These assignments are important and will help you ultimately change your mood, behavior, and thoughts.

Cognitive Therapy Applications

There are several different applications in which cognitive therapy is useful and effective. Depression can often be treated with cognitive therapy because depressed moods are generally caused or made worse by internal thoughts and behaviors. Anxiety is another condition that can be treated with cognitive therapy for much the same reason. Specific phobias can also be treated with cognitive therapy, as can certain emotional problems such as low self-esteem.

Another common application of cognitive therapy is in addiction treatment. Cognitive therapy can help addicts recognize the negative thoughts and behaviors that lead to drug and alcohol abuse, and take gradual steps to eliminate risks of relapse in the real world. Cognitive therapy can also be helpful to addicts because during self-discovery the patient may recognize their initial triggers for the abuse.

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Getting Help

Many people benefit from cognitive therapy. Our thoughts and emotions play a large role in our behavior and mood. By learning to control your thoughts and emotions and make them positive rather than negative, you can then control your behavior and mood more effectively. Cognitive therapy is a good option for anyone with a specific problem needing to be addressed.

If you feel that cognitive therapy may be right for you and your situation, there are several options available to you. Any licensed therapist or psychologist can help you through cognitive therapy. There are also some excellent books that walk you through the process, with some of them self-help step by step guides.

If you feel you need more one on one help with cognitive therapy, getting a regular therapist is your best option. Having a regular therapist will enable you to work with one individual to learn about yourself and gather the skills to overcome negative behaviors and moods. Most therapists meet with patients once per week, every other week, or once per month. It is really up to you, as well as your ability to pay for sessions.

One very good option is a service like BetterHelp. With BetterHelp, you have a regular therapist that you can touch base with whenever it is needed. You can see the therapist through Better Help on chat, over the phone, or online video chat. Most therapists are available for multiple sessions throughout the month, and they may also be available for quick questions or check-ins in between appointments.

The biggest advantage in using BetterHelp is that you can see your therapist more frequently. Not only is the therapist more readily available, but it is also more affordable. You will be able to see your therapist frequently so that you can make progress in cognitive therapy rather than taking months or years to accomplish the same goals due to infrequent sessions.

Still not sure what to do? If you want help with cognitive therapy, check out the advice sections of Better Help, or talk to a therapist in a one-on-one for more information. You may discover that Better Help is the answer you have been looking for to help you with your depression, anxiety, self-esteem, addiction, or other problem.