Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)

I often use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as a preferred therapeutic approach, as it allows me to focus on the connection between my clients' thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. CBT helps the client identify and change negative and/or distorted thoughts, unhelpful patterns of thinking, and behavior that often contributes to their difficulties. I enjoy this approach because it emphasizes a collaborative process between myself and the client. Together, we will work on identifying and understanding the client's problems, set goals, and develop strategies to achieve those goals. During the intake session, an initial assessment is completed to gather information about my client's challenges, history and goals, this information will then be used to formulate a treatment plan with the client that will outline specific strategies and techniques to address their identified problems. Throughout the therapeutic process, my clients are taught coping skills such as relaxation techniques, problem-solving skills, and emotion regulation strategies. In using CBT, I sometimes find it helpful to assign clients homework tasks to practice and reinforce the skills learned in session. Overall, my approach is quite collaborative! I like to regularly review progress with my clients, seek feedback on the effectiveness of the interventions used and make any necessary adjustments to the treatment plan. Ultimately, the goal is to help the client develop more adaptive thought patterns, healthier behaviors and improved emotional well-being. As a final note, CBT is a structured and evidence-based approach that has shown to be effective in treating a range of mental health issues.