Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy
Have you ever stood in front of a funhouse mirror, surprised at how distorted your shape was? Like that funhouse mirror, the mind can also distort our perceptions and greatly influence how we think or act in everyday situations.
For example, if your boss gives you a glowing review with one recommendation for improvement, do you focus on the positive points, or on the one area you see as negative, feeling depressed and incompetent at your job?
Cognitive-behavioural therapy works to change a patient's negative or inaccurate thought patterns. “Cognitive-behavioural therapy is a kind of talking therapy, usually provided by psychologists, in which individuals learn to cope more effectively with life problems or mood issues,” says Dr. Dan Bilsker, a psychologist at Vancouver General Hospital and a consultant to a mental health services research group (CARMHA) at Simon Fraser University. “CBT is used for common mental health problems like depression and anxiety, and there's quite a bit of research showing that it's very effective.”
Cognitive-behavioural therapy has been used to treat many conditions, including:
- Stress
- Eating disorders
- Psychosis
- Body dysmorphic disorder
- Anger issues
- Insomnia
- Addiction
The psychologist will first try and gather information about the troubling situation you're seeking help for, and identify how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are affecting your life. Your psychologist will help you decide what issues to focus on as you work through your cognitive-behavioural therapy sessions.
You and your psychologist will also develop a goal-oriented treatment plan. In each session, you will explore your thoughts, beliefs and emotions around your situation, and will become more aware of negative and inaccurate thought patterns. The psychologist will often ask you to do homework in between sessions – reading or practicing what you've learned in therapy.
“If you think cognitive-behavioural therapy might be appropriate for you, what you want to do is find a psychologist who works in this model,” says Dr. Bilsker. “You might be able to find this person through your family physician or some other way, and it's a very powerful treatment resource and can make a huge difference to your life.
