If you have noticed that your thoughts and behaviors have affected you to the point of causing such distress and interference in your life, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) offers the possibility of teaching you new ways of thinking and behaving that can allow you to achieve enhanced emotional well-being.

CBT emphasizes the relationships among our thoughts, behaviours, and emotions.  It teaches skills to challenge the negative thoughts and unhelpful behaviours that maintain the vicious cycle leading to emotional difficulties.

Have you ever thought…

• “People don’t like me”
• “I’m a fraud”
• “Something bad will happen”
• “I can’t handle this”
• “I will make a fool of myself”
• “I’ll fail”
• “This headache is a sign of a serious illness”

Have you ever…

• Procrastinated on something important
• Avoided doing something altogether
• Avoided people or isolated yourself
• Worked so hard to the point of burnout
• Checked something too many times
• Taken too long to make a decision or avoided making a decision at all
• Tried to be perfect or to please everyone

We’ve all had these or similar thoughts and/or engaged in these behaviours on occasion.

But, have these thoughts and/or behaviors been paralyzing, caused anxiety, or feelings of depression? Have they interfered with your ability to live your life authentically? Have they impaired your ability to pursue goals that are important to you? Have they prevented you from developing fulfilling and satisfying friendships and relationships? Have they impeded your ability to cope with life’s challenges? Have they prevented you from successfully navigating important transitions or changes in your life?

How CBT works

• CBT is a short-term treatment – generally, 8-20 sessions
• It is a collaborative approach between you and the therapist
• It requires practicing CBT skills between sessions
• It is a problem-focused and goal-oriented treatment approach
• It focuses primarily on the here and now
• It’s empowering – it teaches you to become your own therapist in the long run