Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been found to be effective in the treatment of various mood and anxiety disorders. CBT is often considered the gold standard treatment, as rigorous research studies have shown that it leads to significant improvement in functioning and quality of life, to the same or to a greater extent than other forms of therapy (psychological treatment or medication).

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?

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

CBT emphasizes the relationships among our thoughts, behaviours, & emotions. It teaches skills to challenge negative thoughts & change unhelpful behaviours or ways of responding to triggers that maintain the vicious cycle leading to emotional difficulties. 

This involves learning various strategies such as:

• awareness building
• symptom monitoring
• psycho-education
• activity scheduling
• behavioural activation
• goal setting
• challenging unhelpful thought patterns
• conducting behavioral experiments
• exposures
• problem-solving
• stress reduction techniques.

How It Works:

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

West Toronto CBT is a psychology practice that delivers evidence-based psychological treatments – Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) – to address mood and anxiety-related difficulties, including depression, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Social Anxiety, Health Anxiety, Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia, Insomnia, Grief/Loss and more.

The first step towards change is always the hardest – let’s discuss how I can support you on the next steps of your journey forward. Let’s make your mental health a priority. The step you take today will create a ripple effect in your future!