CBT combines cognitive and behavioral therapies and has strong empirical support for treating mood

and anxiety disorders (Chambless & Ollendick, 2001; DeRubeis & CritsChristoph, 1998). The basic
premise of CBT is that emotions are difficult to change directly, so CBT targets emotions by changing
thoughts and behaviors that are contributing to the distressing emotions.

CBT builds a set of skills that enables an individual to be aware of thoughts and emotions; identify how
situations, thoughts, and behaviors influence emotions; and improve feelings by changing dysfunctional
thoughts and behaviors. The process of CBT skill acquisition is collaborative. Skill acquisition and
homework assignments are what set CBT apart from “talk therapies.” You should use session time to
teach skills to address the presenting problem and not simply to discuss the issue with the patient or
offer advice.

 It is used to help treat a wide range of issues in a person’s life, from sleeping difficulties or relationship
problems, to drug and alcohol abuse or anxiety and depression. CBT works by changing people’s
attitudes and their behavior by focusing on the thoughts, images, beliefs and attitudes that are held (a
person’s cognitive processes) and how these processes relate to the way a person behaves, as a way of
dealing with emotional problems.

An important advantage of cognitive behavioral therapy is that it tends to be short, taking

five to ten months for most emotional problems. Clients attend one session per week, each
session lasting approximately 50 minutes.

During sessions, you'll set goals for your patient and provide him with homework. As a cognitive
therapist, you may ask your client to track and monitor moods, reactions, and feelings as well as
different ways of thinking during the course of therapy.

You might identify triggers that set your client off and help your him to readjust reflexes to achieve
positive outcomes.

Some psychotherapists combine cognitive therapy with other forms of therapy to realize the maximum
benefit. You can use cognitive therapy for specific purposes or create a practice with a focus on the
specialty.

Cognitive behavior therapists help treat many different problems including:

 Anxiety
 Substance Abuse
 Personality Disorders
  Sleep Disorders
 Eating Disorders
 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
 Bipolar Disorder
 Anxiety
 Substance Abuse
 Personality Disorders
 Sleep Disorders
 Eating Disorders
 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
 Bipolar Disorder
 Schizophrenia
 Body Dysmorphic Disorder
 Marital Problems/Divorce
 Seasonal Affective Disorder
 Chronic Pain
 Fibromyalgia

CBT THERAPY EXERCISE

Cognitive Restructuring: Cognitive restructuring is a cognitive behavioral therapy exercise designed to

help people examine unhelpful thinking patterns, and devise new ways of reacting to problematic
situations. Cognitive restructuring often involves keeping a thought record, which is a way of tracking
dysfunctional automatic thoughts, and devising adaptive alternative responses.

Activity Scheduling: Activity scheduling is a cognitive behavioral therapy exercise that helps people
engage in behaviors they ordinarily would not engage in. The intervention involves identifying a low
frequency behavior, and finding time throughout the week to schedule the behavior to increase its
frequency. It is often employed in treatment for depression, as a way of re-introducing rewarding
behaviors into people’s routines.

Graded Exposure: Exposure  is a cognitive behavioral therapy exercise designed to reduce anxiety
and fear through repeated contact with what is feared. This has been to shown to be among the
most effective treatments for any psychological problem. The underlying theory has to do with
avoidance of things that we fear resulting in increased fear and anxiety. By systematically
approaching what you might normally avoid, a significant and lasting reduction in anxiety takes
place.

Successive Approximation: Successive approximation is a cognitive behavioral therapy exercise

that helps people tackle difficult or overwhelming goals. By systematically breaking large tasks
into smaller steps, or by performing a task similar to the goal, but less difficult, people are able to
gain mastery over the skills needed to achieve the larger goal. 
Mindfulness Meditation: Mindfulness meditation  is a cognitive behavioral therapy exercise that
helps people disengage from harmful ruminating or obsessing by learning to connect to the
present moment. Mindfulness comes from Buddhist meditation, and is the subject of a significant
amount of new research on effective treatment of psychological problems. 

Skills Training: Skills Training is a cognitive behavioral therapy exercise to help remedy skills
deficits, and works through modeling, direct instruction, and role-plays. The most common
subjects of skills training are social skills  training, assertiveness  training, and communication
training . 

Problem Solving: Problem Solving  is a cognitive behavioral therapy exercise to help

people take an active role in finding solutions to problems. Chronic mood problems or
repeated disappointment can result in people taking a passive role when difficult
situations arise. By teaching people effective problem solving strategies, they are able to
regain control and make the best of difficult situations. 

Relaxation Breathing Training: Relaxation training  is a cognitive behavioral therapy

exercise designed to help people reduce physiological symptoms of anxiety, such as
shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, dizziness, etc. By reducing the body’s anxious
arousal, people are able to think more clearly, thus increasing feelings of comfort and
further decreasing anxiety symptoms.

5 Common Cognitive Behavioral Techniques:

1. Socratic Questioning: Questioning allows the therapist to stimulate the client’s

self-awareness, focus in on the problem definition, expose the client’s belief
system, and challenge irrational beliefs while revealing the clients cognitive
processes.

2. Homework: To assist with cognitive restructuring, clients are often assigned

homework.   Typical CBT homework assignments may include activities in
behavioral activation, monitoring automatic thoughts, reviewing the previous
therapy session, and preparing for the next therapy session.

3. Self-Monitoring: Also called diary work, self-monitoring is used to record the

amount and degree of thoughts and behaviors. This provides the client and
therapist information regarding the degree of a client’s negative affirmations.
4. Behavioral Experiments: The experiment process includes experiencing, observing,
reflecting, and planning.  These steps are conducted through thought testing,
discovery, activity, and/or observation.

5. Systematic Desensitization: Systematic Desensitization pairs relaxation with

exposure to something stressful.  Clients are taught to relax in anxiety producing
situations.