If you are struggling with anxiety, depression, or overwhelming stress, life can sometimes feel unbearable.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a highly effective form of talk therapy that can empower you to overcome difficult obstacles in your path.

At Fearlessly Inspired Therapeutic Solutions (FITS) in Maryland and DC, we use CBT to target distressing thoughts and behaviors. 

How CBT Can Help:

• Change the negative beliefs you may have about yourself.
• Reduce negative self-talk.
• Create healthier behavior patterns. 

If you’re ready to take control of your mental health, we’re here to guide you on this transformative journey.

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, often referred to as CBT, is a goal-oriented approach to talk therapy. It recognizes and addresses the profound link between thoughts, emotions, and actions. 

CBT is based on the idea that our thoughts shape our feelings and behaviors. When someone engages in negative thinking patterns (AKA ‘cognitive distortions’), they might experience intense emotions, subsequently leading to harmful behaviors.

CBT Aims To:

• Identify distorted thinking and negative thoughts that influence our behavior.
• Develop coping strategies to address these negative thoughts and patterns, producing positive feelings. 
• Equip you with skills to manage emotional challenges and distress in the future.

What does CBT treat?

CBT is used for a wide range of mental health conditions and issues, such as:

• Anxiety Disorders: CBT provides tools to manage anxiety symptoms and cope with anxiety-inducing situations. 
• Depressive Disorders: CBT helps you identify and challenge the negative thought patterns that often fuel depression, enabling you to develop healthier and more positive ways of thinking and feeling.
• Other Mood Disorders, Such as Bipolar Disorder: CBT can help you to recognize triggers and learn how to better manage symptoms. 
• Grief and Loss: CBT can help you cope with your grief in a healthy way, allowing you to move through the stages of mourning and ultimately find acceptance.
• Overwhelming Stress: Through CBT, you can manage how you respond in high-tension scenarios, diminishing feelings of anxiety and overwhelm.

No matter what you’re struggling with, CBT can give you the tools and strategies to deal with your challenges and improve your mental well-being.

Using CBT to Treat Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety can manifest in various forms. Some common anxiety disorders include:

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
• Panic Disorder
• Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), also known as Social Phobia
• Specific Phobias 
• Separation Anxiety Disorder

You’re not alone! CBT can equip you with the tools to challenge anxious thinking and reduce crippling anxiety symptoms, so you can move forward and live your life. 

CBT for Anxiety is All About: 

1. Identifying and challenging anxiety-provoking thoughts.

2. Exposure therapy and ‘systematic desensitization’ for phobias and fears.

3. Relaxation and grounding techniques to manage the physical symptoms of anxiety. 

Using CBT to Treat Depression

For depressive disorders, the focus is on recognizing and reframing negative self-talk.

CBT for Depression is All About: 

Recognizing and reframing negative self-talk and core beliefs.

Using behavioral activation strategies to combat feelings of lethargy and disinterest.

Using gratitude and positive interventions to shift our focus.

Benefits of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

There are countless benefits to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. CBT can help to reduce distressing symptoms, allow you to gain greater insight into your thoughts and behaviors, and bring balance back to your life. 

Here are some of the many benefits of CBT:

Short-Term, Goal-Oriented

Unlike some other therapeutic approaches, CBT is typically more structured and focused on achieving specific goals. It is structured and focused on ways to apply CBT to your everyday life. There is a clear path and an end-point to therapy, once your therapy goals are met. 

Skills for Everyday Life

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy teaches practical, valuable skills and strategies that stay with you for life. You can use these skills in everyday life, like problem-solving and challenging negative thought patterns.

Evidence-Based Approach 

CBT is one of the most researched forms of psychotherapy. Numerous studies have demonstrated its efficacy in treating a range of disorders, especially anxiety and depression.

Empowering 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy truly emphasizes personal empowerment. You will get the opportunity to actively participate in your recovery and learn to recognize and change destructive patterns of thinking and behavior. 

Improve Coping Strategies 

CBT does not solve all of life’s problems. What it does do is provide you with the skills and strategies to cope with future challenges that come up. 

Reduce Relapse Rates

For many disorders, CBT has been shown to reduce the risk of recurrence when compared to just medications.

How Does CBT Work?

CBT holds a profound truth: Our thoughts shape our feelings, which in turn shape our behavior. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy involves delving into our thinking patterns and replacing negative thought processes with positive ones. 

Let’s explore how CBT works its magic:

Step 1: Identify and recognize distorted thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes that contribute to negative emotions.

Step 2: Analyze and understand the origins of these negative thought patterns to gain deeper insights into ourselves and why we think the way we do.

Step 3: Actively challenge and question these negative thoughts, comparing them with real-life evidence and experiences.

Step 4: Replace maladaptive beliefs with more balanced, positive, and constructive ones that align better with what we know to be true.

Step 5: Develop a resilient mindset that promotes mental well-being and can be applied in everyday situations.

Step 6: Learn effective coping strategies and techniques, and equip yourself to manage and reduce negative emotions

Step 7: Continuously practice and reinforce these new thought patterns and coping methods, integrating them into your daily life for lasting positive change.

The CBT process can be different for each individual, but this provides a general overview of the framework and gives you an idea of what you can expect to experience in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. 

By embarking on this empowering journey, you’ll gain the skills to effectively manage distress and regain control over your life.