Cognitive behavioral therapy was developed within the framework of existing theories in different schools. For this therapy different cognitive approaches were put together and the theory was built on a certain basis.
Cognitive behavioral therapy deals with the problems experienced by individuals with cognitive and mental processes. Cognitive function, i.e. the assessment and opinions of individuals about their lives, are studied.
In the learning process, most people cognitively do and evaluate the events they experience with their cognitive thinking structures and act accordingly. Cognitive behavioral therapy deals with people's feelings, thoughts and behaviors and considers them as a whole.
According to cognitive behavioral therapy, the triangle of emotions, thoughts, and behaviors is always interacting.
Thousands of thoughts come to a person's mind during periods of wakefulness throughout the day. Many of these thoughts guide us throughout the day and sometimes involuntary thoughts arise.
These thoughts are called automatic thoughts. For example, the things that come to your mind about the situation and environment you are in right now create your automatic thoughts. Because automatic thoughts are situations that are sudden when they arise, they are usually expressed not by the thoughts but by the emotions that accompany the situation.
There are rational and illogical thoughts in an individual's thought system, but the thoughts that are considered and accepted by individuals as real and have a negative impact on individuals are called cognitive distortions.
In cognitive behavioral therapy, "What we think is what we feel." The goal of therapy is to focus on the person's negative thoughts and to allow the person to see how her thoughts affect her emotions, i.e., to increase awareness. Once you find the negative thoughts, aim to change them.
What is important at this stage are the concepts of "now" and "here" . This principle is adopted in the therapeutic process and acts accordingly. The client is asked to state problems that the individual has experienced in the past, as if he were living at the time or how he would feel if he lived in that environment at the time.
Another important concept is the pattern. Schemas consist of beliefs that begin to develop from an individual's birth and are not easy to change. Their patterns form core beliefs and intermediate beliefs.
This belief, which seems very difficult to change when considering it in daily life, can also be considered as an escape method that we use to fight adversity. Our intermediate beliefs are the rules and methods we have developed to prevent the problems caused by our core beliefs.
It is very important to know the client's cognitive functioning and thoughts about their life, environment and future and to start working on evaluating these processes.
In cognitive behavioral therapy, emotional reactions and behavioral consequences are seen to be linked, and these processes are evaluated together.
It is possible to treat a variety of problems with cognitive behavioral therapy. At the beginning of cognitive behavioral therapy, studies of depression and phobias are usually conducted.
Cognitive behavioral therapy content; Symptoms that arise on the subject with which the individual has problems, when they decrease and when they are completely exhausted, and when the individual's cognitive processes are controlled, restructuring if necessary, and applying techniques relevant to the problem he is experiencing. After providing detailed information on the technique, the application phase can begin.
Homework on these disruptive behaviors can be given to individuals and they are helped to replace the negative behavior with other behavior patterns.
Depending on the problem he is experiencing, automatic problem thinking can be brought about using different techniques and can be helped to change these thought patterns and behaviors.
Automatic thoughts can be discovered through techniques such as Socratic questioning, recording negative thoughts, and direct questioning. With relaxation and breathing exercises, people can be relieved when they encounter problems.
When the end of the process is near, it is necessary to change the situations and patterns of behavior that bother the individual and create more realistic beliefs about the problem.
The type of disorder for which cognitive behavioral therapy is generally preferred;
- Type of anxiety disorder (generalized anxiety disorder, OCD, OCD, types of phobia, panic disorder, PTSD, PTSD)
- Mood disorders (depression and bipolar disorder)
- Food problems
- Behaviors that have become persistent, such as tics and the like
- sexual dysfunction
- Addictions and abuse, such as alcohol and substances
- Family or couples therapy