What is
Cognitive Therapy?
Cognitive therapy is a proven
problem-solving approach to help individuals stuck in feelings of
distress or maladaptive behavior patterns. Research demonstrates that
such difficulties are associated with negative, harsh, and
extreme thinking patterns. When we examine these thinking patterns, we
typically discover inaccuracies, referred to as cognitive distortions.
In cognitive therapy, individuals are taught to identify their negative
thoughts and replace them with more accurate, adaptive, and helpful
ones.
Goals of Cognitive Therapy
Include:
• the promotion of self-awareness
and emotional intelligence by teaching clients to “read” their emotions
and distinguish healthy from unhealthy feelings
• helping clients understand how
distorted perceptions and thoughts contribute to painful feelings
• the rapid reduction of symptoms
with an emphasis on examining the client’s current situation and solving
current problems
• the development of
self-control by teaching clients specific techniques to identify and
challenge distorted thinking
• prevention of future episodes of
emotional distress and development of personal growth by helping clients
change core beliefs that are often at the heart of their suffering.
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