Change the Way You Think, Feel, and Act
CBT in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Throughout California
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a treatment approach that focuses on changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. It addresses thinking patterns that affect us emotionally and contribute to problematic behaviors. CBT is effective in treating a wide range of mental health conditions including generalized anxiety, social anxiety, depression, eating disorders, PTSD, OCD, and more. It is important to note that some traditional CBT strategies could be harmful when treating OCD. There is a specific kind of CBT for OCD known to be effective, called Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP).
How can Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in San Francisco help me?
CBT is based on the idea that our thoughts influence our feelings and behaviors. By changing unhelpful thinking patterns, we can shift to more adaptive thinking. We then feel differently and cope more effectively when challenging emotions arise. As a result, our responses to situations change, leading to more positive outcomes. By recognizing the connection between our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, we can interrupt cycles that might be causing problems. CBT guides individuals in identifying and challenging unhelpful or inaccurate beliefs to develop different perspectives and responses to difficult situations. Ongoing practice of CBT skills can change the structure of your brain and the way it functions (thanks to neuroplasticity!)
What can I expect when starting Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Los Angeles?
When starting CBT, clients will be asked to begin self-monitoring and keep a thought record. This will be a documentation of challenging moments they encountered in between sessions. It will generally include the situation, the automatic thoughts that came to their mind, the feelings they experienced (with a rating of the intensity), and their response or behavior. This helps clients increase self-awareness around what is happening in their minds, notice patterns, and improve their ability to catch these sequences as they occur in real time.
Clients will begin identifying unhelpful thought patterns (also known as “cognitive distortions” or “thinking errors”) that they engage in frequently. Once identified, these thoughts are challenged and reframed, helping to develop a more balanced perspective. Exposure work is also part of CBT, which is used often when clients are experiencing avoidant behaviors (commonly seen with anxiety disorders.) This provides opportunities to “test” beliefs by confronting fearful situations and developing new conclusions based on actual outcomes. Behavioral activation is also another technique that is helpful with depression, which encourages clients to re-engage in pleasurable activities. This allows them to experience moments of satisfaction, a boost in mood, and disprove inaccurate and unhelpful thinking.
We’re all capable of developing new ways of thinking, thanks to neuroplasticity. CBT in Los Angeles can help!
Are you ready to learn new thinking skills to help you navigate anxiety, OCD, or other mental health struggles? Schedule a free intro call below!
What are some common examples of cognitive distortions targeted in CBT therapy?
Below are some of the most common thought patterns that can become problematic if we engage in them too often:
All-or-Nothing Thinking
Viewing situations in extremes, also known as black-and-white thinking. This kind of thinking creates rigidity and an inability to see the gray or middle ground.
"I missed the gym today. I failed at my goal."
Catastrophizing
Assuming the worst possible outcome, also known as worst-case scenario thinking. This can create unnecessary worry and magnify anxiety.
“That presentation didn’t go well. I’m going to get fired, my career will be ruined, and I’ll never be able to recover.”
Overgeneralization
Drawing broad conclusions from a single incident. Absolutist language like “never” and “always” is used. Doing too much of this prevents people from seeing the exceptions- the moments when these beliefs aren’t true.
"I accidentally stained my favorite shirt. Bad things always happen to me."
Jumping to Conclusions
Making assumptions without any factual basis. This increases the likelihood of one acting on inaccurate assumptions and can lead to stress and misunderstandings. This comes in the form of:
Mind reading (assumptions about what others are thinking or feeling)
“They’re not really talkative today; they must think I’m not interesting.”
Fortune telling (assumptions about the future)
“I have a headache; there must be something neurologically wrong with me.”
Should Statements
Having rigid and/or unrealistic expectations. This can lead to feelings of frustration or anger if directed toward others, or it can lead to guilt, disappointment, and shame if directed toward oneself.
"I should be doing something productive instead of resting here on the couch.”
“She should have left earlier to account for potential traffic."
Emotional Reasoning
Treating your feelings as evidence of something and basing conclusions on that. This can lead to decisions based on feelings rather than facts.
“I’m feeling anxious; something bad is going to happen today.”
Mental Filtering
Focusing solely on the negative parts of a situation and “filtering” or ignoring the positives. This can create biased thinking over time.
“My boss said I needed to make a couple of edits, I guess my work wasn’t good” (overlooking the mostly positive feedback that was received.)
Discounting the Positive
Dismissing or minimizing positive experiences and reducing their importance. This can lead to downplaying achievements and overlooking strengths, affecting one’s self-perception and confidence.
“I got a perfect score on my exam. But it was just one exam, so it doesn’t count.”
Labeling
Assigning a broad and negative label to oneself based on select incidents. Rather than describing the action or situation, one ends up summing up their identity to these single terms.
“I made a mistake with that project, I’m such an idiot.”
Personalization and Self-Blame
Taking the blame and responsibility for something out of one’s control, especially if there was a negative outcome. This can lead to unnecessary guilt and internalizing failures.
“If had invited fewer people to the get-together last weekend, my friend wouldn’t have gotten sick”
The way you think is learned, and it’s possible to relearn new ways with ongoing practice. It’s like strengthening a new muscle and weakening an old one. You’ll need to use the new muscle while resisting the use of the old one. Over time, the new muscle will become dominant, as the use of the old muscle lessens.
Where can I learn more about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
Below are some information sources that could be helpful about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy:
National Institutes of Health (NIH): In brief: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Mayo Clinic: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
I think Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in San Francisco could help me, how do I get started?
The first step would be to connect with a licensed therapist trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I’m an OCD and Anxiety Therapist who can work with you. I often incorporate traditional CBT in my work with clients who are doing ERP for OCD (while being mindful of the parts of traditional CBT that could be harmful). It’s also not uncommon for there to be co-existing conditions like depression or generalized anxiety along with OCD. CBT can help address those as well.
