Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): What to Expect in Your Sessions

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most common types of therapy for a variety of conditions. CBT is often used for anxiety and depression, but it’s also used to treat other mental health conditions by helping individuals understand and change their behaviors. 

Even though it’s quite popular, starting any type of therapy can be a little overwhelming. That’s especially true if you’ve never gone through any kind of mental health treatment before. 

Having a basic understanding of what to expect in your CBT sessions can help you feel more comfortable from day one. While every therapist is different and might vary in their techniques, there are a few consistent things you can expect to see throughout your sessions. 

Let’s take a closer look at what to expect, so you can prepare yourself ahead of time and walk into your first session as calmly as possible. 

Your First Session

During your first sessions, you’ll cover some basic information. It’s important that you’re comfortable with the therapist and that they’re a good fit for your needs. So, you’ll spend some time talking about your history, background, and your life. 

If you’re working with a therapist for a specific reason like anxiety or depression, they might dig a little deeper into how those issues are impacting your life. You also might be asked about any stressful or even traumatic events you’ve experienced. Those things can all shape your thought process now. 

Once your therapist has collected some of that information and you’ve established a sense of trust, you can really start working through issues with your therapist. This can not only ease anxiety surrounding therapy, but it can also give you a deeper understanding of yourself, and your goals for therapy.

Future Sessions

Once you’ve gone through an assessment period with your therapist, they will work with you to identify unhelpful thoughts or behaviors. From there, you can start to work on effective ways of changing those behaviors and ignoring those negative thoughts. 

One of the great things about CBTis that you will be equipped with tools for working through issues, almost immediately. For example, your therapist might challenge you to question negative thoughts as they enter your head. Then, you can actively try to replace them with more realistic or positive ones. They may also challenge you to recognize when a behavior might make you feel worse instead of better. The goal is to pause when those situations arise and rethink your reactions. CBT often comes with homework. But that’s only to ensure you don’t lose the skills or knowledge you’ve gained during your therapy sessions.

When you go back for another session, it’s likely your therapist will ask you how you’ve done with putting those changes in place. They might also ask what you feel is the most challenging. It’s never easy to change thought patterns and behaviors. It’s also not easy to confront your fears when you’ve been dealing with them for a long time. CBT doesn’t create overnight change. Rather, it’s a process that can help you learn how to challenge negative thoughts forever. 

Is CBT Right for You?

There’s a reason why CBT is so popular for people with anxiety or depression. If you’re struggling with invasive thoughts and you’re willing to open up to a professional, this type of therapy could be perfect for you. 

If you’re interested in learning more about what to expect with CBT or you’re questioning whether it’s your best option, feel free to contact me for information or to set up an initial appointment.