What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy CBT?
Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is a supportive, goal-focused form of talk therapy offered in person at our private practice that can help with behavior issues, negative thinking patterns, and more.
Often, we don’t even notice the automatic thoughts that shape how we feel; those little inner voices that can spiral into stress, anxiety, or self-doubt. CBT helps you slow things down, spot those unhelpful patterns, and take an active role in shifting the way you think so life feels a little lighter and more manageable.
When you work with one of our caring therapists, you won’t just talk about what’s bothering you—you’ll learn practical tools and strategies you can use in everyday situations. Together, we’ll help you challenge negative thoughts, build healthier personal skills, and create a sense of emotional balance. Over time, you’ll start to feel more confident, more grounded, and more in control of how you handle life’s ups and downs.
How CBT Uses Behavior Change to Build Resilience
Cognitive behavioral therapy isn’t just about changing your thoughts—it also focuses on the actions you take every day. Your therapist will help you look at the habits and behaviors that might be reinforcing negative cycles, like avoiding situations that make you anxious or withdrawing when you feel low. Together, you’ll create step-by-step plans to gradually face those challenges in safe, manageable ways. This process, often called behavioral activation or exposure, gives you the chance to build confidence and prove to yourself that you can handle more than you might think.
As you practice these new behaviors, you’ll notice shifts in how you feel and how you respond to stress. Re-engaging in meaningful activities, setting small achievable goals, and learning practical problem-solving skills all contribute to a stronger sense of balance and control. Over time, the combination of healthier thinking and healthier actions works hand in hand, helping you break free from unhelpful cycles and move toward a life that feels more stable, fulfilling, and aligned with your goals.
Behavioral Health: Treating Mental Health, Anxiety Disorders and More
Our behavioral health programs integrate CBT with other evidence-based methods to address a wide variety of psychiatric and emotional concerns. We work with clients facing anxiety disorders, mood instability, substance use issues, and even disruptive behavioral disorders that may impact daily life or relationships. CBT is particularly effective for treating anxiety and related challenges, giving clients tools to manage difficult emotions and develop healthier skills for disorders such as:
Anxiety Disorders
CBT is considered one of the most effective treatment options for all sorts of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety. Therapy sessions are geared towards helping those who feel anxious in identifying negative thought patterns and cognitive distortions. We then begin applying various techniques to reduce symptoms and change negative thoughts. Overall, CBT helps individuals seeking support feel less anxious, challenge negative thoughts, and function better.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Considered a gold-standard approach for obsessive-compulsive disorder, cognitive behavioral therapy is often combined with exposure and response prevention. Our therapists help clients confront intrusive thoughts, break unhelpful patterns, and build skills to reduce compulsions and improve self-esteem over time.
Depression and Mood Disorders
For depression and similar disorders, CBT helps stabilize mood, address automatic negative thoughts, and challenge unhelpful thinking. By building new behaviors, improving self-esteem, and learning strategies to handle stress, CBT aims to support long-term emotional balance and overall health.
Substance Use and Behavior Disorders
CBT is also an effective therapeutic intervention for individuals dealing with substance use or disruptive behavior disorders alongside mental health issues. Our cognitive behavioral therapists work with clients to reduce harmful behaviors, develop new skills, and apply CBT tools to achieve stability and recovery.
How Cognitive Behavioral Therapists Help with Mental Health Challenges
CBT is designed to help you feel more in control when life feels heavy or overwhelming. Instead of feeling stuck in cycles of worry, fear, or frustration, CBT gives you tools to understand what’s happening inside your mind and body alongside practical ways to create change. With the support of a therapist, you’ll build skills that not only help you feel better in the moment but also strengthen your ability to handle challenges in the future.
Our therapies help individuals navigate their mental health challenges by:
Reducing Feelings of Being Overwhelmed or Anxious
Learn to pause, step back, and manage spiraling or distorted thoughts so everyday stress feels more manageable.
Managing Emotional Distress and Strong Negative Emotions
Discover calming techniques that help you process emotions without feeling overwhelmed by them.
Building Personal Skills
Develop strategies you can lean on when life feels unpredictable or demanding while managing anxiety, depression, and triggers.
Improving Self-Esteem, Mood, and Emotional Resilience
Practice techniques that help you feel more confident, balanced, and grounded.
Addressing Unhelpful Thoughts and Cognitive Distortions
Replace negative thought cycles with constructive ones that support your well-being and build healthier behaviors and habits.
By breaking free from patterns of distorted thinking, avoidance, and harmful habits, CBT helps you build a life that feels more balanced, stable, and fulfilling so you can thrive and not just cope.
What to Expect in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Sessions
At Revitalize Wellness Center, every CBT session is designed around you, including your needs, your goals, and the challenges you want to overcome. Therapy can take place in one-on-one sessions or in small, supportive group settings, giving you space to learn and practice skills in ways that feel most comfortable. Each session is guided by a compassionate therapist who helps you explore your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors while giving you tools to create real, lasting change.
During your sessions, you can expect to:
Identify Distorted Thinking and Cognitive Distortions
Learn to recognize the thoughts that trigger stress, anxiety, or self-doubt.
Practice Cognitive Restructuring
Build the skills to replace harmful inner dialogue with more balanced perspectives.
Role-Play Real-life Situations
Gain confidence by practicing how to handle challenges before they arise.
Use Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques
Discover strategies to help you feel calm and grounded in everyday life.
Track Your Progress
See how far you’ve come and stay motivated as you build long-term well-being and improve your mental health.
These sessions are a safe space to learn, grow, and walk away each time with tools you can use to feel stronger, steadier, and more confident.
Advanced CBT Techniques for Better Results
While core CBT skills form the foundation of treatment, our therapists also draw on advanced techniques to help you dig deeper and get the most out of therapy. These approaches are tailored to your specific needs, whether you’re working through fears, struggling with motivation, or learning to navigate major life changes. Each technique is designed to help you build confidence, resilience, and practical strategies that you can carry into every part of your life.
Some of the advanced methods we may use include:
- Exposure therapy to gradually and safely face fears in a supportive environment.
- Behavioral activation to help you reconnect with meaningful activities and boost your mood, especially if depression has made it hard to stay engaged.
- Journaling and thought records to uncover negative thinking patterns and track your progress as you work toward change.
- Problem-solving training to give you tools for handling life transitions and challenges with more clarity and confidence.
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) to prevent relapse in mood or anxiety disorders by blending mindfulness with CBT practices.
By combining these specialized techniques with the foundational tools of CBT, therapy becomes a personalized roadmap toward managing symptoms, improving how you feel, and building lasting emotional strength.
Start Your Journey with a CBT Therapist
When anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or co-occurring conditions begin to interfere with your life, you don’t have to face it alone. Our therapists at Revitalize Wellness Center are here to help you take back control. With the guidance of our skilled therapists, you’ll learn how to break free from negative thought cycles, build coping strategies that actually work, and create healthier habits that support long-term emotional balance.
If anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or disruptive behavioral disorder symptoms are interfering with your life, it’s time to seek treatment. Call 888-364-8821 or contact us today to schedule an in-person consultation.
Sources:
Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG). (2022, June 2). In brief: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). In InformedHealth.org. NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279297/