You know that your thoughts aren't always rational, but that doesn't mean you can just stop thinking them.
You might constantly expect the worst, replay conversations in your head, avoid things that make you anxious, or are really hard on yourself. You might even know that you're being overly critical, but still find yourself falling into the same thinking patterns.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can help you understand the connection between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours and work toward changing patterns that are no longer serving you.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in Calgary
What is (CBT) Cognitive Behavioural Therapy?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a structured, goal-oriented type of talk therapy that looks at the relationship between your thoughts, emotions, behaviours, and experiences. It is one of the most researched forms of therapy and is often considered a gold-standard treatment for a range of mental health concerns.
CBT uses a top-down approach, meaning it focuses on how our thoughts and interpretations can influence our emotions, behaviours, and overall experiences. The way we think about a situation can shape how we feel and what we do next. CBT helps you identify patterns that may be contributing to how you’re feeling and explore whether there are different ways of responding. You can learn more about top-down and bottom-up approaches to therapy [here].
This doesn’t mean forcing yourself to “think positively.” Instead, you might learn to notice unhelpful thinking patterns, question assumptions, try out different behaviours, and build practical skills you can use outside of therapy.
CBT is often structured around specific goals, which means you and your therapist will work together to understand what you want to change and how to get there.
CBT may be a good fit if...
tend to overthink or get stuck in negative thought patterns
are hard on yourself or struggle with negative self-talk
expect the worst or frequently worry about what could go wrong
avoid situations because of anxiety or fear
have difficulty changing habits or behaviours you know aren't helping
want practical strategies you can use between sessions
prefer having specific goals to work toward in therapy
want to better understand the connection between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours
find yourself replaying situations or conversations over and over
struggle with perfectionism or putting a lot of pressure on yourself
want to build skills for managing difficult emotions
You don't have to know exactly which CBT skills you need. Your therapist can help you figure out what patterns are getting in the way and what you can work on together.
Frequently Asked Questions:
-
CBT is often more structured than people expect, but that doesn't mean every session is a worksheet.
You and your therapist will talk about what is happening in your life and identify patterns that may be contributing to what you're experiencing. You may look at a specific situation and explore what you were thinking, how you felt, what you did, and what happened afterward.
Depending on what you're working on, your therapist might help you:
identify unhelpful thinking patterns
challenge assumptions or beliefs
practice looking at situations from different perspectives
gradually approach situations you've been avoiding
develop coping and problem-solving skills
practice new behaviours
track patterns between sessions
complete exercises or reflections outside of sessions
-
CBT is typically a short-term therapy, often lasting anywhere from 5 to 20 sessions. The duration depends on the specific issues you're working on and how quickly you progress.
-
CBT is more structured and focused on specific goals compared to some other therapeutic approaches. While therapies like psychodynamic therapy delve deeper into the unconscious or past experiences, CBT focuses on changing current negative thought patterns and behaviors to improve emotional health and coping strategies.
-
Yes, CBT is especially effective in addressing negative self-talk. It helps you recognize and challenge the unhelpful thoughts you have about yourself, replacing them with more balanced, realistic beliefs that improve self-esteem and mental well-being.
-
No. CBT is used for many different concerns, including anxiety, depression, OCD, phobias, insomnia, chronic pain, low self-esteem, perfectionism, and more.
What can CBT help with?
CBT has been extensively researched and is used to support a wide range of mental health concerns. Depending on your goals and your therapist's training:
Anxiety and panic: learning to recognize anxious thought patterns, reduce avoidance, and respond differently to fear
Depression: working with negative thinking, withdrawal, and behaviours that can contribute to low mood
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): addressing obsessions and compulsive behaviours through evidence-based CBT approaches such as exposure and response prevention (ERP)
Procrastination: understanding the thoughts, emotions, and behaviours that contribute to putting things off, and building strategies to make tasks feel more manageable and easier to start
Phobias and fears: gradually working with feared situations and reducing avoidance
Social anxiety: exploring fears about judgment, rejection, or embarrassment and building confidence in social situations
Stress: identifying thought and behaviour patterns that contribute to feeling overwhelmed
Low self-esteem: examining negative beliefs about yourself and developing more balanced ways of thinking
Perfectionism: working with rigid standards, self-criticism, and fear of making mistakes
Anger: understanding the thoughts, emotions, and behaviours that contribute to anger and developing different ways of responding
Insomnia: addressing thoughts and behaviours that may be interfering with sleep, often through CBT for Insomnia (CBT-I)
Eating and body image concerns: exploring thoughts, behaviours, and beliefs related to food, body image, and self-worth when CBT is clinically appropriate
Trauma-related concerns: addressing unhelpful thoughts, avoidance, and behaviours that may develop after a traumatic experience
CBT isn't limited to a specific diagnosis. It can also be used to work on patterns like avoidance, self-criticism, and difficulty coping with everyday stress.
Our CBT Therapists in Calgary
CBT isn't about “thinking positively”
One common misconception about CBT is that it means replacing every negative thought with a positive one. That's not really the goal. If you're thinking, “Everyone is going to think I'm stupid,” your therapist isn't going to ask you to replace it with, “Everyone thinks I'm amazing!”
Instead, you might look at the evidence for and against the thought, consider other possible explanations, and ask yourself whether there is a more balanced way of looking at the situation.
CBT and other therapy approaches
CBT can be used on its own or alongside other therapeutic approaches.
Depending on your needs, your therapist may integrate CBT with approaches such as EMDR, somatic therapy, IFS, ACT, or other approaches.
For example, CBT may help you identify a pattern of anxious thinking while somatic work helps you notice how anxiety shows up in your body. Your therapist can help determine what combination of approaches makes sense for you.
There isn't one therapy approach that works for everyone. Finding the right fit is about choosing an approach that matches your goals, preferences, and what you're working through.
What starting therapy at The Cognitive Corner looks like?
Starting therapy can feel like a lot when you're already trying to figure out what kind of support you need. We've made the process simple.
1. Find your therapist
Start with our Therapist Matching Tool. You'll answer a few questions about your location, insurance and what you're looking for and we'll help you find a therapist who may be a good fit.
2. Book a free consultation
Once you've found someone you're interested in, you can book a free consultation with them. This gives you a chance to meet your therapist, ask questions, and get a sense of whether they feel like the right fit.
3. Start therapy
If it feels like a good match, you can book your first session and get started. We also offer direct billing with many major insurance providers, so you can use your benefits when eligible.
Ready to work on the patterns that are keeping you stuck?
You don't have to figure out what approach you need on your own. If you're curious about CBT, our therapists can help you explore whether it may be a good fit for you.