Cognitive Therapy

Cognitive therapy focuses on identifying and changing negative thinking patterns.

Since thoughts and feelings are believed to be linked together, the way a person thinks can affect the way a person feels.  Sometime thoughts happen quicker than someone can realize.  Instead, this person only   notices the feeling.  These thoughts are considered "automatic."  If these thoughts are negative, they can cause problems in a person’s view of himself and the world around him … leading to behavioral consequences (like poor performance, low self-esteem).  Cognitive therapist believe that the way to change feelings (or attitudes, or behaviors) is to change the preceding negative automatic thought(s).   

Cognitive psychotherapists are present, thought focused clinicians.  You won’t catch them looking very far back into childhoods.  They teach how to recognize negative thinking patterns and negative automatic thoughts.  By examining thought distortions, people can learn how to modify them and change their reactions to them.  People are often asked to keep a log of their thoughts and feelings to later use with their therapist to identify dysfunctional thinking patterns.  Then, these patients practice their new cognitive strategies in real life, discuss the outcomes with their therapist, and make any needed changes as they go along. Cognitive therapy is usually rather brief lasting for approximately 10 to 20 sessions.

Many are considered Cognitive-Behavioral therapists.  This style combines behavior therapy techniques (such as relaxation training) with effective cognitive techniques (such as thought restructuring) artfully together.