Cognitive behavioural therapy is based on the idea that thoughts predominantly influence emotional states rather than the impact of external stimuli. A CBT therapist in Calgary will typically work with patients who are depressed, suffer from anxiety or phobias and other mental health issues to help them understand the irrationality of negative thinking.
Exploring the Role of a CBT Therapist
CBT professionals provide information which helps individuals realize how one can evaluate a situation or event rather than the event itself that causes feelings of anger, pain or sadness. This distortion of thoughts can create psychological distress in patients who are prone to automatically think negatively about something that should not be perceived in this manner.
‘Real World’ example of CBT
An example of what CBT therapy in Calgary can accomplish is revealed in this case history involving a depressed patient who was attending college but wanted to drop out because she thought teachers disliked her and thought she was not smart enough to finish college. This client told her therapist that when one of her teachers told the class to please “stop talking”, she believed that the teacher was trying to tell her that nothing she did was right, that everything she did was wrong and that she should just leave college immediately. Depression often causes such cognitive distortions that are irrational and baseless.
CBT in Calgary with Insight
However, there is hope. A professional CBT therapist at Insight can skillfully guide a patient through a process of detailed steps which allows them to understand the absurdity of emotionally based judgements.
