What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

As we are growing up and going through life, there are many thoughts we have. Some of those thoughts are positive, while others are negative. Our thoughts have power over our behavior. The only problem is, when we focus too much on thoughts that drive us toward the negative actions, beliefs and attitudes, it will have a negative effect on our everyday life and our relationships with others. There’s an old saying, “Even though you have a thought, it doesn’t make that thought true.” At the heart of this saying, there is power.

Not everything we think is true, therefore, we don’t need to focus on its inevitability. Sometimes it is difficult to see which thoughts affect our behavior negatively, therefore, therapists are helpful in taking that role in a non-biased way and helping you to be aware of how your thinking affect your behavior. As you become aware, you can start to redirect these thoughts toward the positive truth and therefore live in a positive light.

The clinical term for this process is called cognitive behavioral therapy. A therapist helps you take your thinking and belief processes and turn them to be positive. As you become more cognitive of your thinking, you can then become more aware of the behaviors associated with the thinking and make appropriate changes. Your emotional state will then change as you identify your negative thoughts, change to positive thinking, alter your behavior born out of the negative thinking and then feel more of a sense of calm and peace.

Contact us at the Metis Center for therapy and ask about cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety, stress, and increasing your mindfulness.