Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based psychotherapeutic treatment that addresses maladaptive coping skills, cognitions, emotions and behaviors through a number of goal-oriented systematic procedures. Common features of CBT procedures are the focus on the “here and now”, a directive or guidance role of the therapist, a structuring of the psychotherapy sessions and path, and on alleviating both symptoms and patients’ vulnerability.
CBT is thought to be effective for the treatment of a variety of conditions, including mood, anxiety, personality, eating,substance abuse, tic, and psychotic disorders.
CBT assumes that changing maladaptive thinking leads to change in affect and behavior. CBT techniques help individuals challenge their patterns and beliefs and replace maladaptive thoughts such as overgeneralizing, magnifying negatives, minimizing positives and catastrophizing with more realistic and effective thoughts, thus decreasing emotional distress and self-defeating behavior or to take a more open, mindful, and aware posture toward them so as to diminish their impact.
CBT may refer to different interventions, including “self-instructions (e.g. distraction, imagery, motivational self-talk), relaxation and/or biofeedback, development of adaptive coping strategies (e.g. minimizing negative or self-defeating thoughts), changing maladaptive beliefs about pain, and goal setting.