Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has decades of research behind it. Here's how it works and why it's so effective for anxiety and depression.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most well-researched and effective forms of psychotherapy available. It's been shown in hundreds of clinical trials to be effective for anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, eating disorders, and more.
But what actually happens in a CBT session? And how does it change the way you think and feel?
**The CBT model.**
CBT is based on a simple but powerful idea: our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are all connected. When we experience a situation, we don't respond to the situation itself — we respond to our interpretation of it.
Example:
- **Situation:** A friend doesn't reply to your message
- **Automatic thought:** 'They're angry with me' or 'I'm too much'
- **Feeling:** Anxiety, shame
- **Behavior:** Over-apologize, withdraw, check phone repeatedly
CBT helps you identify these automatic thoughts, examine the evidence for and against them, and develop more balanced, realistic perspectives.
**What happens in a CBT session.**
1. **Psychoeducation** — understanding the CBT model and how your particular patterns work
2. **Thought records** — capturing automatic thoughts and examining them systematically
3. **Cognitive restructuring** — challenging distorted thinking and building alternative perspectives
4. **Behavioral experiments** — testing beliefs in the real world to gather evidence
5. **Homework** — CBT is active; practice between sessions is key to change
**Does it work?**
Meta-analyses consistently show CBT produces significant improvements in 60-80% of clients. Effects are often durable — skills learned in CBT continue to protect against relapse long after therapy ends.
You can't think your way out of anxiety. But you can learn to think differently — and that changes everything.
