The Cognitive Psychology Approach in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a psychosocial intervention that concentrates on improving mental health. Hand in hand with a cognitive psychology approach, CBT opens the eyes of an individual to inaccurate, irrational, or negative thought patterns—helping people respond to real-life situations in healthier and more effective ways. There are many types of CBT; all it takes is to find the right fit for your needs.

What is the Cognitive Psychology Approach?

Cognitive psychology and cognitive behavioral therapy are like peanut butter and jelly. One complements the other. Using the cognitive psychology approach in CBT means your therapist will use evidence-based knowledge, as well as years of mental health experience, to investigate and evaluate your mental health. By doing this, your therapist will be able to orchestrate a therapy treatment program that fits you best.

Cognitive Psychology is an investigation of human cognition based on scientific evidence. Human cognition is all of our mental abilities; the way we think, learn, remember, reason, perceive and understand. The definition of a cognitive psychologist is a mental health professional who studies the nature of the human mind and thoughts, in hopes to gain a better understanding.

Our primary practitioner and founder at Miami Hypnosis and Therapy Anna Marchenko, LMHC, M.A., Ed.M, is incredibly qualified in the mental health field. As a licensed mental health therapist, Anna Marchenko specializes in effective and innovative CBT practices, drawing from neuro-linguistic programming and hypnotherapy, among other modalities and techniques.

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Used to Treat?

In conjunction with neuro-linguistic programming and hypnotherapy, CBT can be used to treat:

• Anxiety – Feelings of high intensity and worry. Anxiety may cause increased blood pressure and avoiding certain situations due to being worried.
• Phobias – A type of heightened anxiety and fear response; excessive fear of certain objects, foods, animals, or situations.
• Trauma – Deep emotional or physical anguish following a stressful event or time.
• Addiction – Having a dependency on a substance or activity.
• Eating & Mood Disorders – Having an unhealthy preoccupation with food, exercise, body weight, or shape.
• Self Esteem – One’s self-respect or confidence within themselves.
• Relationship Issues – Having tension, trauma, or toxic behaviors in a relationship, whether it’s a personal or professional relationship.

With a cognitive psychology approach, CBT can be successful in treating the issues above. Transform your life now and feel the difference within yourself, your relationships, and your everyday life.

Understanding the Different Types of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

• Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy – A short-term psychotherapy that helps you identify negative thoughts and feelings that are self-defeating. After those thoughts are identified, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy guides you into challenging the rationale of those thoughts and helping you to replace them with positive and healthy ones.

• Cognitive Therapy – This form of therapy is intended to guide you into developing healthy problem-solving skills. Cognitive Therapy usually focuses on present-day behaviors and communications, instead of the past.

• Dialectical Behavior Therapy – This form of therapy is an evidence-based psychotherapy that is proven to be useful in treating individuals who may struggle with mood disorders, self-harm, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts.

• Cognitive Processing Therapy – This form of therapy has been proven to successfully treat individuals with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD can be developed after someone endures a traumatic event, such as physical or psychological trauma caused by abuse, family conflict or separation, natural disasters, unexpected change or loss, or war.

• Stress Inoculation Training – A common type of psychotherapy that aids in the identification of negative thoughts that may influence your behavior throughout your everyday life.

• Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy – This form of therapy uses mindfulness meditative practices and a cognitive psychology approach to guide individuals in relapse prevention, particularly those with major depressive disorder.

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy – This form of therapy helps individuals to move forward from difficult emotions from the past and focus on the present.

• Motivational Interviewing – This form of therapy is completely client-centered and tailored to influencing behavioral changes in an individual by raising awareness of contradicting ideas or thoughts about a person or thing.

• Habit Reversal Training – This form of therapy is a type of awareness training. It is used to bring attention to troublesome behaviors and treat them by teaching an individual how to identify when a habit is about to take place. Thus, giving an individual an opportunity to practice healthy coping methods, in place of troublesome behaviors.

There are many different types of CBT, and we’ve listed many of them above. At Miami Hypnosis and Therapy we pride ourselves on being innovative and up to date in all of our practices and therapy methods. When you work with us through whatever challenges you’re facing, you’ll experience a cognitive psychology approach in your CBT sessions. To learn more and get started on a clearer path, give us a call today.