Denise Pollack, MEd, LPC, NCC
Easton, PA (Lehigh Valley) |
610-392-3862
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Depression or anxiety are frequenty mentioned when people contact me as
the reason they are seeking counseling. I have found that Cognitive Behavioral
Therapy (C.B.T.) provides a useful format for addressing these problems.
Depression research has shown that individuals treated with C.B.T. remain free of depression and
other related mental health symptoms longer than those treated with drugs alone. This
means that treatment can help you feel better now, and help you manage future periods
of stress and disappointment.
Often, unhappy people attribute their feelings to external events, conflicts, or issues
from their past. They resign themselves to the faulty belief that their feelings are
beyond their control. In doing so, they become victims of their own misery. They fail
to consider that they can control their thoughts and change the way they feel. In reality,
it is their thoughts and attitudes that create their feelings as opposed to external
events.
C.B.T. can be used to treat a wide range of everyday problems, including low selfesteem,
anxiety, panic, inferiority, procrastination, guilt, stress, frustration, and irritability.
In addition, C.B.T. is very useful when applied to relationship problems. oftentimes,
individuals develop attitudes that lead to cycles of blame, resentment, hostility, fear,
and loneliness. I can teach you how to express your feelings more effectively. I can
show you how to be a better listener and understand how the other person is thinking
or feeling during a conflict.
According to C.B.T., every negative feeling stems from a specific type of negative
thought.
- Sadness and depression result from thoughts of loss.
- Frustration is related to unfulfilled expectations.
- Anxiety and panic are due to thoughts of danger.
- Guilt stems from a belief that you are a bad person.
- Inferiority is associated with the feeling that you are inadequate compared to others.
- Anger is generally related to feelings of unfairness.
As you become familiar with the concepts and techniques of C.B.T., you will learn to
recognize and label negative emotions. You will then identify the specific type of
thought distortion that accompanies your negative feelings. Finally, you will challenge
the distortions and consider more realistic explanations.
It is important to note, however, that there are times when negative feelings are not
the result of distortions. They may be healthy and appropriate. It is equally valuable to
learn when to accept these negative feelings and how to cope with genuinely unpleasant
situations which do not stem from clinical depression.