Starting Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Your First Steps Toward Change

Life can be challenging at times. At some points, we may be enjoying calm and clear waters, while at other times we may be experiencing crashing waves that knock us over. Sometimes we all need a helping hand to stay afloat along our journey.

Beginning your journey towards better mental health can feel both exciting and intimidating. If you've decided to try Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), you're taking a proactive step towards understanding your thoughts, behaviours and emotions in a new way. Let's explore what you can expect as you begin CBT and how to make the most of this experience.

What is CBT and How Does it Work?

CBT is a goal-oriented form of talk therapy that focuses on the connection between thoughts, behaviours, and emotions. It emphasizes how negative thought patterns, unhelpful behaviours, and overwhelming emotions can reinforce one another. This is referred to in CBT as the Vicious Cycle. At the heart of the CBT framework is the understanding that how we interpret situations directly influences how we feel and behave, and that our emotions and behaviours can reinforce how we think. At Cognito, your CBT Care Provider will support you in learning practical techniques designed to break this cycle and help you move toward meaningful, lasting change.

What to Expect in Your First Session

The initial session focuses on determining whether you and your CBT Care Provider are a good fit, while also gathering information about your concerns to assess whether CBT is the right approach for you. Your CBT Care Provider will ask you questions regarding your lifestyle, habits, current challenges (including thoughts, behaviours, and emotional difficulties), past experiences and future goals. Not only will they explain the principles of CBT, but they will also discuss how these principles will be tailored to your unique needs and circumstances to create a personalized care plan.

Ongoing sessions will build upon each other as you learn and utilize the strategies and tools. Each session will help you develop your own tool kit to manage your symptoms and gain clarity on how to move forward with concrete steps towards your mental health goals. 

Tips for Getting the Most Out of CBT

• Openness and Honesty: CBT requires you to be open and honest with your provider about your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. This can be challenging, but it's essential for the therapy to be effective.
• Active Participation: CBT is a collaborative process. Your CBT Care Provider will guide you on how to develop new skills, but you'll need to be actively involved in learning and practicing as you go. Attending the sessions is a notable accomplishment in itself! However, it's essential to reflect on and engage with the material outside of sessions as well. After all, change occurs from action!
• Patience: Change takes time. Self-compassion is needed throughout the therapeutic process as it allows you to ensure you have realistic expectations about the changes you want to see for your mental health. Some changes may happen quickly, while others take more time. Both are a natural part of the process! Be patient with yourself and the process.
• Homework is important: Engaging with the homework you and your CBT Care Provider co-create is a key part of the therapeutic process. These exercises are designed to help you apply the CBT techniques discussed in session to real-life situations. Homework might include practices like journaling your thoughts, building helpful habits, using mindfulness strategies, and more. They will always be tailored to your needs and goals.

The Benefits of CBT

CBT is the most evidence-based therapeutic model in the world; it has the most research studies showing positive outcomes in its participants, compared to any other type of therapy. Simply put, it is the gold standard of therapy for a wide range of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, insomnia and more (David et al., 2018).

Team Voices: Here is what one of our providers at Cognito has to say about the benefits of CBT:

“One of the greatest tools CBT has to offer is the development of self-awareness. When I can help my clients develop the ability to identify and examine how their thoughts, behaviours, emotions and even physical symptoms are connected and influence one another, I see them take great strides towards being able to manage and better their mental health.” – Anna Spilker, CBT Care Provider

Taking the First Step

Working on your mental health can feel daunting. Remember, you are not alone. With the support of a dedicated care team and your own commitment, you can learn to manage your thoughts, behaviours, and emotions and move toward creating a life that feels more aligned and fulfilling of your values, goals, and aspirations. 

If you or someone you care about is considering support for their mental health, we invite you to explore our program. Find out more here.

Written By: Danial Mirsajedin

Reference

David, D., Cristea, I., & Hofmann, S. G. (2018). Why cognitive behavioral therapy is the current gold standard of psychotherapy. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00004

Disclaimer:

‍Our CBT Care Providers are not Registered Clinical Counsellors or Psychotherapists. They deliver structured, CBT-informed skills training for mild-to-moderate symptoms under the supervision of a Registered Clinical Counsellor and consulting psychiatrists. They do not diagnose, prescribe, or treat complex or trauma-related conditions; clients needing those services are referred to a licensed NP or Registered Clinical Counsellor.