Online Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Significant Differences:
Similarities
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a specific type of psychotherapy designed to treat a variety of mental health issues, such as depression, eating disorders, chemical dependency, and anxiety. Sometimes referred to as talk therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy provides patients with the necessary coping skills to combat negative thought patterns and subsequent behaviors.
Mental health professionals who practice CBT follow the core principle that individuals who struggle with mental health issues can often relieve their distress by learning new ways to cope. During therapy, patients learn to use problem-solving skills when faced with challenges and uncomfortable scenarios, and they’re encouraged to become more confident in their own decisions and abilities.
Benefits of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy offers a wide range of benefits. During therapy sessions, patients who struggle with mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder learn new ways of coping with negative feelings and thought patterns. Over time, patients who commit to therapy are often able to utilize these new techniques when faced with challenges and stressful situations in real life. Some additional benefits of cognitive behavioral therapy include:
- Learning to navigate conflicts in relationships productively
- Learning to cope with traumatic experiences
- Treatment of mental health conditions through talk therapy vs. medications
- Patients learn new techniques to manage strong, fearful, or negative emotions
Online cognitive behavioral therapy also provides many benefits. Patients have the ability to receive therapy in the comfort of their own homes, which can bring relief to those who are hesitant to travel. Plus, attending sessions from a comfortable, familiar space may make it easier for certain patients to be more present and open regarding their situations.
Online sessions also make therapy accessible for individuals who may live in areas where in-person counseling isn’t available. For patients with busy work and life schedules, online cognitive therapy is a flexible option that eliminates travel time and allows them to schedule sessions at their convenience.
What Does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Typically Involve?
During a cognitive behavioral therapy session, patients generally work one-on-one with a licensed therapist. The number of sessions needed typically depends on a variety of factors, including the issues being worked through, patient preferences, and therapist recommendations. While the specifics of CBT sessions can vary greatly from person to person, an initial session usually starts with the patient describing their current situation and feelings about themselves to their therapist.
Over time, the patient and therapist work together to get to the core of the issues at hand. Patients learn new coping techniques that help them respond differently to negative thoughts and ideas. They also learn techniques for facing fears and negative beliefs without reacting. In between sessions, patients are often assigned “homework” to practice their newly learned behavior techniques in the real world.
The ideal goal for most CBT therapists is for their patients to learn new ways to cope and react differently to external challenges and internal dialogues. As patients move forward into their futures with an improved outlook, they can use these techniques whenever they feel stressed or challenged.
Issues or Stressors Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Can Be Used To Address
From mild anxiety to severe depression, cognitive behavioral therapy can be used to address a wide range of issues. The main objective of CBT is to assist patients with identifying and changing negative thought patterns, which can occur in many mental health conditions.
Some common issues and stressors that may benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy include:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Post-traumatic stress disorder is a type of mental health condition in which an individual struggles with symptoms, such as anxiety and flashbacks, following a traumatic event. Some events that may trigger episodes of PTSD include combat, witnessing a catastrophe, sexual assault, and physical assault.
- Depression. While it’s normal to get “the blues” from time to time, depression is a condition that causes significant feelings of sadness and despair. Depression can interfere with day-to-day activities and personal relationships, and it’s one of the most common mental health conditions.
- Anxiety. Anxiety is a condition that causes individuals to experience heightened feelings of fear and uneasiness. While feelings of anxiety can be perfectly normal when triggered by real-life events, chronic anxiety is generally defined as persistent anxiety that may worsen over time.
- Stress. Stress is the body and brain’s physical reaction to certain life demands and challenges. When someone feels “stressed,” their body releases hormones that can contribute to physical symptoms such as elevated heart rate and blood pressure, sweating and shakiness. Chronic stress can sometimes take a significant toll on the body, potentially leading to chronic headaches, sleep problems and digestive issues.
Count On Regional Psychiatry for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Online
At Regional Psychiatry Online, we use a one-on-one, personalized approach with every client to help uncover the root cause of the issues that prevent them from moving forward. Our team members follow the philosophy that psychiatric medications are one tool, but not the only tool in an expansive toolbox of therapies and treatments to help heal our patients.
The team at Regional Psychiatry Online consists of licensed psychotherapists, psychiatrists, and health coaches. We work with each patient to create personalized treatment plans based on their individual levels of social, biological, and psychological functioning. We understand that every client has unique needs, and we believe that successful results can take time.
While each case is unique, our approach usually includes coordinating care with our patients’ primary physicians, loved ones, and past or current outside therapists. This helps our team members gauge a complete understanding of the needs of each client.
We also focus on healthy eating, dietary changes, and sleep management, which may help reduce inflammatory responses that can potentially contribute to mental health issues. Our health care providers will also prescribe medications when necessary, but they generally aim for the lowest effective dosages. One of our main goals with every patient is to minimize the need for prescribed medications and promote positive lifestyle changes.
Schedule a Consultation
If you or a loved one are ready to start the journey of online cognitive behavioral therapy, Regional Psychiatry can help. We offer a wide range of services that help our patients get to the root cause of their conditions so they can live happy, productive lives. To schedule a consultation with one of our mental health professionals, contact us today.
Independence. Resilience. Wellness.
We work with each patient to customize a personalized treatment plan. Our practice has the experience and training to improve your overall health and wellness.
