A Brief Overview of Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy
cognitive behaviour therapy, commonly known as CBT, is a form of psychological talk therapy that is used to treat mental health conditions. Many psychologists and patients prefer CBT to other forms of therapy. It has the potential to help the patients to understand and manage specific difficulties regarding their mental health at a quicker pace. As a result, it also usually needs fewer sessions than other forms of therapy.
Why is CBT chosen for patients?
Cognitive Behavior Therapy used to treat a wide range of mental health challenges and conditions. CBT may be beneficial for the following:
- Coping with painful memories of loss
- Handling the grief caused by an intimate relationship break-up or the death of a known person
- Treating mental illness symptoms that arise
- Helping the patient from the relapse of symptoms of mental illness
- Coping with a short-term or prolonged medical sickness
- Understanding the roots of conflicts in relationships and learning how to communicate effectively
- Dealing with stressful situations in everyday life at college, workplace, home and so on
- Healing from experiences involving violence, abusive relationships and traumatic events
- Resolving habits formed due to childhood neglect and trauma pattern
Who can provide CBT to you?
CBT is provided by psychologists, counselors and therapists in small online or offline groups and most commonly, in one-on-one therapy sessions. Through this process, the therapist may give you questions to answer or topics to write on as your homework. You may write this at home and discuss your thoughts during the next therapy session. The therapist trains you to form fresh perspectives and focus on logical evidence for intrusive or negative thoughts.
As already mentioned, cognitive behavior therapy usually takes only a few sessions. However, in some cases, it requires more time and may span over a longer period with intensive therapy sessions. Therefore, the best approach would be to identify whether the therapist can help you and if yes, continue the process with patience instead of opting for a quick solution or fix.
Cognitive Processing Therapy
Cognitive Processing Therapy, commonly known as CPT is a specific branch of cognitive behavior therapy that is used mainly to help patients recover from trauma. In this method, patients shown how to identify their trauma wounds and patterns and then look at their negative thoughts from an evidence-based point. If the CPT procedure taken seriously and practiced with care, the patient may develop a wonderful change in their behavior and a positive approach towards emotions.
CPT and CBT work on the common theory that patients can identify and also change their thought patterns. Moreover, both CPT and CBT believe in instilling skills to cope in real-life situations to enhance their daily functioning.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
However, some underlying points distinguish them. For example, CBT form to treat depression in patients. On the other hand, CPT particularly focus on trauma, which means that a CPT therapist has an in-depth trauma-informed approach. Therefore, CPT deals mainly with triggers, reactions and PTSD symptoms.
Many therapists of survivors of domestic violence, sexual harassment, natural disasters and other traumatic events are more likely to opt for CBT. This theory assumes that a sense of danger, being unlove, losing control, fear, shame, guilt and anxiety come from PTSD and its post-trauma information. It helps people to change their thought patterns or beliefs by teaching specific skills that design to help them recover from trauma with a set of fresh perspectives. This also makes patients feel that they are not as stuck in trauma as they were before they started CPT.
This journey has the potential to not only heal you from deep trauma but also help you recover from a pattern of negative thoughts, anxiety and stress. This is why CBT, as well as its particular branch CPT, can be important tools to provide you with an effective, rewarding and positive life-altering experience.
