Image of a therapist and client in a counseling session.

9,318 people sought cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) help in Virginia in the last year

Discover how starting therapy with a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.

Meet with a provider as soon as this week

Good news! We have 50 therapists in Virginia available for an online or in-person session.

Hear from our clinicians

What is your go-to approach for cognitive behavioral therapy?

Joseph: My go-to approach for helping people in cognitive behavioral therapy is developing an extended and nuanced emotional vocabulary in order to enhance one's ability to recognize the nature of one's thoughts. This helps clients think and do differently in a way that is congruent with their desired future outcomes and personal values. I enjoy watching the intellectual and emotional growth in clients as they refine their abilities for introspection. I find the best benefit of this growth is using it as a means to recognize, more deftly, patterns that may be maladaptive and redirect and learn alternative ways of thinking and approaching situations to support them in the ongoing process that is self-actualization.

Sue: My go-to approach with CBT is to follow a CBT workbook that is an evidence-based 12-week program I use with clients. I first provide psychoeducation on how thoughts impact feelings and behavior choices, how to recognize cognitive distortions, keeping a thought log, and beginning to challenge negative thought and behavior patterns.

What tools do you teach in cognitive behavioral therapy?

Joseph: Often the tools that clients seem to find the most beneficial in therapy are:

  • Learning about the cognitive-behavioral model, which enables understanding the breadth and depth of the interactivity of our thought processes, emotional responses, and subsequent behaviors
  • Developing an expanded emotional vocabulary in order to more precisely decipher one's inner experience
  • Developing an awareness of past experiences, which may have influence on one's present perspectives
  • Learning about cognitive distortions, which supports a deeper comprehension of the underlying mechanisms of our cognitions
  • Working on bringing awareness to one's core beliefs, which can act as a screen and filter
  • Being equipped with direct lines of systematic questioning that appropriately challenge ineffective and/or maladaptive thoughts and beliefs

Sue: I teach the following tools: keeping a thought log, identifying core beliefs, challenging thoughts, identifying cognitive distortions, and working on cognitive reframing. During sessions, we actively work on challenging negative beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors which assist in improving feelings related to different situations.

How do you know when a client is making meaningful progress in cognitive behavioral therapy?

Joseph: Clients often describe feeling they are making meaningful progress in cognitive behavioral therapy when they verbalize comprehension of the overarching model, show an increased ability to more fully explain and expand upon their thoughts and emotions, consciously acknowledge how past experiences may play a part in their perspectives, describe their thought processes in detail, and feel equipped to challenge negative thoughts with the understanding of how the thoughts and beliefs can perpetuate and reinforce ineffective thinking.

Sue: CBT sessions are structured, and I conduct weekly check-ins with clients and monitor improvements when skills are used outside of sessions by having clients vocalize levels of distress on a scale of 1-5, with 5 indicating significant distress.

What can clients do in their personal time to supplement cognitive behavioral therapy?

Joseph: Clients can be active participants in their cognitive behavioral therapy progress by reviewing the material, consistently practicing recognition of emotional responses and how they look at situations and circumstances, and persistently implementing tools discussed during therapy outside of the sessions.

Sue: Clients will have weekly assignments to work on and can practice skills learned in sessions weekly. Clients are also encouraged to keep a thought log and show evidence of how the skills are used in day-to-day life events.

What should someone do to prepare for starting cognitive behavioral therapy?

Joseph: To prepare for their first cognitive behavioral therapy session, individuals can remind themselves that learning is a lifelong process; that asking questions is essential; that pursuing changes is effortful and purposeful; that change is often gradual and non-linear, and to be open to giving thoughtful consideration to new ideas.

Sue: To prepare for the first CBT session, an individual can create a list of symptoms and come to the first session after intake and discuss specific events that have happened recently that have created unhelpful thoughts or behaviors. It is also helpful if an individual can identify any possible common triggers that could cause the individual to feel mental health distress and create a list of those things.

Starting Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

Pricing & insurance

Our therapists accept most major insurances. We accept 585+ insurance plans, and offer self-pay options, too.
Learn more about pricing for therapy and counseling services at Thriveworks.

Our Norfolk therapists and counselors accept 27 insurance plans

  • Aetna

  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia Medicare Advantage

  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | BCBS HMO

  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | BCBS PPO

  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | Exchange

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield | Anthem (Blue Card)

  • Carelon

  • Cigna | Evernorth

  • Cigna | Evernorth EAP

  • Cigna | Evernorth Medicare Advantage

  • Compsych

  • First Health Network

Show more
Self-pay costs at Norfolk
Talk therapy

Talk therapy

Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Talk therapy

Psychiatry

Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Hear from our clients

Thriveworks Norfolk has no reviews yet, but check out these reviews from locations in Virginia.

4.5 Thriveworks Norfolk reviews are collected through Thriveworks.com.
★★★★★
Thriveworks helped me realize that I do believe people can change. I’m not the person I was three months ago, broken and fearful. I’m healthy and happy and for the first time being kind to myself. Thank you for giving me my life back.
Read more Thriveworks helped me realize that I do believe people can change. I’m not the person I was three months ago, broken and fearful. I’m healthy and happy and for the first time being kind to myself. Thank you for giving me my life back.
Anonymous Thriveworks Client
Review left on Thriveworks.com

Where to find us

Getting here

Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Norfolk is located on Hampton Blvd, near the intersection with Redgate Avenue and the Midtown Tunnel. The building is nestled between the Elizabeth River and the historic Ghent residential district, just down the street from Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.

Phone number

(757) 280-4736

Languages spoken by VA providers

  • English
Friday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Saturday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Monday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Tuesday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Wednesday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Thursday 8:00am - 9:00pm

Shown in ET

Friday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Saturday 7:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 5:00pm
Monday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Tuesday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Wednesday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Thursday 7:00am - 9:30pm

Shown in ET

4 photos