Let’s imagine a scenario we’ve probably all experienced at some point in our lives:
“I’m running late to work. The alarm didn’t go off, I’ve already spilt the coffee, and I just knew I shouldn’t have watched ‘one more’ Netflix episode last night. I can never resist one more. In fact, now that I’m thinking about it, I don’t have much discipline at all! And now, if I don’t get to work on time, I’ll get fired, and won’t be able to pay the bills, and that’s just one step away from homeless. I really should’ve gone to bed earlier.
“On the way out the door, I grab the project I’ve been working on for ages. It’s just the way my boss wanted it, but that doesn’t matter now since I’m late for work. They’re going to be so disappointed when I walk in late…”
Sound familiar? Nearly every one of those sentences contains a cognitive distortion. They’re common thinking patterns that wreak havoc on our mental health and general satisfaction with life. Left unchecked, they can snowball and convince us that we’re worthless, bound for a disaster at any moment, and should just give up already.
That’s no way to live! Fortunately, you don’t have to live like that anymore. The counselors at Thriveworks in Buffalo, NY are trained in a technique called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT is a therapeutic approach meant to attack the negative and destructive thoughts and thinking patterns that can occur in everyone’s day-to-day life and constitute the foundation of many mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.
What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Good For?
Stephen Covey wrote the book “7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” He believes that humans have the ability “to choose, to respond [and] to change”. Cognitive distortions often will take away your power to do that. They lie and claim you don’t have a choice, that it’s too late to respond and you are forever stuck as you are.
The licensed mental health providers at Thriveworks in Buffalo, NY know how hard it can be to break free from this cognitive distortion cycle. It’s so easy to begin “spiraling” and lose hope and your sense of control. CBT gives you back the control and hope by stopping those negative thoughts in their tracks. Thoughts and emotions often lead to behavior. CBT can help you live the life of your choosing, instead of the life shown to you through negative thoughts.
There are more cognitive distortions than we can list here, but here are a few of the more common ones:
- Should statements: “I should do this…” “Should-ing” tells you that what you’re doing isn’t enough, and you have to do this other thing to be better.
- Catastrophizing: In the example above, catastrophizing would be thinking you will be homeless because you were late to work. It is blowing things out of proportion.
- All-or-nothing thinking: Similar to catastrophizing, this type of distortion makes people think in black or white. “I didn’t go to the gym last night, so my whole workout routine is done for.”
- Emotional reasoning: “I feel dumb, so I am dumb”. Your feelings are always valid; the thoughts that come from those feelings aren’t always so! Just because you feel one way doesn’t mean you are that way.
- Mind reading: Thinking you know someone’s thoughts or feelings. Walking in late and thinking your boss is disappointed in you is an example of mind reading.
There are countless other distortions, and you probably have a few unique to you. None of them are too hard or controlling that the counselors, psychiatrists, therapists, and other qualified mental health professionals at Thriveworks in Buffalo, NY can’t help you get past them. Sometimes cognitive distortions can stand on their own, but other times they can escalate into something worse. CBT can be crucial in overcoming many struggles, including but not limited to:
- Anxiety
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Insomnia
- Impulsive behaviors
- Depression
- Addictions
- Self-harm
- Relationship issues
CBT can help with practically anything you are struggling with! The counselors at Thriveworks in Buffalo, NY are trained in this evidence-based technique to give you the best possible results.
How Does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Work?
CBT works to recognize a destructive thought, strip it of its power, and then replace it. It focuses on self-awareness and gives power back to you. In a CBT session, you will work closely with a counselor at identifying negative thinking behaviors. Then, you will determine strategies to stop that pattern and replace it with a positive thought. It sounds simple, but is much harder to do in practice. That’s why the counselors at Thriveworks in Buffalo, NY are there to help you every step of the way.
Schedule a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Session at Thriveworks in Buffalo, NY
Your thoughts don’t have to control you. CBT helps you realize that you have control over them. If you are ready to regain control, call and schedule an appointment with us today. Thriveworks providers in Buffalo, NY can meet with new clients quickly–usually within 24-48 hours of their initial booking. Thriveworks also accepts most major health insurance plans, helping to keep therapy affordable and accessible. Thriveworks members can reach out to their provider by phone or email between sessions. Call the Buffalo office today to find out more about Thriveworks benefits and get matched to a certified CBT provider.
