An Introduction to Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) From Anxiety Counselling Calgary Therapists
CBT. One of the gold-standard therapies that is used for a variety of mental health and addiction issues but what is it? When is it best used? How is it used? What will a person’s experience be like doing CBT therapy? These are all great questions and ones that our anxiety counselling Calgary therapists, who all incorporate CBT into their practice on a daily basis, are happy to address.
Wondering if you might benefit from CBT or other types of therapy?
(*Disclaimer: Please note this is an informal self-test and is not meant to diagnose or replace professional consultation).
What CBT Is: Answers from our Anxiety Counselling Calgary Therapists
The History. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) originated in the mid-20th century, blending principles from cognitive psychology and behaviourism to create a practical therapeutic approach. Early psychological theories were largely dominated by behaviourism (e.g., B.F. Skinner), which focused on observable behaviour and external stimuli.
In the 1950s-60s, cognitive psychology gained traction, emphasizing the role of thoughts and mental processes in influencing emotions and behaviours. In the 1960s, Aaron Beck, initially a psychoanalyst, became frustrated with traditional Freudian approaches. He developed Cognitive Therapy (CT), focusing on identifying and challenging irrational thoughts. His work in treating depression (especially with cognitive restructuring) led to CBT’s formal creation.
Around the same time, Albert Ellis created Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT), which also aimed to challenge irrational beliefs and emphasized the role of beliefs in shaping emotional responses. By the 1970s-80s, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) emerged as a unified approach, combining both cognitive techniques (challenging negative thinking) and behavioural methods (changing maladaptive behaviours). This synergy formed the foundation for the highly effective therapy we know today.
In short, CBT was created as a way to support people in changing thoughts and behaviours, which change our feelings and experiences in the world.
What Our Anxiety Counselling Calgary Therapists Use CBT For
CBT has been a popular therapeutic modality for many decades now and, throughout that time, has been found to be useful in many aspects of mental health. Our anxiety counselling Calgary therapists have found CBT to be helpful when treating:
Self-Esteem
Perfectionism
Phobias
Stress
What a CBT Session Is Like With an Anxiety Counselling Calgary Therapist
If you have been to therapy, chances are that you have participated in CBT, whether you were aware of it or not. No, psychologists are not using tools sneakily behind your back. Most therapists are using an eclectic counselling approach that draws from multiple therapies at any given moment. Structured or scripted techniques are less common and may only be used for part of the therapy course, if at all. Most of the time, you will feel like you’re having a supportive and helpful conversation with your anxiety counselling Calgary therapist (which you are) and part of what makes this conversation helpful is the blend of techniques and approaches your therapist is using.
For example, when your therapist asks you “What were you thinking when you were doing that?” That question is likely rooted in CBT and the idea that our thoughts have an impact on our feelings and behaviour. In identifying our thoughts, we can change our thoughts. In changing our thoughts, we can change our feelings and behaviour.
Another example is if a therapist has ever asked you to keep track of a behaviour outside of session, this is likely rooted in CBT. In understanding the behaviour, you and the therapist can delve in and work on triggers, drivers, as well as the thoughts and feelings surrounding a behaviour to support changing it.
CBT sessions with an anxiety counselling Calgary therapist may be:
Structured. You and the therapist may go through certain exercises designed to promote insight, change and self-awareness.
Unstructured. This is a more common approach, where CBT is blended in a seamless way with other techniques to help you and your therapist tackle whatever your personal goals and situation are. This is a great option that is not one-size-fits-all and can be adapted to your unique self.
Examples of CBT Techniques from Anxiety Counselling Calgary Therapists
At its root, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a more structured and goal-oriented form of therapy designed to help individuals identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviours that contribute to emotional distress. There are several key techniques within CBT that anxiety counselling Calgary therapists may adapt and incorporate into sessions, including:
1. Cognitive Restructuring or Cognitive Reframing
Here the goal is to identify and challenge irrational or distorted thoughts, replacing them with more balanced and realistic ones. The anxiety counselling Calgary therapist often works with the individual to recognize negative thought patterns (e.g., catastrophizing, black-and-white thinking, overgeneralization, etc.) and encourages them to assess the evidence for and against their thoughts and to consider alternative perspectives.
An example of this tool in action is someone saying, “I failed this test, so I’m stupid.” The therapist might challenge this by asking, “What other factors contributed to your performance? Have you ever succeeded at anything before?” This encourages the individual to challenge their limiting thought of being stupid and look for evidence to support a different thought process.
2. Behavioural Activation
The goal here is to combat depression or anxiety by encouraging positive, rewarding behaviors and breaking the cycle of inactivity or avoidance. This can be important because in depression, individuals often withdraw from pleasurable or meaningful activities. This leads to a cycle of negative emotions and further withdrawal. With this tool, the anxiety counselling Calgary therapist may support the client in engaging in activities that bring joy, fulfillment, or a sense of accomplishment, even if the individual initially feels reluctant.
An example of this may be: If an individual with depression avoids socializing, the therapist might encourage them to schedule small, manageable social events to gradually reconnect.
3. Thought Records
Being asked to keep a record of thoughts between sessions can help people identify automatic thoughts that come up at particular times and lead to certain outcomes that might be blocking your goals. The hope with this technique is that it can offer clarity in identifying what thoughts to challenge and rework to be more helpful.
An example of a thought record may be something like:
Providing this type of ‘homework’ between therapy sessions is a popular CBT technique and is used by our anxiety counselling Calgary therapists to gain valuable information and insight while supporting change.
4. Exposure Therapy
To reduce fear and anxiety through gradual exposure to feared situations, places, or thoughts. This can be done in the therapy room as well as outside where the phobia or distressing situation occurs. This approach can be used for treating anxiety, phobias, social anxiety, and trauma/Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The idea is that the individual gradually confronts the feared situation and feelings and this shifts their experience over time.
5. Mindfulness and Acceptance-Based Techniques
The goal with these CBT techniques is to help people become more aware of the present moment and accept uncomfortable emotions without judgment. Our anxiety counselling Calgary therapists find these can be helpful tools for individuals to use outside of therapy sessions to support themselves, as well as in therapy to help people regulate and be able to focus on the session.
Acceptance involves recognizing and allowing difficult emotions rather than avoiding them. The aim is not to change the emotion but to change the relationship with it. This is no easy feat, but it is worth it for our mental health.
6. Activity Scheduling and Planning
The goal here is to help people structure their time to increase engagement in pleasurable, meaningful, or productive activities. Our anxiety counselling Calgary therapists sometimes drill into the details with people to walk step-by-step through creating a plan, if that is required and desired, or discuss higher-level aspects of this for the individual to create and put into place on their own.
7. Problem-Solving Techniques
This tool helps people develop effective strategies for solving everyday problems and managing challenges. It supports problem-solving skills when people feel stuck or overwhelmed by life situations. With this CBT tool, people can learn how to define the problem, brainstorm possible solutions, evaluate each one, and choose the most effective action. This technique builds confidence and a sense of agency.
Typically the steps involved include:
Identify the problem.
Generate possible solutions.
Evaluate the pros and cons of each solution.
Choose the best option.
Implement the solution and evaluate the outcome
Our anxiety counselling Calgary therapists like to bring this in when people are having a difficult time seeing outside of the box and feel stuck with how to move forward.
8. Self-Compassion Training
This is a beautiful aspect of CBT that encourages individuals to promote kindness and acceptance toward oneself, especially in moments of failure or distress. This technique encourages people to treat themselves with the same care and understanding they would offer a friend, especially when experiencing negative emotions or setbacks. It challenges self-criticism and fosters a more balanced, supportive internal dialogue. Our anxiety counselling Calgary therapists use these techniques often and may recommend practice outside of session, including resources like Kristin Neff’s work on self-compassion is often integrated into CBT to help reduce perfectionism and anxiety.
In Conclusion, from Anxiety Counselling Calgary Therapists
CBT can be a highly effective therapy, often used in conjunction with other therapies, to support change in a number of areas of mental health, including anxiety, depression, anger, addiction, trauma, perfectionism, and more. It supports people in identifying thoughts that are not supporting their goals and wellness and provides various options for addressing and changing these.
If you are looking for a therapist in your area, Psychology Today has a great search tool that is available for North America to help you identify a suitable provider.
Ready to engage in CBT therapy with one of our experienced therapists? Book a session with us today!
Sana Psychological is a small private practice in Calgary, Alberta and Airdrie, Alberta providing in person and virtual services. We offer CBT for a number of areas of mental health, as well as other therapies to best serve you and your family. You can view our therapists and book online anytime here. We also invite you to look at our FREE RESOURCES page with information on a number of areas of mental health, along with different e-books and free quizzes.
