What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that eliminates a person's emotional blockages and unhealthy habits by shifting their belief patterns. Their beliefs are a result of past experiences which affect the way they feel and behave in certain situations.
With the guidance of a CBT practitioner, you can change your negative mindset and develop healthier habits that will help you cope better with your problems and achieve your goals.
What Are the Benefits of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy?
Recognising your unhelpful thoughts is a key step to developing positive feelings and behaviours. Several tools and techniques are used in CBT to release an individual from thought patterns which are responsible for a host of mental and physical health disorders, including:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Eating Disorders
- Panic attacks
- Sleep disorders
- Addiction
- Schizophrenia
- Self-harm
- Fears and phobias
- Bipolar disorder
If you want to seek the help of a certified CBT practitioner but aren't comfortable with the idea of sitting face-to-face with one, you'll be glad to know that this modality can be delivered in several ways. Besides in-person sessions, many practitioners deliver cognitive behavioural therapy online via the Zoom platform, to reach more people who may need their help.
Remote therapy allows you to book an appointment with a therapist at your convenience and receive treatment right in the comfort of your home. Additionally, you don't have to worry about the heavy traffic, parking space or running into someone you know at an inopportune time.
How Does Online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Work?
Working with a CBT practitioner from a distance to change your thoughts, emotions and behaviours, doesn't require much. You will only need a reliable internet connection, a computer and the Zoom web conferencing app installed onto your device. Zoom has video and audio functionalities, so you can choose to switch on either or both depending on your preferences.
Once you have your communication system set up, find yourself a quiet room which is devoid of distractions. You want to be able to speak to your therapist in private and keep your issues confidential.
What Can You Expect From Online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy?
On the day of your therapy, expect your therapist to ask a series of questions to get down to your core belief—it's the main thought that's causing you to feel and act a certain way. A CBT practitioner may employ one or a combination of psychotherapy techniques to understand your core belief and how it's influencing the direction of your life.
Once your core belief has been identified, your therapist will come up with an exercise to find out if your core belief applies to all areas of your life. You might also be asked to maintain a thought diary wherein you can document your thoughts so that you can analyse your thinking pattern and how it affects your emotions.
An online cognitive behavioural therapy typically lasts for an hour, and you will experience enlightenment at the end of your session. It may take a few sessions to identify the best solution for your problem, usually between five to 20 sessions depending on the issue that you're working on. It would be best to discuss the duration of your treatment with your therapist before you wrap up your initial session.
