What is cognitive-behavioral therapy and how is it different from other types of therapy?
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (often called cognitive therapy or CBT) is an active type of therapy that is more focused on changing the present than on exploring the past. The goal of cognitive therapy is to help people improve the quality of their lives as quickly as possible. Cognitive therapy was originally developed as a treatment for depression, but it has also been proven to be an effective approach for managing stress and anxiety, resolving relationship conflicts, altering unhealthy behavioral patterns, and reaching life goals. The field of cognitive-behavioral therapy emerged several decades ago when therapists realized that feelings tend to follow thoughts and actions. Therefore, the central principle in CBT is: If your change your thoughts and your actions, new feelings will follow. A major focus in cognitive therapy is on changing self-defeating thoughts — including attitudes, beliefs, and self-concepts — to self-supportive alternatives. Another equally important focus is on
