How Does CBT Aim to Reframe Or Challenge Negative Thoughts?
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that is designed to help you change negative thoughts, emotions and behaviours. It can be delivered in one-on-one sessions with a therapist, in small groups or as online programs. CBT works with you to identify and challenge irrational beliefs that cause you distress. It aims to treat specific problems using an active approach that involves setting realistic goals and providing ‘homework’ between sessions. The number of sessions required depends on your individual needs and can range from 6 to 14.
A key principle in CBT is that people’s emotions and behaviour are influenced by the way they interpret situations, and not directly by a situation itself. This is known as the cognitive model and was first proposed by Beck in 1964. For example, let’s say you feel anxious when you enter a room. Your therapist may ask what your initial reaction is to this and what your self-talk is like in the moment. Your therapist will then work with you to recognise your negative thoughts, and teach you to replace these with more compassionate and constructive thoughts.
Another technique is reframing, where you learn to counter a negative thought by identifying positive aspects of the situation. For example, instead of thinking ‘I hate this room’, you might push yourself to notice five things you do like about the room as quickly as possible.
Challenge Negative Thoughts
Other behavioural and problem-solving techniques are used to encourage you to think outside the box, challenge your assumptions and broaden your perspective. These include guided discovery, where your therapist will ask you to question your beliefs and give them evidence to support or reject them. Your therapist will also create behavioral experiments for you to try out, which will allow you to directly test your thinking and find new ways of dealing with a particular situation.
Your therapist will also help you to examine any mental distortions that influence your thoughts, such as black-and-white thinking, jumping to conclusions or catastrophizing. This is known as cognitive restructuring and involves teaching you to recognise these irrational thoughts, and replacing them with more balanced, helpful self-talk.
The aim of CBT is to help you become more resilient and better able to cope with difficulties in your life. To do this, you will need to practice your skills in moments when you are not feeling distressed. It is important to understand that this takes time and that it can be difficult to change long-held patterns of thought.
Changing negative thoughts, emotions and behaviours can take time. For some, it can take months or even years to break free of deeply entrenched patterns. However, it is vital to stick with the treatment, and make a concerted effort in between sessions to maintain progress. If you do not see improvement after a few weeks, speak to your therapist to discuss alternative options for treatment.