Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Basics

By VeriScorePrep Team · 5 min

Cognitive behavioral therapy treats a range of disorders — depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance use — by addressing the interaction of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

The model

Cognitions (thoughts) influence emotions, which influence behaviors, which in turn reinforce cognitions. The dysfunction is in the cognitive distortion — an irrational or unhelpful thought that drives distress.

Common distortions

• All-or-nothing thinking ("I either pass or I'm a failure").
• Overgeneralization ("I always fail").
• Mental filter (only the negative).
• Catastrophizing ("this mistake means catastrophe").
• Should statements ("I should never feel sad").

Intervention

1. Identify the automatic thought ("I'm worthless").
2. Examine the evidence for and against it.
3. Reframe it into a balanced alternative ("I struggle with this task; I am good at others").
4. Behavioral experiments test the new thought in real life.

Behavioral components

• Graded exposure for anxiety and phobias.
• Behavioral activation for depression — schedule activities that produce pleasure or mastery.
• Skills training: assertiveness, problem-solving.

Setting and duration

CBT is time-limited (often 8–20 sessions), structured, and collaborative; homework between sessions sustains learning.