The Washington Center for Cognitive Therapy – What Is Cognitive Therapy?

What is Cognitive Therapy?

Cognitive therapy is a proven problem-solving approach to help individuals stuck in feelings of distress or maladaptive behavior patterns. Research demonstrates that such difficulties are associated with negative, harsh, and extreme thinking patterns. When we examine these thinking patterns, we typically discover inaccuracies, referred to as cognitive distortions. In cognitive therapy, individuals are taught to identify their negative thoughts and replace them with more accurate, adaptive, and helpful ones.

Goals of Cognitive Therapy Include:

• the promotion of self-awareness and emotional intelligence by teaching clients to “read” their emotions and distinguish healthy from unhealthy feelings

• helping clients understand how distorted perceptions and thoughts contribute to painful feelings

• the rapid reduction of symptoms with an emphasis on examining the client’s current situation and solving current problems

 • the development of self-control by teaching clients specific techniques to identify and challenge distorted thinking

• prevention of future episodes of emotional distress and development of personal growth by helping clients change core beliefs that are often at the heart of their suffering.