Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in Kitchener-Waterloo

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) was developed by Arron Beck in the 1960s and it is still considered to be one of the most effective and well-researched therapies available today. It is considered the gold standard in treating people with depression, anxiety, and trauma. CBT is often used to help with mood disorders (such as depression), anxiety disorders and a wide variety of traumas and phobias. CBT is also used to help people with substance use problems, personality disorders, eating disorders, sexual problems and psychosis.    

In CBT, the therapist helps you to recognize how problematic thoughts, feelings, and emotions negatively impact your life.  These negative thoughts affect your feelings, which lead to problematic behaviour.  The relationship is often shown as a triangle like the one here.
To facilitate recovery, your therapist will help you develop a wellness recovery plan that can break this negative cycle and replace it with a healthy, positive pattern. This is an intentional and well thought out process that will require exercises and homework to learn and practice new skills. The good news is that this hard work pays off big time!  Research has shown that the skills you learn through CBT can have long-lasting positive effects well after the treatment ends.
CBT can be used in individual therapy and is also an important component of many groups and couples therapies.