Have been getting asked recently, whether the point of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is to "think happy thoughts" all day long or be in a constant state of ecstasy. I WISH that we lived in a world/life/mindsets/existence where we knew no unhappiness OR this was easily attained through therapy... but we don't! In fact, everyday we may experience a whole rainbow of emotions!
Cognitive behavioral therapy does not eliminate all negative thoughts and strive for constant joy: CBT helps individuals reframe negative thoughts to something more realistic that can improve our mood and change behavior.
Automatic thoughts suggest exactly what they sound like: thoughts which come on automatically, seemingly out of no where. Automatic thoughts may occur in response to our internal or external world (WILL WRITE ON ABC of CBT in a later post which will explain activiating events and relation to thoughts!). An example of an automatic thought could be "I will never graduate" as a response to failing an exam. A CBT therapist may suggest changing "I will never graduate" to "failing an exam is disappointing but it's only one exam and I will study harder next time". SEE THE DIFFERENCE?
In conclusion, examining our automatic thinking leads to learning how to monitor and substitute with something realistic (and yes, more positive but also realistic!). Modifying our thoughts has a direct impact on changing mood, emotions, perspective, and behavior. I've seen amazing transformations in clients JUST from understanding what they are thinking.
This is why as a therapist, I practice CBT-- it WORKS!
What do you think?
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