What is CBT? (For Parents)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a practical, engaging, active, goal-oriented, evidence-based, and highly impactful form of therapy.  CBT is a collaborative psychological treatment focused on teaching helpful tools to your child/teen to: increase awareness of your child’s/teen’s thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations, and behaviors; understand the connections between them; and learn tools and strategies to effectively manage unhealthy patterns related to their thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations and behaviors. Years of research shows that CBT is effective for a range of problems including anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, phobias, depression, and more. CBT has the potential to be more effective than other forms of psychological therapy, and sometimes as, or even more, effective than psychiatric medications.

CBT is based on many core principles that have been developed through research including:

• There is a connection between our thoughts, feelings and actions 

• Understanding each of these elements and their inter-connections can have a powerful impact on our mental health

• Psychological challenges are based, in part, on unhelpful ways of thinking or reacting to our thoughts. 

• There are common patterns of thinking that are not helpful or effective in leading the lives we want to lead

• Our emotions are closely linked to our thoughts

• Our thoughts and feelings can lead to avoidance

• We can learn how to face our fears instead of avoiding them

• We can learn to manage stressors and challenges more effectively

Why is CBT Important?

CBT is important for many reasons including:

• CBT helps children/teens identify and name their thoughts, feelings and behaviors which ultimately leads to improved mental health

• CBT helps children/teens manage difficult thoughts, feelings and behaviors which can help them cope with challenges and lead to better mental health

• CBT helps children/teens learn to face fears rather than avoid them which is associated with resilience and positive mental health outcomes

How Does My Child/Teen Do CBT?

We teach practical, helpful tools and strategies for your child/teen to use in his/her/their daily life.  We provide them a way to notice their thoughts, emotions, what’s happening in their body, and their behaviors and teach tools to make healthy, positive changes in each of these areas.  

Examples of CBT Tools may include:

• Belly/Balloon/Diaphragmatic Breathing to relax their body

• Mindfulness to calm their mind

• Challenging/Letting go unhelpful thoughts

• Practicing gradually facing increasingly challenging fears

• Problem solving strategies

When Would My Child/Teen Do CBT?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is typically provided about once a week in person or through tele-health.  It is a short-term therapy focused on specific goals, and typically ending when those goals are reached and the child/teen is ready to manage challenges without the support of the therapist.  

Learned tools must be practiced and utilized in your child’s/teen’s day to day life.  CBT involves practice at home and in their lives in situations where tools are needed.  CBT is the therapy itself, but CBT Tools are what the child/teen learns and uses in his/her/their lives and continues to implement long after therapy ends. 

Tips

• CBT involves collaboration and partnership between the child/teen and the therapist

• Learning any new skill or tool takes time and patience

• Learning a new skill or tool takes practice, practice, practice