I’m a student doing a paper on CBT, and I’m trying to find the known CBT therapy types and not the techniques. But I can’t tell which are types that actually are recognized as CBT therapies. For example, I thought gradual exposure was a technique of CBT not an actual therapy, but now it seems like it’s its own CBT therapy.

I’m so confused. Does anyone know what the CBT types are? So far I’ve seen Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT), Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MCBT)..but there’s about dozen more listed. Can someone shed some light on what the actual CBT therapy types are? Thank you.

Hey all,

I am a Registered Psychologist from Melbourne, Australia. I primarily use Schema Therapy in my practice but finding that it may be too complex for all clients to understand (e.g., mode model) and some clients are wanting more straight forward strategies for their anxiety. I am looking for a CBT based training for worry and anxiety. Any recommendations?

TIA!

Prior to beginning therapy, I found David Burns and his work on CBT. I’m glad I did, because it’s very action oriented.

However, a few years ago I was going through a rough patch of anxiety and went to therapy. It was helpful and I liked my therapist but it seemed more “talk therapy” focused than action oriented described by Burns, where he teaches techniques.

I eventually stopped seeing this therapist because of money, and I was paying out of pocket.

Recently, I realized my insurance covers select therapists. I found one that says they’re trained in CBT, but it again, feels more like just “talk therapy.” I even asked if he knew who David Burns was and he had no idea.

Should I be looking for a different therapist or is this normal? Thanks for any insights!

I can feel happy in life without contributing back in some way. I don't feel like I need to be include in any social scenario I feel anxious when people try to make me included

I am currently following a CBT practitioner training course, so I am not sure if this topic is going to be covered later in the course, but I thought I would try to discuss it here while it is fresh to strengthen my learning.

So far, it feels like CBT is really about switching one's mind away from negative feelings/thoughts and focusing instead on the more positive/proactive ones (while noticing unhelpful beliefs, cognitive biases, behavioral patterns, etc. along the way).

But then I wondered: how then does CBT approach something like grief, which involves going through the negative emotions to process them rather than shying away from them as a necessary step of the healing process? Or is the CBT approach generally against that idea in theory? (And if that was the case, how does one not end up repressing some unresolved feelings that might keep showing up later?)

To be honest, I have been wondering that because I am myself dealing with such feelings that keep haunting me today, and I value practicing the CBT skills with myself first. While I can clearly detect some unhelpful thoughts I have in my narrative and know how to go about challenging them, it kind of feels like I am trying to ignore the pain and just power through and put on a good face, which - in my experience - never leads to a good outcome since I tend to accumulate the tensions in my body which later show up out of nowhere.

Basically, where do the deeply rooted negative emotions "go" in the CBT approach? If anyone has an easy explanation or can point to some readings etc., I'm interested!

This is a so called "cognitive behavioural therapy" app which helps you quit smoking in 6 days. Now I wanted to try this app but since its paid i wanna know for sure because that 6 day thing does give a scammy feeling to it. It shows some 75 percent success rate and is "clinically proven". Would appreciate reviews about the authenticity of the app and does this whole CBT thing work for quitting smoking?

I was wondering. Here, or elsewhere?

Hi Yall,

So I (23m) recently started my journey with CBT. I’m currently struggling with self esteem issues as a result of an abusive relationship (along with some childhood trauma). I struggle with believing that anyone genuinely cares or loves me. I know that it starts with my own core belief about myself. I was wondering, do you guys have a good perception about yourself? Mostly because I know I have a negative view about myself and it’s really starting to affect me and how I go about daily life. Thank you for taking the time to read this!

I’ll admit, I’m someone who often gets scattered across multiple tasks and frequently tries to do several things at once. I take on everything at once, trying to accomplish as much as possible, but end up forgetting the main goal or failing to finish what I started. Recently, however, I discovered a simple way to stay focused on my primary goal, and it really works for me. Every morning, I identify one small task that brings me closer to my big goal. It can be anything—writing a couple of paragraphs, making an important call, tackling a small part of a project, or learning something new. The key is that it’s something realistic and achievable. I’ve noticed that this approach not only helps me concentrate but also makes me feel like I’m truly moving forward. The trick is not to strive for perfection or try to do everything at once. Just one small step every day. This way, I stay emotionally connected to my main goal and constantly feel a sense of progress. The key is consistency—even if, on some days, your “step” is simply lying down while thinking about your goal or just reflecting on it. If you, like me, tend to lose focus, give this method a try. Write down one task for yourself in the morning and do it. Small steps lead to big results. 😊

Hi there,

Hope you are doing okay!

I've managed ti gain a post as a Trainee CBT Therapist starting in January and wondered if anyone had any recommendations for preparation or reading material ahead of this.

Anyone have anything to read up on the would recommend?

TIA!

Emily

Hi, I struggle with depression and some anxiety. I have been diagnosed but I am doing much better than I was in the past. This was thanks to reading "Feeling Good" & "Feeling Great" by David Burns. I'm currently reading "How to Stubbornly Refuse to Make Yourself Miserable About Anything" by Albert Ellis. I'm also using ChatGPT as a therapist and guide to help me better complete the exercises in the book. I'm in the process of getting a psychotherapist from the province.

Despite my success I feel like there is still some room for improvement. I regularly feel unaccomplished when the day is done and label myself as "lazy" or "not trying hard enough".

Can anyone recommended any books to read or any other resources that may help me?

Thank you.

I’m a cbt therapist and i’m struggling to understand what the purpose of dugas is in terms of hypothetical worries. we jump from h vs p to approach and avoidance but nothing is said about what we do with hypothetical worries other than imaginal exposure. Are we supposed to have people expose themselves to the what if or use refocusing. what is the purpose of the model ? have ppl not worry about hypotheticals or get bored of hypotheticals ?

U saw the title. It's driving me crazy!! I absolutely hate that!! Idk what to do. I dont like chatting with people online abt wtv, I feel its pointless. Idk what to do!! I like to workout and am interested in personality and psychology. Mainly working out!! I love to DO it!! Can anyone help plz?! Thank you soo muchh!!

Does anyone know how I can overcome or improve an ingrained emotional/mental problem I have? Also sorry for the long post, but this is important, I really need help overcoming this.

I seem to have some sort of inferiority complex when it comes to my intellect. I can't determine if I am a smart or dumb person and my self-worth is pretty much strongly tied to my intelligence. I don't think I'm that smart. My parents think I'm dumb, or at least my father did because I dissociated for much of my childhood I disassociated and didn't pay attention in school AT ALL. Also I wasn't allowed to take science for religious reasons. I managed to completely repressed that I didnt take science until I read about it in some IEP paperwork I found. Same with a former therapist I had who I don't think was very smart.

So basically at my core I think I'm a dumb person (except at typology I believe I'm good at that even though most would disagree. Also I am pretty fixed on my spiritual beliefs) and this belief is somewhat subconscious. Most of the time without thinking I will comment on posts with my opinions as a way to feel smart and I will get offended if someone doesn't seem to agree (this also seems to happen with beliefs? Like if someone doesn't share my spiritual beliefs, is open to my beliefs, or if I think they have dumb spiritual or religious beliefs, this is something I also need to work on) Also I have these grandiose rambles throughout the day in my head, usually done subconsciously where I am literally imagining myself explaining my thoughts processes and beliefs to say friends who don't share an opinion or belief with me and in my mind I am like coming up with evidence and points for why I am right. I am literally not aware that I do this but I do it many times a day when I am taking a break from something. I realized that I seem to feel a sense of pride when I'm doing it which is why I guess I keep doing it subconsciously. Doesnt help that growing up my isfp bro would constantly get into huge fights with me and his Ti demon would keep calling me stupid. Oh also, I've been doing this ever since I was very young.

This is very ingrained so I'm not sure what to do. I started by looking into something called Intellectual Humility and honestly I've been studying so many things all day everyday for months that I've been too exhausted to read most of it. But I will.

Hi everyone,

I’ve been struggling a lot lately with concentration. I find myself constantly checking social media, getting involved in unnecessary WhatsApp group chats, and even ending up in pointless arguments. It's been affecting my productivity and peace of mind.

I’m looking for recommendations:

1. Apps that can help with focus and minimizing distractions.
2. Reliable therapists in Canada who specialize in these kinds of issues.

If you've had success with anything similar, I’d love to hear about your experiences or suggestions. Thanks in advance!

My spouse (M38) and I (F31) have been married for 6 years and been together for 10.

Recently we've been facing more and more problems that are too complicated to describe here.

He is now open to start online marriage counseling.

In your experience what are the best online couples therapy services?

If anyone has had good success with a particular virtual online marriage or relationship therapy platform please share! It would be super helpful.

If you don't think drama is effective in dealing with emotional numbness, that's fine. That said, if ALL the therapists you've come across know less than you do about your malady, that's reason in itself to get frustrated. I have to be my own therapist, mainly because they are useless. The most sensible advice I've gottten is that you need to meet your needs deeper than what the solace provides. Okay, well, I'm not in my twenties living in mother's house anymore, but I can emotionally reduce someone trying to help me to tears. Why? That's just payback for being condescending, and forcing the therapist the sense of helplessness I did. Why would I want this? To feel a sense of power and control over someone instead of feeling controlled bny someone else.

Therapists are delusional fools, in my experience, and I despise them; they're even needier than I am, desperate to be helpful, and yet they have no clue. I seek help, yet therapists are nigh impossible for me to lool up to, and that's my honest, embittered take.

I've always found it baffling because that's not how I experience thoughts and emotions. I can't think of any situation where thought → emotion → behaviour accurately describes my experience. It's more trigger/inciting incident → emotion → thought → behaviour. The emotion comes first, not the thought. The thoughts only happen once the negative emotion is already there, and yes, sometimes those thoughts can make the emotion worse, but they aren't the thing that caused the emotion in the first place. I've tried explaining this to therapists multiple times, and they never seem to get it. Once I even got told I "must" be thinking something before I feel the emotion, and it was just really frustrating because I genuinely *don't*.

And it's not like I don't generally notice my thoughts, I notice them all the time, but I genuinely can't think of a situation where I thought something and that caused me to feel depressed or anxious.

I haven’t used it since qualifying because quite frankly I thinks it’s way too structured and limiting. Anyway, a new company I work for requires me to submit tapes to them and these are marked based on the CTSR. I’m just wondering if you guys still use this framework for your sessions in real life?

This may already be well-known, but I wanted to share with you all in case it'll help you. I have been studying CBT for several years (15 I think) and found a lot of success with it. I also paid for the Feeling Great app by David Burns, which I highly recommend. It's $99 for a year, which is pricey, but also cheaper than therapy. Anyway, I found out on this sub a few days ago that there are two other ways to talk to an AI to help you with negative thoughts for FREE. I have used both and found success in them, so I thought I'd share!

One is just using ChatGPT and talking to the AI. I did this about my daughter having issues with mean girls at school and it gave me a lot of advice on how to help her and even how to help myself because it was honestly distressing me too, although I never let my daughter know that.

The other one is IFS Buddy. It feels like it was designed more for being a therapy session and it has helped me with at least two different situations, including helping me look within myself to see why I'm so distressed about the bullying my daughter is enduring. I feel a lot better after talking to it.

Hope this helps you all!

Context: I am a 25M. I am being obsessive about not having a high body count. I feel kinda less worthy because of that.

I think there are two things that provokes difficult feelings:

(1) I am ashamed of not having a high body count. I think the core belief related to that could be "if someone can seduce girls more easily than I do, then he must be more charismatic and charming. I am thus less of something, and so at I risk loosing my relationships". I see that as a failure: I should have had enough confidence to get girls when I could.
(2) I am ashamed of wanting a higher body count. Two reasons I can come up with: I have a happy relationship with someone that I find very attractive, but more specifically because I think it is stupid to think like that. There is no need for a body count, like there are terrible people with high body count and good people with low body count.

This is terribly difficult for me, I don't know how to proceed. I can come up with reasons not to believe such absurdity, but they just feel "logical" but not convincing... Even when I think "OK, the thing you really want is to be confident, not to have a high body count" I agree but it doesn't change anything about the feeling about (1) and (2)...

As the title says.

So i have this group of 5 friends from university i had always issues with. Like having a misunderstanding and 3 of the ended up bullying me but later they apologised a lot and we have been good friends since then. But even years later, despite keeping in contact and having no personel issues, it’s kind of evident that they have their favourites and me and my other friend stands out like sore thumb in the gang. Especially on social media. Like we all wish each other ( my other friend isn’t active on social media, just me and the 3 others), posts stories etc but its obvious that they don’t like me especially. Most times they forget my birthday and go on to wish the most-liked friend from my gang just a week later. Even if wished, it’s a formal happy birthday which is very evident they did it for sake. They get together and don’t invite me and my other friend and they say how it was last minute spontaneous plan. I ignore all of this and act like it’s completely fine but sometimes it hurts. It’s not like i am a bad friend. I do keep in touch and have helped them in need.

I know this is all sounds like teen drama. My issue isn’t wanting them to post or express or anything. I understand everything isn’t black or white. How do i not blame myself for it ? In university i already had a bad name during the bullying time cause my friends went on to backstab about me to everyone in class and i still have this fear that everyone still has misunderstood me due to this. My friends apologised me after graduating college but the rest of the class might still be believing those stuff. I feel like everyone from university is observing this and they all might be judging me as a bad person and thinks that’s why my own friends don’t like me. I feel like everyone from university secretly hates me. I don’t want to cut them off but i also want to be unbothered and understand this is life and not everyone has to like you.

I do have another great circle of friends now and i love them to bits and is grateful i have them. But i also don’t want to cut off my university friends. How do i stop blaming myself though ?

hey guys, i've worked on recognizing all the other biases but rationalization still gets me lol. anyone got tips on how to catch myself rationalizing? what's worked for you?

I just want to cry and someone to take care of me. I actually curl up in the fetal position and cry and then I don't know what to do. I am unable to identify negative thoughts, I just feel bad.

I can't tell if I'm thinking bad things, I just feel like I don't like living. Why don't I like living? I know there are good things, but I just don't like it. It's very painful and painful. I know there are times when it's not, but the times that are make me dislike life.

What do I do?

Should I try another approach?

As the title says; if not in Berlin, it would need to be online. I really struggle with finding a practitioner here. Thanks

I dont have much money and I need therapies, irl it costs too much and insurance psychologist doesnt care and I almost ran out of paid amount of sessions. Are therr any groups or online calls for free or community based? I never go out irl and my thoughts made me feel like im nothing

I've been going to therapy since last year and I've had over 10 appointments. I think this is a special privilege to get therapy and I should save everything that the therapist taught me. Thus, I've been writing those notes in obsidian in pc and there's a great note taking application which is free in android. And I've pinned them so that I look at them regularly.

Now, what I really want is something that helps my cbt actually.

Example: I want cbt thought recording.

It should have these columns

- timeline

- response(could be emotions/feelings/mood, physical sensation, behavior)

- automatic thoughts(Discover the automatic thoughts)

- Hot thought(What will be the worst that will happen if what I thought above becomes true, what will others think?)

- Modifying unhelpful automatic thought(hot thought)

Write factual evidence to support your thoughts and evidence that doesn't support your hot thoughts.

Evidence that supports the hot thoughts vs evidence that doesn't support hot thoughts.

- Alternative thought(Thought that is helpful to you)

- Response after helpful thought generation

Emotions/Feelings/Mood, Physical sensation, behavior

I hope the app comes affordable as I am from south asia and I can't pay heavy dollars like westerners.

Something where I can make these outline and create a new note based on this shall also work. I know obsidian can do it, but it'll be overkill for this

I’m starting to look for a CBT practitioner and wondering what to expect from the first appointment, how long do these sessions last for , etc?

Disclaimer: long post, but even with therapist I struggle to find an answer so I thought the more the better.

Tl;dr: GF past mirror everything I wish I could have done when I was in my early 20s and makes me relapse into depression. I have many thought and negative emotions, but nothing clear and it is a mess. What can I do with CBT?

Long version:

From age 20 to 24 i've been particularily ill (depression + weird somatic symptoms that made it way worse).

My battle against this disorder has had a few success! I don't consider myself as depressed now, only as someone who tends to feel depressed. This is a huge improvement and I have now symptom free periods from time to time when I feel trully happy and confident. I do relapse though, but the "downs" are so much better than before that I am hopeful for my recovery.

However here's the thing: i wanted for my early 20s to party, seduce girls and learn to be socially confident. I really valued this, but my mood disorder and some social anxiety prevented me from doing that. My GF on the other hand, is the exact opposite: she has a really good mood, she had had a lot of parties and sexual adventures, and is one of the most socially confident person I know. I love her for what she is, I wouldn't change anything about her. She loves me deeply for who I am and I do trust her. However everytime she brings something about her past (even when it is not at all related to parties or other guys) I cannot help but feeling bad about not having done as many parties, and trying to guess whether she had sex with the guys she talks about.

This is trully obsessive. It all started when during those stupid conversations we have at our age when she told me that she had sex with too many people to keep the count and that she had a few one night stands with a few male friends a long time ago now. I was part of this conversation and very curious too, so I don't blame her for that. Appart from that she never brings her past sexual relationships and always tells me that everything with me, sex included, is on a level she never experience before, and tells me more than enough to make me feel confident and secure with her.

But I just can't stop it.

So I tried CBT, using the self help book feeling great and seing my therapist. It works to some extent, but I think I am stuck with this aspect that I believe influence my relapse. The problem is that I don't know how to use cognitive reframing with this as I don't really know what exactly makes me feel bad: do I feel bad because I am envious or jealous? I don't know. I can't find any clear feeling or thought. I am usually good with telling how I feel but this one is different. I know I feel really bad, but I don't know what kind of negative feeling it is. I know what theme triggers me, but I don't have the negative thought that usually comes along.

The only thing I can say is things like "I feel bad I hadn't had as many sexual partner as she had".

But this is true, I do feel bad, there's no way I can change this thought as it is not negative per se.