Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, commonly referred to as CBT, is an evidence-based approach to therapy that focuses on the connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It is used to treat a wide range of concerns and can be adapted for children, adolescents, and adults.

At Long Island Mental Health & Wellness, many of our clinicians incorporate CBT into treatment when it is appropriate for the individual and their goals. Rather than applying the same set of strategies to everyone, we use CBT within a broader understanding of the person, their experiences, and the factors contributing to their difficulties.

What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

CBT is based in part on the understanding that the way we interpret situations can influence how we feel and how we respond. Over time, patterns of thinking and behavior can develop that unintentionally contribute to anxiety, depression, avoidance, low self-esteem, relationship difficulties, and other concerns.

Therapy helps people become more aware of these patterns and determine whether they are accurate or useful. This does not mean simply replacing negative thoughts with positive ones. Instead, CBT encourages people to look at situations more flexibly, consider different perspectives, and recognize when a familiar pattern of thinking may be contributing to distress.

The behavioral component of CBT is equally important. Changing what we do can influence how we think and feel. Depending on the concern, treatment might involve gradually approaching situations that have been avoided, increasing participation in meaningful activities, practicing new ways of responding to stress, developing problem-solving strategies, or changing habits that are maintaining a particular difficulty.

What Can CBT Help Treat?

CBT has been studied extensively and can be helpful for many different emotional and behavioral concerns. Our clinicians may incorporate CBT when treating anxiety, depression, social anxiety, OCD, emotional regulation difficulties, stress, perfectionism, and other concerns.

The way CBT is used will vary depending on what brings someone to therapy. A person experiencing anxiety may work on recognizing patterns of worry and reducing avoidance, while someone experiencing depression may focus more heavily on patterns of thinking, behavior, and withdrawal that are contributing to low mood. Treatment for OCD may incorporate more specialized cognitive behavioral approaches, including Exposure and Response Prevention.

CBT for Children and Teens

CBT can be adapted to a child’s developmental level and does not need to look like traditional talk therapy. With younger children, clinicians may use activities, examples, visuals, games, and practice to help make concepts easier to understand. Children can learn to recognize emotions, notice connections between thoughts and behavior, develop coping and problem-solving strategies, and gradually practice handling situations that are difficult for them.

For adolescents, CBT can provide practical tools while also giving teens an opportunity to better understand their own patterns. Treatment may address anxiety, school stress, perfectionism, friendships, mood, avoidance, self-esteem, or other concerns that are affecting daily life.

Parents may also be involved in treatment when appropriate. This can be particularly useful when a child’s anxiety or behavior has begun to influence family routines or when parents would benefit from strategies for supporting the skills their child is developing in therapy.

CBT and Neurodivergence

CBT can be helpful for autistic individuals and people with ADHD, but it should not be assumed that every difficulty is the result of distorted thinking or a behavior that needs to change. Sensory overwhelm, executive functioning challenges, differences in communication, social experiences, and environments that do not fit a person’s needs can create very real difficulties.

Our clinicians adapt CBT based on the individual rather than expecting the individual to adapt to the therapy. This may include making concepts more concrete, incorporating visual or structured supports, addressing executive functioning needs, considering sensory factors, or modifying traditional cognitive strategies when they do not fit a person’s way of processing information.

A neurodiversity-affirming use of CBT also distinguishes between helping someone manage distress and asking them to suppress or hide neurodivergent characteristics. Treatment should help people function more comfortably and effectively while respecting who they are.

What to Expect From CBT

CBT is generally collaborative and goal-directed. At the beginning of treatment, the therapist and client work together to identify the concerns that are having the greatest impact and determine what they would like to change. Therapy then provides opportunities to develop and practice strategies that can be used outside of sessions.

CBT often involves active participation between appointments because much of the meaningful change occurs in everyday life. This may involve noticing particular patterns, practicing a new skill, approaching a situation differently, or trying something that has been discussed in therapy. These activities are individualized and should have a clear connection to the person’s treatment goals.

Getting Started

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is one of several evidence-based approaches used by clinicians at Long Island Mental Health & Wellness. The most appropriate treatment depends on the individual, the concerns bringing them to therapy, and their goals.

We provide CBT and other individualized therapy approaches for children, adolescents, young adults, and adults. Contact our office to tell us a little about what you are looking for, and we can help determine which clinician and treatment approach may be the best fit.