Many people who seek psychotherapy are experiencing distress or confusion over their current circumstances. Common concerns are problematic patterns in relationships, identity issues, overwhelming stress, overcoming a difficult or abusive childhood, career concerns, parenting issues, difficulty with anger, depression, impulsiveness, or anxiety. Whatever your particular concerns are, my goal is to approach psychotherapy as an interactive process where you and I together explore the issues that contribute to the current difficulties you experience.

During our sessions, we may talk about strategies and techniques for dealing with current problems. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one modality I utilize to address presenting concerns.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that treats life challenges and boosts happiness by modifying dysfunctional emotions, behaviors, and thoughts. CBT focuses on solutions, encouraging patients to challenge distorted cognitions and change destructive patterns of behavior. CBT rests on the idea that thoughts and perceptions influence behavior. Feeling distressed, in some cases, may distort one’s perception of reality. CBT aims to identify harmful thoughts, assess whether they are an accurate depiction of reality, and if they are not, employ strategies to challenge and overcome them.

The tools deployed in CBT—which include learning to identify and dispute unrealistic or unhelpful thoughts and developing problem-solving skills—have been used to treat a broad range of mental health challenges. CBT is now considered among the most efficacious forms of talk therapy, especially when clients incorporate strategies into their daily life. This effort to gain insight into one’s cognitive and behavioral processes and modify them in a constructive way often involves ongoing practice, but is favored by many clients as it can require fewer therapy sessions than other modalities.