Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is usually a short-term treatment (i.e. often between 6-20 sessions) that focuses on teaching individuals specific skills. CBT is different from many other therapy approaches because it focuses on the ways that a person’s cognitions (i.e. thoughts), emotions, and behaviors are connected and how they affect one another.
 

Within the CBT framework the therapist, child, adolescent or adults develop goals for therapy together. Work with children also involves close collaboration with parents. Treatment is goal-oriented to resolve present day problems. Therapy involves learning skills that get practiced within the sessions and a step-by-step process to achieve goals.

Cognitive therapy suggests that, for individuals of all ages, many of our emotions are due to our thinking (i.e. the ways that we have perceived or interpreted our environments). Sometimes these thoughts may be biased or distorted. Unrealistic, distorted or biased thoughts can contribute to similar thinking processes that affect
feelings.

• Distinguish between thoughts and feelings
• Become aware of the ways in which thoughts can influence feelings in ways that sometimes are not helpful.
• Learn about thoughts that seem to occur automatically, without even realizing how they may affect emotions.
• Evaluate critically whether these automatic thoughts and assumptions are accurate, or perhaps biased.
• Develop skills to notice, interrupt, and correct these biased thoughts independently.