CBT is a short-term treatment (i.e., often between 6-20 sessions, depending on what is being treated) that teaches clients specific skills. CBT is a type of treatment that is based firmly on research findings. What makes CBT unique is that it focuses on the ways that a person’s cognitions (i.e., thoughts), emotions, and behaviors are connected and affect one another. Because emotions, thoughts, and behaviors are all linked, CBT allows for therapists to intervene at different points in the cycle. 

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Some common aspects of CBT are:

• The therapist and client work together with a mutual understanding that the therapist has theoretical and technical expertise, but the client is the expert on themselves.

• The therapist seeks to help the client discover that they are powerful and capable of choosing more helpful thoughts and behaviors.

• Clients actively participate in treatment in and out of session. The skills that are taught in these therapies require practice. Therefore, homework is often included in therapy.

• Treatment is goal-oriented to resolve present-day problems.

• Therapy involves working step-by-step to achieve goals. The therapist and client develop goals for therapy together, and track progress toward goals throughout the course of treatment.

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(ABCT, 2022)

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