Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a therapy proven to work for the treatment of a wide range of behavioral conditions, from anxiety and depression to schizophrenia. Methods of CBT help you change negative thoughts and behaviors to positive ones. In turn, this helps you improve how you live each day, reducing your mental health symptoms. Using some easy at-home cognitive behavioral therapy exercises, you can start making these positive changes now.
Of course, real CBT treatment involves meeting with a licensed therapist. Through their guidance and in a cognitive behavioral therapy program in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, you achieve real mental health improvement.
What is CBT?
CBT is a simple process of understanding how your negative thoughts and feelings lead to problem behaviors. By looking at your patterns in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, you more easily understand where things go wrong in your life. You also learn how to change things for the better, starting with your negative thoughts.
Cognitive behavioral therapy exercises use steps to help you change your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. These exercises work very well for reducing many symptoms of mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression. You also deal with triggers more effectively and suffer less stress.
Five Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Exercises
Five cognitive behavioral therapy exercises to start using today include:
Use Problem Solving
For any situation, do your best to find solutions for a positive experience. By doing so, you feel greater control over your life. You also get through difficult times more easily, such as in dealing with job loss, illness or death of someone you love.
To practice this exercise of CBT, start by understanding how you think about the problem. Next, clearly define the problem. Come up with possible solutions and take action based on what you think about the problem.
Change Your Thoughts
When you have negative thoughts, stop those thoughts before you act out negatively. As an example of this, feeling down or depressed can lead you to think harmful things and suffer negative emotions. These thoughts and feelings lead to negative behaviors, such as substance abuse or risk-taking.
To stop this cycle, focus on realizing your thoughts are simply negative ways of seeing things. Make a clear effort to change these thoughts to positive ones.
Use Small Steps to Achieve Big Goals
To avoid feeling overwhelmed by big goals, tackle these using small steps. This helps you get past negative feelings about the goal and helps you gain momentum through a series of small wins.
Pursue New Activities
Try new actions and behaviors. Start these slowly and slowly increase your participation. Examples of healthy activities include new hobbies, working out, or volunteering.
Practice Meditation and Mindfulness
Meditation and mindfulness involve silent reflection without self-judgment. These activities clear your head, relax you and teach you to think positively.
Other Therapies You Need with CBT
For many mental health problems, CBT works very well. But you also need other types of therapy to positively change your life for the long-term. These other methods include:
- Individual counseling
- Family counseling
- Group counseling
- Adolescent counseling
- Counseling for first responders
All of these therapies and cognitive behavioral therapy exercises take place at Remedy Therapy in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Call Remedy Therapy now at 561.414.2607 to learn more about CBT and how this therapy can help you change your life.
