Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy (or cognitive behavior therapy, CBT) is a psychotherapeutic approach that
aims to influence dysfunctional emotions, behaviors and cognitions through a goal-oriented,
systematic procedure. CBT can be seen as an umbrella term for a number of psychological techniques
that share a theoretical basis in behavioristic learning theory and cognitive psychology.
CBT treatments have received empirical support for efficient treatment of a variety of clinical and
non-clinical problems, including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, eating
disorders, substance abuse disorders, and insomnia. It is often brief and time-limited. It is used in
individual therapy as well as group settings, and the techniques are also commonly adapted for
self-help applications. Some CBT therapies are more oriented towards predominately cognitive
interventions while some are more behaviorally oriented. In cognitive oriented therapies, the objective
is typically to identify and monitor thoughts, assumptions, beliefs and behaviors that are related and
accompanied to debilitating negative emotions and to identify those which are dysfunctional,
inaccurate, or simply unhelpful. This is done in an effort to replace or transcend them with more
realistic and useful ones.
Individuals who suffer from insomnia experience excessive mental activity in bed that is often
described as "racing thoughts". Relaxation techniques improve the ability to fall asleep by reducing
excessive mental activity in bed and by facilitating the brain wave patterns that occur during the
transition from wakefulness to sleep.
A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine that was conducted by Dr. Gregg D. Jacobs and
funded by the National Institutes of Health, demonstrated that muscle relaxation, breathing, and
imagery techniques were a key component of a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention that was
more effective than Ambien for insomnia. And in a study published in the journal Applied
Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, Dr. Jacobs demonstrated that these same relaxation techniques
produced significant reductions in mental activity and produced the brain wave patterns that occur
during the transition from waking to sleep.
Free on-line CBT
Low cost on-line CBT
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