Cognitive Therapy
A structured therapy focused on identifying and modifying distorted or unhelpful thought patterns that contribute to emotional distress.
What Is Cognitive Therapy?
Cognitive therapy is a structured psychotherapy focused specifically on identifying and modifying distorted or unhelpful thinking patterns believed to contribute to emotional distress. It forms the cognitive component of the broader cognitive behavioral therapy family and places relatively more emphasis on thought content than behavioral change.
How It Works
Cognitive therapy is based on the idea that how a person interprets events, rather than the events themselves, largely determines their emotional response. Treatment involves identifying automatic negative thoughts and underlying beliefs, then examining and restructuring them using structured techniques. This description uses original explanatory language.
What Happens During Therapy?
Sessions typically involve identifying specific situations that triggered distress, examining the automatic thoughts that arose, evaluating evidence for and against these thoughts, and developing more balanced alternatives, often using thought records as a structured tool.
Evidence and Effectiveness
Research supports cognitive therapy for depression and anxiety disorders, with a strong evidence base largely overlapping with that of cognitive behavioral therapy more broadly, given their shared theoretical foundation.
Who May Benefit?
Cognitive therapy may be considered as part of an individualized treatment plan for people experiencing depression or anxiety who are drawn to a structured, thought-focused approach.
Limitations and Considerations
Cognitive therapy requires active engagement in examining and challenging one’s own thought patterns, which some people find difficult initially. Evidence and format overlap substantially with CBT, and the terms are sometimes used interchangeably in practice.
Finding a Qualified Therapist
Cognitive therapy is delivered by psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, licensed mental health counselors, and other mental health professionals with training in cognitive therapy techniques.
How Long Does Therapy Take?
Cognitive therapy is often delivered over a defined course, commonly in the range of 12 to 20 sessions, though treatment length varies according to the person and clinical presentation.
Therapy vs. Medication
For depression and anxiety, cognitive therapy and medication are not necessarily competing options and may be used alone or in combination, in consultation with a qualified healthcare professional.
What Conditions Is It Used For?
Related Therapy Types
Medical Information Disclaimer
Ratel Health provides general educational information and does not provide medical diagnosis, treatment, or individualized medical advice. Information on this page is not a substitute for evaluation or care from a qualified healthcare professional. Do not use this information to diagnose yourself or another person, or to start, stop, or change treatment or medication without consulting an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
References
- American Psychological Association. Clinical Practice Guidelines.
- American Psychiatric Association. Practice Guidelines.
- National Institute of Mental Health. Psychotherapies.