Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is shown to be one of the most effective treatments for anxiety. CBT looks at both thoughts and behaviors.
The brain connections we use more grow stronger. So if I have a lot of anxious thoughts, that tends to strengthen those brain connections and lead to more anxious thoughts. In CBT we look at the thoughts we have and figure out if they are helpful or unhelpful. For the thoughts that are unhelpful CBT gives us tools to begin to shift our thinking and have thought replacements.
In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy we also look to see how our behaviors are either supporting us or not supporting us. Have you ever noticed that sometimes you feel anxious despite knowing in your head that the fears and anxieties don’t make sense? You probably try to tell your brain this and it just doesn’t seem to listen!
The part of our brain that runs the fight-or-flight system is a very old part of the brain, evolutionarily it existed before there was language so you could try to reason with it all day and it may not ever get the message. Luckily there are ways we can communicate to this part of our brain without the use of words.
In CBT for anxiety you will learn a variety of grounding techniques that will help you communicate to the anxiety part of the brain so that you can access the relaxation system in your brain. And you may already know this intuitively but the anxiety, fight or flight system functions in a very different part of the brain than the relaxation system.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy will help you train your brain to help weaken and quite literally shrink the part of your brain that is sending out the anxiety distress signals. We will also help you to literally strengthen the part of your brain that houses the relaxation system. CBT is like going to the gym for your brain! Or more simply, CBT will help you to think in a different way.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapist in Charlotte, NC
Theresa Leskowat MS LCMHC is owner and founder of Clear Vista Counseling in Charlotte, NC. Theresa provides CBT for anxiety relief, stress management, depression reduction, and managing perfectionism.