CBT Therapy Techniques

I can’t do this anymore! I’ll never find someone to love me! I’ll probably be passed over for the promotion! Do you find yourself thinking thoughts like these from time to time? Or even worse, do you actually believe them? Read on to find out how some simple CBT techniques can help you.

These kinds of thoughts are sometimes called toxic thoughts by counselors; they are toxic to your well-being. They usually result in feelings of despair, fear or hopelessness. Your body may also react to them in the form of aches and pains, high blood pressure, unspecified inflammations, amongst others.

Toxic thoughts will make you feel like you are in a never-ending spiral.

Don’t just allow any random thought to float around your mind all day because chances are you will feel worse by the end of the day.

CBT is a counseling approach where the counselor helps you to become aware of what you are thinking. Once you are aware of what you are thinking, you then start taking action against the “bad” thoughts, the ones that trip you up.

Below are some things you can do to try this out.

• First, acknowledge that you have lost control of your thoughts. One way of doing this is to write down the unpleasant thought; “I’m ugly”; “I’m unlovable”, “I’ll never make it.” You don’t want to entertain these thoughts but you do anyway. You are no longer of the captain of your ship.
• Next, take control by denying the legitimacy of those thoughts. They have no right to torment you, so why leave them to rule your mind?
• Third, look at the list of toxic thoughts that you have written down. Now, next to each, rephrase it with something kinder and more believable. “I will make it!”, “I can do this!”
• Finally, speak these statements into existence. Use your voice, telling yourself something like, “I’m not a quitter!”; “We all have bad days and I will not let this get me down!”; “I will not partner with fear!”

Check how you feel inside after you have spent some minutes overriding negative thoughts with more positive self-statements like these.

Do this every day as often as these thoughts pop up in your head. Go ahead, try it out!

Contact me for a free counseling consultation today. My counseling practice is situated in Monterey and my contact number is 831-444-1747.

PS: I accept payment from several insurances and payers: Aspire, Coastal, MBIPA, MHN, HMC Healthworks, Victims of Crime. Check on your insurance card under Mental Health benefits to verify what coverage you have.

Many clients pay cash for their sessions (my fee is $125 per session or lower negotiated rate in special circumstances) and then submit the superbill provided by me to their insurance for possible reimbursement. See here under the FAQ section for some more information.