What is psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy is a form of professional psychological assistance that aims to help people struggling with various emotional, behavioral or functional difficulties. Psychological therapy usually takes the form of regular meetings between the patient and therapist, during which deep-seated beliefs, feelings and thoughts that affect the patient’s daily life are examined.

There are many different therapeutic approaches, one of the most effective of which is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). This method of psychotherapy focuses on understanding how a patient’s thoughts and behaviors affect his or her emotions, making it possible to effectively change negative thinking and acting patterns.

How does cognitive-behavioral therapy work?

Cognitive-behavioral therapy usually takes place in a set number of sessions, often as a short-term intervention. Here’s an overview of the typical therapeutic process in CBT:

• 1. Assessment and diagnosis: The first meetings with the therapist are devoted to assessing problems and defining therapy goals.
  2. Planning and goals: Based on the assessment, the therapist, together with the patient, sets therapy goals that will be achieved within a certain period of time.
  3. Working with thoughts: The therapist helps the patient identify negative thoughts and beliefs and replaces them with more realistic and constructive ones.
  4. Skills training: The patient learns techniques for dealing with negative emotions and challenges that may arise in daily life.
  5. Behavior change: The therapist supports the patient in taking actions that lead to positive changes in life.
  6. Monitoring progress: The therapist regularly evaluates progress and adjusts the approach to achieve the desired goals.