CBT Techniques Explained

When you take part in a CBT program there are a number of different techniques that may be used to provide you anxiety relief. These techniques are not only designed to help you worry less, they are designed to help you uncover and analyze your thoughts and behaviors. Once you are able to do this you can experience the long-term anxiety relief you deserve. The following are some of the most popular CBT techniques that are used in self-help programs.

Cognitive Rehearsal

This technique involves you imagine a situation that would normally cause you anxiety. You mentally go through the the steps of facing this fearful situation and dealing with it successfully. You will practice this repeatedly until the point in which you can successfully navigate the situation in real life and worry less than normal.

Journaling

Journaling is another common CBT technique that can help you find anxiety relief. When you journal you will be asked to keep track of your thoughts, feelings and actions in relation to certain experiences. This activity is designed to create an awareness of your own distorted thought process so that you see how these distorted thoughts alter your actions.

Validity Testing

When you have anxiety you have a lot of negative and distorted automatic thoughts. This technique challenges those thoughts by asking you to defend their validity. For instance, you may be asked to provide evidence that one of your distorted thoughts is true or logical. When you cannot do this the distorted thought is exposed as a lie or distortion.

Desensitization

This technique is used to slowly expose you to the situations that cause you anxiety so that you will eventually worry less. This is done in a very methodical way so that you are not traumatized thus reinforcing your anxiety. Slow controlled exposure to anxiety producing situations leads to eventual desensitization and anxiety relief.