At Resting Tree, we use Cognitive Behavioural Therapy as one of our approaches to help clients with difficult emotional and behavioural concerns. Cognitive behavioral therapy aims to help you learn about the relationship between our thoughts, feelings and actions, and how our perceptions influence how we feel and what we do.

How it works

In mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and trauma, negative and unhelpful thinking can present itself in ways such as:

1. Black and white thinking (judging ourselves, others or experiences as extremes, such as happy or sad, success or failure, instead of acknowledging the shades of gray in between)

2. Overgeneralization (taking one instance and imposing it on other situations)

3. Catastrophizng (blowing things out of proportion)

4. Emotional reasoning (judging a situation purely on how we feel about it) 

To correct some of these thinking patterns, it is important to learn how to identify situations that might trigger them and challenge them with evidence / reality. As we learn how to identify, tackle and change these thinking patterns, we will be able to manage difficult emotions more confidently. 

CBT is a collaborative, structured and homework-based approach that includes strategies such as thought record keeping and reviewing, gradual exposure to feared situations, problem-solving, role-playing, or relaxation techniques. The more you practice the skills, the more you may find yourself adapting to new behaviours and thoughts in the future.

Curious to find out more about CBT and how it may be able to help you? Find out more by contacting us at info@restingtree.ca or book your free consultation today