What Is Cognitive Behavior Therapy?

Starting therapy can feel overwhelming, especially if you are unsure what the process will actually look like. Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is a widely used, evidence-based approach that helps people understand and change patterns that contribute to emotional distress.

This post explains what CBT therapy is, how sessions typically begin, and what the therapeutic process often looks like over time.

What Is Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)?

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is a structured therapy approach that focuses on the connection between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

At its core:

• Thoughts influence emotional responses

• Emotions shape behavioral reactions

• Behaviors can reinforce or shift patterns over time

CBT does not focus on “positive thinking.” Instead, it helps you recognize unhelpful thinking patterns and develop more balanced, flexible ways of responding to life’s challenges. CBT is commonly used to support concerns such as anxiety, depression, stress, and emotional regulation, and the approach is always tailored to the individual.

How CBT Starts

Early CBT sessions typically focus on psychoeducation—building an understanding of how your internal experiences are connected. During this phase, we explore how thoughts, emotions, and behaviors interact in your specific situation. Many clients find this process validating, as it helps normalize reactions and reduce self-blame. These early sessions also help clarify goals and create a shared understanding of what you would like to work on in therapy.

Coping Strategies in CBT

CBT therapy often includes learning coping strategies to help manage distress and emotional overwhelm.

Depending on your needs, this may involve:

• Techniques for managing anxiety and stress

• Tools for responding to intense emotions with awareness

• Grounding strategies to increase emotional stability

• Skills that support emotional regulation in daily life

Coping strategies are introduced gradually and collaboratively, with an emphasis on finding what works best for you.

Using CBT Skills in Everyday Life

CBT is designed to be practical and applicable outside of therapy sessions. As therapy continues, we focus on noticing patterns in daily life, including automatic thoughts, emotional reactions, and behaviors that may contribute to ongoing distress. Between-session practice may be part of the process, but it is flexible and collaborative. The goal is increased awareness and choice, not pressure or perfection.

Behavioral Activation and Low Mood

For clients experiencing depression, low motivation, or withdrawal, CBT often includes behavioral activation. When mood is low, people often disengage from activities that once felt meaningful. Behavioral activation focuses on gently increasing engagement in ways that support mood and emotional well-being.

In therapy, we work together to:

• Identify values-based activities

• Increase engagement at a manageable pace

• Reduce avoidance patterns that maintain low mood

This approach emphasizes gradual, intentional action rather than forcing productivity.

Core Beliefs and CBT

As therapy progresses, CBT may explore core beliefs—deeply held assumptions about yourself, others, or the world. Core beliefs often develop early in life and influence how experiences are interpreted. When these beliefs are unhelpful or outdated, they can contribute to ongoing emotional distress. CBT helps increase awareness of these beliefs so they can be examined and gently challenged in a compassionate, supportive way.

What CBT Sessions Are Like

CBT sessions are collaborative and structured, while remaining flexible and responsive to your needs.

Sessions often include:

• Checking in on current concerns

• Exploring thoughts, emotions, and patterns without judgment

• Identifying areas where change feels possible

Emotional experience is an important part of the work. Understanding how situations feel emotionally helps guide the direction and focus of therapy.

Final Thoughts on CBT

CBT therapy focuses on helping you better understand your internal experiences and develop more supportive ways of responding to challenges. Therapy is not about fixing or controlling emotions—it is about building awareness, flexibility, and self-compassion over time.

If you are considering CBT therapy, this approach offers a collaborative space to explore patterns, learn coping strategies, and work toward meaningful, sustainable change.