Cognitive behavioral therapy is a popular type of therapy within psychology. Several psychologists have worked out this therapy or added new ideas to it, so that cognitive behavioral therapy can be at its most effective in a large range of problems. Research has shown that cognitive behavioral therapy forms effective treatment for depression and/or anxiety, for example.

Cognitive behavioral therapy in depression and anxiety

There are different techniques which are used in cognitive behavioral therapy in order to treat depression and anxiety. A well-known technique used to treat depression or anxiety is to challenge thoughts. Often we have ideas about how our surroundings work or which consequences our deeds could have. With the help of a psychologist you can check if these thoughts really do form reality. This is useful, because people with depression and anxiety often have negative constructs regarding themselves or a fearful situation. By challenging your thoughts, it can be so that you take a large step toward healing. Furthermore, diaries are often used to treat depression. The goal of these diaries in cognitive behavioral therapy is to stimulate behavioral activation. Often, people with depression suffer from isolation or do not do a lot. By going for walks or having a drink with friends, for example, people often feel a little bit better, slowly but surely.

New developments in cognitive behavioral therapy

Thanks to the growing interest in the psychological sector, new techniques have recently been developed, which psychologists make use of in treatment. These techniques are generally inspired by traditional techniques, as can be found in cognitive behavioral therapy. 15 Minutes 4 Me is an example of such a new development. The program is an online tool which guides people for fifteen minutes per day at the hand of therapeutic techniques, in order to treat depression, anxiety, or stress. This way, we hope that getting care becomes easier and more accessible for everyone. So if it is so that you find it difficult to take the step toward getting help from a psychologist or other type of caregiver, you can always make use of the online program. Would you like to know to what extent you suffer from depression, anxiety, or stress symptoms? Then you can always take our free anxiety test, which will give you your results right away. Furthermore, you also get an explanation of these results from Paul Koeck, MD, founder of 15 Minutes 4 Me.