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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

A structured, skills-based approach that targets the thoughts and behaviors keeping you stuck.

Overview

CBT is one of the most researched therapies in the world. It's practical, collaborative, and time-limited — we identify the patterns fueling your distress and build concrete skills to shift them.

Our CBT-trained clinicians (including advanced training from the Beck Institute) use CBT for anxiety, depression, OCD, insomnia, and substance use.

Who it helps

  • Adults with anxiety, panic, or persistent worry
  • Clients with depression looking for structure and momentum
  • Anyone who wants tools, not just insight

What a session looks like

  1. 1Collaborative agenda and goal setting each session
  2. 2Skills practice between visits — thought records, exposures, behavioral experiments
  3. 3Progress measured against goals we set together

Often used for

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Is CBT just positive thinking?
No, and this is one of the biggest misconceptions. CBT isn't about replacing negative thoughts with cheerful ones — it's about noticing the thoughts and beliefs that fuel your distress, testing whether they're accurate or helpful, and shifting the patterns that keep you stuck. It's more rigorous than 'positive thinking' and often less comfortable in the short term. Real CBT is skills-based, evidence-driven, and honest about what's actually true.
How is CBT different from other kinds of therapy?
CBT is structured, collaborative, and time-limited. You set clear goals, you practice specific skills between sessions, and you measure progress against those goals. Compared to more open-ended or insight-focused therapies, CBT is usually more directive and hands-on. That's a strength for many clients — you leave sessions with something concrete to try — and a limitation for others who need more room to explore. We help you decide if it's the right fit.
How long does CBT usually take?
Traditional CBT protocols run somewhere between 12 and 20 sessions for issues like anxiety, panic, depression, and insomnia. Some clients see meaningful change faster; others need longer, especially with layered issues or long histories. We use CBT flexibly, not as a rigid protocol — the length depends on you and what you're working on.
Does CBT work for trauma?
There are trauma-specific CBT protocols (Cognitive Processing Therapy, Prolonged Exposure) with strong research support for PTSD. That said, for many trauma clients we combine CBT with other modalities like EMDR or IFS — because trauma often lives in the body and in parts of the self that pure thought-work doesn't reach. We tailor the approach to what your nervous system needs.
What if I don't want homework between sessions?
Between-session practice is a core piece of what makes CBT effective, so if the idea of any structured practice feels like a hard no, another approach might fit better. That said, 'homework' in CBT isn't school assignments — it's things like noticing a thought pattern during the week, trying a small behavioral experiment, or practicing a skill for ten minutes. We calibrate it to what's realistic for your life.

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