Mental Health Project

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Rachel Doll, Justice Haymen, Kennedy Robertson, Rhonda Dresselhaus and Mary Vincent

Reference list

Dobson, Keith S. (2010). Handbook of Cognitive Behavioral Therapies (3rd Edition). New York, NY. US; Guilferd Press

Hubbard, K., & Blyler, D. (2016). Improving academic performance and

working memory in health science graduate students using progressive muscle relaxation training. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 70(6), 1-8. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2016.020644

Insight Psychological. (2017). Cognitive Behavioural Therapy [Webpage]. Retrieved

from: https://www.insightpsychological.ca/counselling/cognitive-behavioral-therapy/

Mayo Clinic. (2017). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy [Webpage]. Retrieved from:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cognitive-behavioral-therapy/details/what-you-can-expect/rec-20188674

Sojourn Wellness Group. (2017). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy [Webpage].

Retrieved from: https://www.sojo.ca/cognitive-behavioral-therapy/

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Wischkaemper, K., & Coop Gordon, K. (2015). Integration of cognitive-behavioral and

interpersonal therapies in treating depression with concurrent relational distress and chronic pain. Clinical Case Studies, 14(5), 357-373. doi:10.1177/1534650114559939

- Form of coping mechanism taught in CBT and found to be highly effective (Wischkaemper & Coop Gordon, 2015, p. 358)

-Essentially is the process of mindfully contracting and releasing specific muscle groups in a specific order

-Initiates active coping processes such as:

- reducing stress levels (Hubbard & Blyler, 2016, p.2)

- reducing physiological aspects of anxiety (Hubbard & Blyler, 2016, p.2)

-improve working memory (Hubbard & Blyler, 2016, p.2) AKA helps with studying...

Let's try it!

How to?

Step 1 - Tension

• take a slow deep breath and squeeze the muscles as hard as you can for around 5 seconds (choosing one muscle group at a time)

Step 2 - relaxing the tense muscles

• quickly relax the muscles, exhaling as you go. Remain in the state for 15 seconds before moving onto the next muscle group.

To avoid missing a muscle group and to make the exercise easier to perform, begin with your feet and systematically work upwards towards the head. (start from head and move down if you prefer)

(Anxiety BC, 2013, p. 1-2)

Image source: http://www.dummies.com/health/exercise/lose-belly-fat/reduce-stress-and-belly-fat-with-progressive-muscle-relaxation-and-exercise/

Helpful Hints

• Set aside 15 minutes to complete this activity.
• Find a quiet place where you can complete the exercise without being disturbed.
• For the first week or two, practice twice a day until you get the hang of it. The better you become, the quicker the relaxation response will set in.
• It may be more effective to practice when not anxious, that way it will be easier to perform when anxious.
• Be careful not to injure yourself, this exercise should never cause you to feel intense or shooting pain (Anxiety BC, 2013, p.1)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Form Of Self Care

Other CBT Techniques used

What Is CBT?

Treatment that focuses on how someone's thoughts and beliefs can impact their behaviour and their views. CBT works to consciously change an individual's learned reactions to change how they react to certain stimuli (Insight Psychological, 2017).

Other CBT Therapy Techniques Continued

How Does CBT work?

•Skills Training

exercise to help remedy skills deficits, and works through modeling, direct instruction and roles.

•Problem Solving

patient taking active role in finding solutions to problem

•Relaxation Breathing Training

helps reduce physiological symptoms of anxiety

CBT helps people identify destructive or disturbing thoughts that negatively influence their behavior and make changes to these thoughts (Sojourn Wellness Group, 2017, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, para. 1). Mayo Clinic (2017) identified 4 major steps involved with CBT; identifying troubling situations or conditions in your life, becoming aware of your thoughts, beliefs and emotions about said problems, identifying negative or unrealistic thinking and reshaping this thinking (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, paras. 9-12).

Who does CBT help?

CBT has optimal outcomes for individuals suffering from anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and substance abuse problems (Insight Psychological, 2017).

• Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
• Focuses on changing irrational beliefs to more rational ones
• Cognitive Therapy
• replace patient presumed distorted appraisals of life event with more realistic and adaptive appraisal
• Schema Therapy
• Mindfulness and Acceptance Interventions
• Dobson, Keith S. (2010) Handbook of Cognitive Behavioral Therapies