therapist training & consulting

I get it. The way CBT is presented often shows it as a very brief and very skills-focused type of therapy.

I have been to too many trainings where the focus is on worksheets and strategies, and the presenter misses the deep, meaningful core of the practice. CBT, in its true form, seeks to understand how a person sees themselves, others, and the world. CBT is based on the idea that the beliefs we have about ourselves, which form during childhood, interfere with and impact our current lives. Our core beliefs manifest through our thoughts, memories, and even images we see in our mind's eye. These core beliefs drive everything, and there is nothing simple or easy about working with someone to uncover and explore these deeply held belief systems.

People don't become clinicians unless they value connection, believe in healing, and care about the process. If you were to believe the soundbites about CBT, it would seem like it's a cookie-cutter structured model that anyone could do. This is untrue. I want to show you cognitive behavioral therapy's depth, beauty, and richness.

In reality, CBT is one of the richest practice modalities around.

The endless skills you’ve heard about are real and relevant, but they are used individually and personally for each client. You don’t start the work prescribing skills; and you start the work by getting to know the client.

The case formulation is the standard beginning of CBT treatment. This process involves understanding how the client sees themselves, others, and their world. In CBT, we cannot solve problems without knowing the person fully. We must understand how they think, believe, and drive their behavior. Only when we have this understanding can we work collaboratively, helping them figure out how to resolve issues.

Collaborative is a keyword here.

Real CBT involves a strong alliance and connection with the client.

Real CBT clinicians understand that change involves a therapeutic relationship and a deeper understanding of how each person views their situation. Yes, there is structure to the sessions, but this structure doesn’t make the work less interesting; instead, it makes it more focused, deeper, and fuller. Yes, the work is measurable, but accountability isn’t a bad thing. Therapists care about their work, and they want to do their best. I don’t think we’re scared of evaluations of success; we’re worried about our clients and ensuring we are doing our best work for them. CBT has impressive research, and this research is a good thing. We want to show that therapy helps and makes a difference. We wouldn’t have committed our careers to this field if we felt otherwise.