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By Dr. Joti Samra, CEO & Founder of the Psychological Health & Safety (PH&S) Clinic and MyWorkplaceHealth  Most people have heard of CBT therapy, but how many really know what it is? Don’t worry if you don’t, it’s one of those things that’s fairly challenging to describe. So, here I am going to break it down for you. I will discuss cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT therapy), what it is and how it’s techniques can be used in our day to day lives.
So – WHAT IS CBT? CBT is a talk-therapy that works on changing or modifying our emotions – or things that create distress – by focusing on our cognitions or thoughts (C) and our behaviour (B). Emotions are often hard to change in the moment. However, with practice, we can get good at changing our behaviours and thoughts, even when emotions are strong. CBT is not about brainwashing or rewiring our thinking. It’s also not about positive or excessively optimistic thinking. It’s about realistic thinking. When we’re stressed, anxious or depressed we tend to do a number of predictable things in terms of the way we think. Some of these include:
CBT helps us revise and refine our thoughts so they’re more accurate, and helps us draw awareness toward our behaviour so that we aren’t inadvertently reinforcing those thoughts. 3 ways to incorporate CBT techniques into your daily life 1: Increase awareness of thoughts now. Research says we have tens of thousands of thoughts a day – and most are automatic. This works well otherwise we’d be in sensory overload – but not so well if we have unhealthy or unhelpful ways of thinking. If the unhealthy or unhelpful ways of thinking become ingrained, they can have a powerful and negative impact on us. Becoming more aware of the thoughts we are having is the first step in changing them, or at least changing how we feel about or react to them. 2: Engage in the opposite action of what your natural urge is when stressed. This is a behavioural technique that is really helpful for changing our mood states. This is the case because our natural urges point us in the direction of short term coping mechanisms that aren’t necessarily healthy in the long term. How does this work?
3: Focus on things you can control – behaviour and thoughts – and keep in mind emotional changes will lag behind. Final Thoughts There is a very strong evidence base on the benefits of CBT for dealing with a range of psychological health conditions – whether it’s general stress or a condition such as anxiety, depression, addiction, or disordered eating. If you think CBT may be helpful for you, I encourage you to read more about it – we have tons of free resources on our website. Remember: Our thoughts matter. Our perception is our reality. Changing and revising & refining those thoughts can strongly impact how we feel. Considering taking that first step today? Good for you, that’s a big step to take. You can easily start by contacting the Psychological Health & Safety Clinic today. A little more unsure? Or don’t feel like you have enough time? Consider virtual (online) counselling as an alternative to traditional online therapy. All of our associates are trained in cognitive behavioural therapy as well as other therapy methods. By Dr. Joti Samra, CEO & Founder of the Psychological Health & Safety (PH&S) Clinic and MyWorkplaceHealth The question:
My boyfriend is in therapy, which I encouraged him to do. But sometimes I worry about the psychologist saying disparaging things about our relationship. Would a professional do this or am I being paranoid? The answer: One of the most important roles for a competent psychologist is to be objective, neutral, and balanced in terms of their perspectives on their patient’s life situations. That said, psychologists – like any other individual in any profession – range in terms of their skills, efficacy and approach. So the answer is that a competent and ethical psychologist should not be making inappropriate judgmental comments to your boyfriend. But, like any other profession, there is always the small chance that a professional may be acting in a non-professional manner. One’s relationship is often a very appropriate area for discussion in a therapeutic relationship, so chances are good that your relationship has been discussed in some capacity. The more important question is what other worries you may be having about your relationship. To me, it sounds like you are concerned that your boyfriend may be bringing up these issues in therapy and that the psychologist may be commenting on them. My best advice would be to have a straightforward and open conversation with your boyfriend. Remain respectful of the fact that your boyfriend may – very appropriately and understandably – not want to talk about any details of his therapy with you. Instead, the goal of putting your concern on the table is to initiate a discussion about any areas of your relationship that you or your boyfriend think could be improved upon. Ask him openly how he thinks things are going in your relationship, and if there are areas that he thinks need to be improved upon. Share your perspective and identify what you see as strengths and weaknesses. Take a positive, problem-solving approach where you work toward thinking about ways that you could both improve any areas that are less than ideal from one or both of your perspectives. Try to not get defensive when you have this conversation. Remember that all relationships have challenges, and that the stronger couples speak openly about areas of weakness and proactively work on them. Excerpted from Dr. Joti Samra’s “Ask the Psychologist” weekly column in The Globe and Mail. Online (Virtual) Counselling: As Effective as In-Office Sessions?Planning for and traveling to appointments can be such a hassle. Most of us have busy lives and packed schedules, so the time it takes up to book and travel to appointments often discourages us from making them. We know that the appointments are important but we can’t justify the time. You’ve likely seen an explosion of advertisements over recent years for virtually-delivered health services: online, through video, phone, and apps. Did you know that doctors and nurses aren’t the only ones providing these services? Psychologists and clinical counsellors are now also providing virtual counselling services. All you need is a computer (desktop or laptop), a private space, and a good internet connection and you can have your therapy sessions from the comfort of your own home! Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Is it the same experience and as effective as in-office appointments?It’s easy to think there may be a cost that comes with the convenience of telehealth, but that’s not the case. The clinicians you have the opportunity to work with are the same professionals, with the same level of education, that you’d work with if you were participating in in-office sessions. In some cases, the clinicians who are offering telehealth services are also offering in-office sessions depending on individual needs. Furthermore, the research efficacy demonstrates that for the vast majority of presenting issues (e.g., work and relationship stress, anxiety, and mood disorders) the effectiveness of therapy services provided virtually are equal to – and in some cases even better than – traditional in-office delivery. What the Research SaysA large 2016 survey funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH) concluded that between 94 percent and 99 percent were “very satisfied” with virtually-delivered counselling services, and one-third of respondents actually preferred the telehealth experience to in-office.
Another study indicated that people who engaged in telehealth sessions were more likely to want to repeat their experience with a therapist than they were with an in-office care provider. Furthermore, over 60% of millennials indicate they would like telehealth services to fully replace in-office visits, and indicate they would prefer the use of technology to supplement their experience. These results are not surprising considering that millennials (who now make up the greatest portion of the workforce) are a generation that generally grew up with and are comfortable navigating computers and technology – and not only want but expect the convenience technology can afford. |
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