What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?

The Basics: Thoughts, Feelings & Actions Are Connected

At Clear Lenses Counseling, we often recommend Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), both because it’s evidence-based, and because it gives clear, practical tools to help people rework harmful thinking, manage emotions, and build healthier habits. But what exactly is CBT, and how does it work?

CBT is a structured type of talk therapy designed around a simple but powerful idea, your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are deeply connected. 

• When we interpret an event in a negative or distorted way (for example, “I messed up, I’m a failure, nothing will ever go right”), that thinking can trigger distressing emotions (shame, anxiety, hopelessness).

• Those feelings then influence how we behave, maybe we retreat, avoid, ruminate, or act out.

• Over time, these patterns (thought → emotion → behavior) become habitual and can reinforce mental health struggles like anxiety, depression, stress, or trauma reactions.

CBT gives you a way to step back, notice these patterns, and begin to change them, starting with your thoughts.

How Does CBT Work?

Here’s what usually happens in CBT therapy:

• Structured sessions. Therapy tends to be short-term and goal-oriented, often about 10-20 sessions.

• Collaborative goal-setting. You and your therapist work together to identify problems and set achievable goals.

• Identifying problematic thoughts and behaviors. You’re encouraged to reflect on the situations that trigger distress, and explore what thoughts and beliefs arise.

• Challenging and reframing. The therapist helps you examine whether those thoughts are accurate, and if they’re not, help you reframe them in a more realistic, balanced way.

• Developing healthier behaviors. You also learn practical coping skills and behaviors, like facing avoided situations, practicing relaxation, building healthier daily habits, or engaging in supportive activities.

• Homework & skill-building. A key part of CBT is practicing new ways of thinking and behaving outside of sessions because real change often happens between sessions.

  
  

Who Can Benefit From CBT

CBT is one of the most studied and widely used therapeutic approaches, and it’s effective for a broad range of mental health concerns. That includes:

• Anxiety disorders, worry, and panic.

• Depression and low mood.

• Trauma and stress-related conditions (such as Post‑Traumatic Stress Disorder/PTSD) when used alone or with trauma-focused adaptations.

• Obsessive-compulsive behaviors, phobias, or excessive worry.

• Life-stress, adjustment difficulties, grief or loss, and everyday challenges, even for people without a specific mental-health diagnosis. 

Because CBT helps identify and change unhelpful thought patterns, it can also help with issues like negative self-esteem, chronic stress, and emotional regulation, things many people struggle with at various times in their lives.

Is CBT Right for You and What to Keep in Mind

While CBT works exceptionally well for many people, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution and that’s okay. Some of the factors to consider:

• Because CBT involves active participation and homework, it works best if you’re motivated to reflect on your thoughts, try new behaviors, and be open with your therapist.

• Complex or deeply rooted issues (e.g. long-term trauma, severe mental illness, personality disorders) may require a longer timeline or a different therapeutic approach (or a combination).

Therapy is a collaborative process and the therapeutic relationship matters which means finding a therapist whose style feels safe and supportive is key.

How CBT Fits at Clear Lenses Counseling

At Clear Lenses Counseling, we believe mental health care should be practical, accessible, and empowering. We work collaboratively with clients to set meaningful goals whether that means reducing anxiety, managing stress from work/college, improving relationships, or building self-confidence. We help you learn real-world coping tools you can use beyond therapy sessions: coping strategies, thought-challenging exercises, behavior-change practices, and more. We honor your unique experiences and adapt CBT in a supportive, compassionate, and culturally sensitive way.

If you’ve ever wondered whether therapy “really works,” or if you’re fed up with just coping, CBT might be the first step toward feeling more clarity, balance, and hope.

References:

American Psychological Association. (n.d.). What is cognitive behavioral therapy? https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/cognitive-behavioral