Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Children and teens experience many challenges in their developmental years, whether it’s stress from school or feeling isolated from their peers. Some adolescents also struggle with mental health conditions that cause them to act and think in counterproductive ways to their growth. Cognitive behavioral therapy for kids is an excellent way to help children regain control over their thoughts and behaviors, improving their quality of life.
If you’re looking for cognitive behavioral therapy services for children and teens in New York, we’re here for you. At Courageous Kids Counseling, we offer a tailored approach to CBT therapy for kids, catering to your child’s unique developmental stages and challenges.
Continue reading to learn more about CBT and how it can benefit your children as they navigate different challenges.
What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a form of psychological treatment that can address various mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and more. CBT can help people find more inner peace and a sense of well-being.
A large body of research backs CBT’s effectiveness. One study reported a significantly reduced risk of depression relapses, while another notes that CBT can improve the quality of life for people struggling with various mental health issues and related conditions.
CBT involves changing a person’s thinking patterns by analyzing their thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. Strategies used through CBT include:
- Developing and applying problem-solving techniques to overcome challenges and difficult situations.
- Recognizing irrational thoughts and beliefs that result in negative thinking and cultivating a realistic viewpoint.
- Understanding why others behave and act in certain ways.
- Increasing self-esteem and confidence in who they are and their capabilities.
We adapt our CBT therapy for kids to engage your child’s imagination and curiosity. The therapy aims to change how someone responds to their negative or distorted thoughts. For example, CBT may encourage people to face their fears rather than practicing avoidance or learning to calm their bodies when experiencing uncomfortable symptoms from anxiety or depression.
While CBT draws from observed research and strategies, psychologists will work with their patients or clients to understand the problem and find the correct treatment method. CBT techniques can help people develop coping skills they can use to do self-therapy. Eventually, people can alter their thinking, emotions and behaviors to reflect reality.
CBT also focuses on the present rather than the past. While a psychologist using CBT will ask for some information about a person’s history, the primary focus of this therapy is to move forward and find coping mechanisms to handle life’s challenges.
Benefits of CBT
Since CBT offers many advantages for people struggling with their well-being, it’s often the first step in a successful treatment program.
- Instills hope: Many people develop pessimistic thoughts and feelings about the future. It can be challenging to imagine a time when mental illness doesn’t impact your life, but CBT can give people hope. CBT renews hope by showing people that their outlook isn’t always accurate or realistic. By challenging your thoughts, you can shape a better reality.
- Develops self-esteem: Many people who struggle with mental health also have low self-esteem, which can turn into a vicious cycle of negativity. CBT breaks this chain and makes you feel more comfortable in yourself and your potential. Your beliefs and self-image can change once you understand that you control your thoughts.
- Encourages relaxation: Uncomfortable symptoms often accompany mental health conditions. CBT can help people control their responses with relaxation techniques that relieve tension and reduce the response to triggers.
- Introduces rational thinking: One of CBT’s primary benefits is the ability to regain control. Many people experience cognitive distortions, which often happen automatically. People who participate in CBT can take charge of their negative thinking and determine an appropriate response to a specific situation.
CBT benefits teens and children of every age group and can help them navigate the challenges of growing up, including the unique stressors of school, friendships, and social interactions. Opting for cognitive behavioral therapy for children allows you to invest in equipping your child with a resilience toolkit that they can utilize whenever they face specific challenges throughout their lives.
How Can CBT Benefit Children and Teens?
Children and teens grow up quickly and may experience challenges understanding their emotions or negative thoughts. CBT can reframe counterproductive thinking and ideas so a child or teen can more effectively navigate their ever-evolving feelings and ideas.
Teen CBT, in particular, aims to address this often emotional and confusing stage of your child’s adolescence, which brings pressures and uncertainties to the fore. This therapy can teach adolescents to improve their emotional regulation, self-control, coping skills, and awareness, which is essential as they grow.
Some conditions or circumstances CBT can treat in children and teens include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- School phobia
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Eating disorders
- Self-harm
- Disruptive behavior
- Bullying
- Substance misuse
CBT also teaches adolescents to regulate their emotions, which can decrease their likelihood of developing mental health conditions later in life. This form of therapy equips children and teens with the tools they need to cope with their emotions, which can help them handle challenging situations in school, extracurricular activities and at home. With group CBT, children and teens will develop social skills with their peers, which can reduce feelings of loneliness and social anxiety.
Cognitive behavioral therapy for teens can eliminate or reduce the risk of harmful behaviors and thinking, such as self-harm, underage drinking, and low self-esteem. Reframing adolescents’ outlook on life will teach them how to navigate current and future obstacles.
CBT equips children and teens with successful strategies for coping with negative situations or emotions. Rather than eliminating these thoughts and feelings, CBT helps adolescents understand that these will pass. Over time, kids and teens who participate in CBT will develop more realistic ideas about their situations, and they’ll have the necessary tools to cope with their challenges.
Why We Believe in CBT
Cognitive behavioral therapy for children effectively addresses underlying difficulties contributing to personal, relational, and psychological issues. Our approach incorporates methodologies such as constructive storytelling, role-playing, and other activities that transform lessons into solutions your child can apply to their daily lives.
We use CBT for kids and teens because it encourages positive thinking and behavior. Our goal is to help maximize the potential for growth and success.
We have extensive experience using this treatment approach with children, adolescents, adults, and families. Cognitive-behavioral therapy can help with issues, such as depression and anxiety.
How Our CBT Program Works
Here is what you can expect from cognitive behavioral therapy for teens and children.
CBT for Kids
Your child may not fully grasp what they are thinking and feeling — a skill that takes time and practice to develop. We will implement CBT strategies using language your child can understand. They will learn to replace negative thoughts with more positive beliefs about themselves. With practice, CBT techniques can help your child experience success in various areas, including friendships, school and relationships at home.
For example, if your child states, “I am not good at school,” we can help them challenge the thought and replace it with a more positive one, such as “I am good at lots of things” or “If I study, I will get better.” Our specialized cognitive behavioral therapy for kids acknowledges and supports your child’s specific emotional language and turns challenges into opportunities to learn and develop.
Your child will engage in active discussions and work together in this process. We will also set positive and realistic goals. We’ll give informal “homework” assignments to practice strategies learned during our sessions. While we will spend a little time discussing the past, that is not the primary focus of treatment. When your child learns about the core beliefs established long ago, they can then take steps to make changes, so these no longer dominate their thoughts and behavior.
CBT for Teens
Cognitive behavioral therapy can help your teen recognize the beliefs holding them back from connecting with others and experiencing success at school. Your adolescent may often appear moody or withdrawn due to thoughts that keep them trapped and helpless. Without support, they could develop more significant issues like anxiety and depression.
Our teen CBT sessions offer a safe space for your child to open up about challenges such as peer pressure, anxiety related to school work, and concerns regarding developing their identity. It’s a versatile form of CBT therapy, ensuring we can provide the tools and guidance needed regardless of your teen’s challenges.
Through cognitive behavioral therapy, your teen will learn a new way to respond to these thoughts, leading them to take better actions and believe in themselves and their abilities.
Below are some of the benefits of CBT for teens:
- Learning to communicate more often and in a positive way
- Engaging in healthy activities
- Establishing goals for the future
Your teen will apply their new way of thinking to all facets of their life, so they have a clear path forward.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy FAQs
What does a behavioral therapist do for a child?
Our team of behavioral therapists works directly with your child/teen to focus on identifying problematic behaviors and modifying those behaviors to encourage your child’s development. To ensure your child’s sessions are effective, we have an extremely customized approach to meet your child’s needs. Our primary goal is to help your child/teen improve their overall functioning and well-being. Our therapists are trained to work with clients experiencing a range of issues, including ADHD, anxiety, depression, and various other behavioral challenges. Click to view the Courageous Kids Counseling team of therapists.
Does cognitive behavioral therapy work for teens?
We have found that cognitive behavioral therapy helps teenagers recognize what they are struggling with, and it allows us to connect them to resources, patterns, and strategies that help teenagers find new ways to respond and react. CBT has many benefits, but it is not the only form of therapy available for teenagers. You can click to view our “teen therapy” resource that helps explain the different therapy approaches, benefits, and tactics that could work for your teenager.
Try Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Teens and Children With Courageous Kids Counseling
If you’re looking for CBT services for teens or kids in New York, Courageous Kids Counseling is here to support your family. We’ll collaborate to uncover what’s missing in your child’s life and what’s causing them to feel stressed, worried, or anxious. We’ll collaborate to develop personalized treatment plans that encourage your child to move forward in life.
We can give your kids the knowledge and tools they need from the beginning, helping start them on a path to improve their lives. Feel free to contact us outside sessions if your child needs extra support. We also offer flexible appointment scheduling, whether you want to have a separate session from your child or prefer to participate in therapy together. Contact us today to learn how we can improve your child’s mental health and quality of life, or schedule an appointment to get started with CBT therapy.
