Looking At Life Through The Right Lens – CBT and Capital Choice Counselling

Any historian will tell you that the study of history is all about context. When thinking about history, laymen think in terms of facts, figures, dates, and names; but professional historians instead seek out an understanding of historical ideas and values, and try to form an understanding of how they influenced the behavior of people and societies throughout time.

When it comes to understanding our past behaviors as individuals, we often approach the problem making the same error as a layman historian. We think about the events of our personal past through the lens of our own values and ideas, but rarely turn our attention to our values and ideas themselves. Without taking the time to think about the way we’re thinking about our own behavior, we bias ourselves to conclusions that fit our ideas, and ham-string any effort to bring about substantive change to our lives. The truth is that we can look through many different ‘lenses’ at our past behavior, and each offers us an opportunity to learn something new about how we think, why we act the way we do, who we are, and what we are capable of being. Learn how to do so with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy from Capital Choice Counselling:

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a form of therapy that focuses on rigorously analyzing patterns of ones own thinking and behavior to identify and address the obstacles we face in our lives. CBT is an extremely popular form of therapy, clinically and in terms of research, because it has been shown time and again to work. 

Thoughts and Beliefs: A Lens of Understanding

A persons thoughts and beliefs can be understood as a pair of glasses through which they interpret the world and things that happen to them. Without our beliefs, our glasses, the world is unintelligible. We wear them because they allow us to see the world in a way we can understand and, but sometimes can lead us to understanding things in ways that are neither helpful nor healthy for our well-being.

Consider a person with low-self esteem. They do not hold themselves in high regard, so when thinking about their dissatisfaction with a relationship, they may think that they are simply incapable of finding anything better. Looking through the lens of negative beliefs about ones own value, they end up self-limiting themselves to a relationship and life that is unfulfilling.

With the help of CBT, this person is capable of first establishing the awareness that they hold beliefs that are limiting their happiness, but also the means by which to challenge these beliefs and replace them with positive ones. Looking at a fulfilling relationship through a different lens yields different conclusions, and we are exposed to new paths to fulfillment.

How Does CBT Work?

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a large and established domain within psychology. Hundreds of different concepts, methods, and techniques have been tried and tested within the discipline. The first step is simply learning some, trying them out, and experiencing which work for you!

The best way to do this is with the help of a trained Cognitive-Behavioral Therapist. Having access to a professional provides you a guide to help navigate you through the complex discipline that is CBT. Fortunately, if you’re hesitant to commit right away to a session, it’s entirely possible to self-educate and get started on your own. There are extensive resources available on CBT, and to many all it takes to get started is simply aborbing the information they have to give! If you’re not ready to book a CBT session with Capital Choice Counselling just yet, we invite you to check out the following resources to learn more:

Resources

The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Subreddit

Reddit, for those unfamiliar, is a social media platform that focuses on sharing content. Almost every interest under the sun has a ‘subreddit’ dedicated to discussion and content sharing. It can be a bit awkward at first, but clicking around and participating in discussion can be a great learning experience. Consider checking out the subreddit’s top posts of all time to introduce yourself if you’re unfamiliar with Reddit.

YouTube Content:

We invite you to take a look through the plethora of YouTube content existing concerning all facets of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Consider videos like Making Sense of CBT below:

Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Basics and Beyond

If you’re interested in getting a little deeper into the principles of CBT than most online content has to offer, we recommend this textbook. A comprehensive resource for those looking to learn the fundamentals of CBT, this text is regularly used by students and professional therapists. This text provides invaluable insight for those who are committed to performing cognitive behavioral therapy independently, but also serves as a fantastic resource for those also engaging with a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist.

Psychology for Everyday Living: Doing a Life Review

This months Capital Choice Counselling monthly seminar teaches the concept of a ‘Life Review’ by Dr. Judith Malette, PhD, at Saint Paul University. This talk is about looking at the events of your past through the lens of the present, and how adjust your thinking to have a compassionate view of your history’s impact on your present life and identity, Dr. Malette’s lecture touches on many themes parallel to CBT. Held in the auditorium of Saint Paul Univeristy, at 7pm this January the 26th, our monthly series provide a fantastic opportunity to expose yourself to new thoughts and ideas that could change your life!

Capital Choice Counselling

The best resource available in Ottawa to learn more and introduce yourself to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is by getting in touch with Capital Choice Counselling. While online reading and videos, textbooks, and seminars are fantastic places to expose yourself to the ideas and principles comprising CBT; the best way to experience it’s benefits is with the guidance of a professional. If you or someone close to you could benefit from learning more about CBT, we invite you to get in touch. If you’d simply like to ask questions, or book your initial sessions, we are happy to hear your situation and match you with a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist that meets your needs and schedule.

No-one goes through life without suffering from some kind of mental health issue, but far too many struggle with them alone. No matter what you’re dealing with, there’s nothing that learning and experiencing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy won’t help. The key to adjusting your thoughts to ensure they contribute positive value to your life is only a call away, so get in touch!