Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Overview

The part of the mind that is hidden from conscious awareness, containing primitive drives, instincts, and repressed memories.

A way of thinking associated with the unconscious mind, characterized by illogical, fantasy-driven, and pleasure-seeking impulses, with no concept of time.

The part of the mind that is not currently conscious but can be readily accessed, storing memories and experiences.

The part of the mind that is aware of the external world and internal thoughts and feelings.

Unconscious wishes and impulses are disguised and expressed through symbols and metaphors.

Cognitive therapy focuses on present-day problems like depression and anxiety. It aims to change negative thoughts and behaviors in the "here and now" through active involvement of the therapist and homework assignments.

Cognitive therapy is a short-term treatment typically lasting 50 minutes per session, once a week.

Cognitive therapy addresses negative thoughts and behaviors that contribute to mental health issues like depression and anxiety.

It focuses on how early life experiences shape personality and contribute to current problems. The therapist takes a more passive role, allowing the patient to lead the therapeutic process.

Core beliefs are fundamental and deeply-held beliefs about self, others, and the world. They are formed early in life and seen as absolute truths.

Dysfunctional assumptions are rigid rules for living that can be unrealistic and harmful. For example, "It's better to not try than to risk failing."

Negative automatic thoughts (NATs) are involuntary thoughts that pop up in specific situations. They are often negative and focus on themes of negativity, low self-esteem, and uselessness.

NATs in anxiety disorders often involve overestimating risks and underestimating coping abilities. For example, "I'm going to fail" or "I'm not good enough."

This occurs when you attribute negative outcomes to personal failings, even when there's little evidence to support it.

This is a common cognitive distortion where you blame yourself for things you cannot control. This can lead to feelings of guilt, shame, and inadequacy.

This is the idea that our thoughts directly influence our feelings and behaviors. For example, a negative thought can lead to feelings of sadness and anxiety.

Learning through association. It explains how a neutral stimulus can become associated with a fear-inducing response.

The reinforcement of behaviors through rewards and punishments. It explains how avoidance behaviors can be learned and maintained in phobias.

This is the theory that explains how anxiety and phobias develop and persist. It combines classical conditioning and operant conditioning.

This technique exposes individuals gradually to the feared stimulus in a safe and controlled environment, breaking the conditioned fear response associated with it.

Behavioral techniques used in CBT to address avoidance behaviors, which are reinforced by operant conditioning.

A conscious, logical, and rational thinking style.

The part of the mind that focuses on fulfilling basic instincts and desires, operating on the pleasure principle.

The part of the mind that mediates between the id and the superego, operating on the reality principle.

The part of the mind that represents internalized moral values and ideals, acting as a conscience.

A method used to access the unconscious mind by allowing the patient to freely express their thoughts and feelings, without any censorship.

The analysis of dreams, believing they reveal unconscious thoughts and desires.

Unconscious mental strategies used by the ego to protect itself from anxiety and maintain a sense of equilibrium.

An unconscious transfer of feelings and attitudes from a past relationship to the present relationship, particularly in a therapeutic setting.

The behavior persists despite the reward being withheld. For example, a dog continues to sit, hoping for a treat, even if the owner doesn't give one.

Reinforcement is presented after a variable number of responses; for example, a slot machine might pay out after 10 pulls, then again after 2 pulls, creating a pattern of unpredictable rewards.

Reinforcement is presented after a variable amount of time has passed, regardless of how many responses are made; for example, a fisherman might wait for hours before catching a fish.

Teaching a new behavior by reinforcing increasingly closer approximations of the desired behavior, like teaching a child to write their name.

Learning by observing others and then copying their behaviors, like a young child imitating their parent's actions.

A behavioral technique where an unpleasant stimulus is associated with a specific behavior or object to reduce that behavior, like associating the smell of alcohol with nausea to discourage drinking.

A type of learning where a behavior is more likely to occur if it is followed by a pleasant stimulus.

A type of learning where a behavior is more likely to occur if it is followed by the removal of an unpleasant stimulus.

A psychological therapy that uses behavioral and cognitive techniques to help individuals overcome phobias and other anxieties. It involves gradually exposing the person to the feared situation, challenging avoidance behaviors, and teaching coping strategies to manage anxiety.

The process of reinforcing avoidance behaviors, which temporarily reduces anxiety but ultimately strengthens the phobia. This cycle involves avoiding the feared situation to reduce anxiety but prevents the individual from learning to cope effectively.

The process of learning to associate a neutral stimulus with a negative response, like fear. For example, hearing a certain sound (neutral stimulus) becomes associated with a negative experience (fear) leading to fear of that sound.

The process of avoiding a feared situation to prevent anxiety, reinforcing the fear and making it harder to confront the phobia in the future.

A scientific theory explaining the development and persistence of fear and phobias. It suggests that classical conditioning (associating a neutral stimulus with fear) and operant conditioning (reinforcing avoidance behaviors) work together to create and maintain these fears.

A field of study that investigates the relationship between psychological processes (emotions, thoughts) and physiological responses (hormonal changes, heart rate) to external stimuli.

The idea that our physiological reaction to an event is influenced by our perception and interpretation of that event. Different individuals might have contrasting responses to the same stimulus based on their understanding of it.