If you’ve ever searched for a therapist or counselor in New Orleans or Metairie, you’ve probably come across the terms “cognitive behavioral therapy,” or “CBT,” and may have wondered what the heck that is. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a style of therapy that can be very beneficial in treating anxiety. But what is it, and how does CBT work?

Anxiety often escalates because our thoughts start to impact our feelings.

Then create certain internal body responses, and ultimately, lead us to exhibit certain behaviors. Cognitive behavioral therapy works to address our thoughts and then change the behaviors that become directed by our thoughts. By using CBT techniques, we can begin noticing the ways in which our thinking might cause us trouble and start pinpointing the thought patterns that aren’t helpful. 

So, let’s look at an example of this cycle we often get ourselves into

Say we have the thought “My kids are going to fall behind in school because of virtual learning during the pandemic.” This thought creates intense feelings of anxiety and worry. And because of these feelings, you notice that your heart rate increases, your body feels tense, and you feel physically restless. These physical responses lead you to put pressure and stress on yourself to get your kids to focus, pay attention, and complete extra work so they don’t “fall behind.” These behaviors lead to you feeling burnt out and exhausted, and this feeds the continued thoughts of “My kids are failing, and I need to work harder to help them.” And thus, the cycle continues. 

Once we identify the thoughts that are creating problems for us, we want to work to challenge each thought. We can’t control what our thoughts are, and we aren’t going to be able to stop them, but we can work to change how we respond. 

Picture the baggage claim area at an airport, where luggage comes out on a conveyer belt, one at a time, over and over again.

You may see a black suitcase that looks like your own, so you pick it up without checking if it’s yours. And as each black suitcase comes out, you continue picking more up, eventually trying to carry multiple bags that aren’t even yours and have no real purpose for you. 

But what if instead of grabbing every bag that resembles yours, you check to see if the tag on the bag is your own? You may begin to pick up the wrong bag, but once you see that your name isn’t on the label, you simply put it back on the conveyer belt and let it move along. Eventually, you find your own bag and that is the only bag you carry out with you.

This is the goal of working with a therapist doing cognitive behavioral therapy.

Together with your counselor, you can begin to identify the thoughts that come flying down the conveyer belt of your mind that aren’t true or helpful. In identifying these thoughts, your therapist will work with you to challenge them, and instead of picking them up, replace them with more realistic ones that don’t cause the same anxious feelings, and only pick up the thoughts that are helpful.

Going back to our original example of your kids virtually learning during the coronavirus pandemic, a therapist would help you to challenge the original thought by thinking through other truths.

Instead of thinking “My kids are falling behind and I need to work harder to teach them,” your counselor would help you challenge the thought by considering that all kids are now learning at home, and parents are doing the best they can to teach their kids. Teachers are also prepared and willing to help students get on track when they return to the classroom. That you are doing the absolute best you can in a very difficult time and that your kids will get caught up if they are behind. 

In challenging these thoughts, the emotions of anxiety and worry begin to change to a feeling of calmness and peace.

Your heart rate begins to slow down again, and your body feels less tense. And instead of pushing yourself to the point of exhaustion, you’re able to think more clearly and set a realistic schedule for helping your children with their schoolwork. You can allow yourself to take a mental break and not focus on their academics so much. You can set aside some time to spend having fun with them and you can set in motion a new set of thoughts followed by positive behaviors.

While we cannot control our anxious thoughts, by working with a therapist in New Orleans or Metairie who specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy, you can learn to relate to your thoughts differently and find ways to not allow those anxious thoughts to control your behaviors. Through consistent effort and awareness of your thoughts, CBT can help you learn to manage and decrease your anxiety. 

Begin CBT for Anxiety in Miliani, HI, Colorado, and more with Ashley Clark Comegys:

If you’re a woman with anxiety and struggling to cope with anxiety symptoms, I can help. I offer CBT for anxiety in Hawaii, Louisiana, and Colorado.

To begin online therapy for anxiety, follow these steps:

1. Schedule an appointment for a free, 15-minute consultation with me and learn more about my online therapy services

2. Learn more about my online therapy services and how I can help you overcome anxiety symptoms.

3. Get Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and overcome the symptoms of anxiety so you can get back to being the woman you want to be!

Other Mental Health Services Offered By Ashley Comegys, LCSW

As an online therapist, I offer online therapy services for women living in Louisiana, Hawaii, and Colorado. My online therapy services include individual counseling for women, online anxiety counseling, online therapy for grief and loss, online depression treatment, online counseling for military spouses, online therapy for moms, and online trauma therapy for women. Reach out to me and learn more about the ways I can help you overcome anxiety in online therapy.