Cognitive-behavioral therapy, or as it is commonly known, CBT, is a goal-oriented and skills-based therapy, focusing on learning and applying coping skills to improve negative thinking patterns, impairing emotional responses, and self-defeating behaviors. That, along with a strong partnership between the patient and therapist, allows for a better understanding of the thoughts, feelings, and behavior that maintain a problem, and what can be done to change.
CBT has been extensively investigated in rigorous clinical trials and has demonstrated efficacy in treating anxiety and depression in children and adults. For many problems, such as anxiety and depression, CBT has been found to be as effective as medication. CBT can be used alone or in conjunction with medication, depending on the severity and nature of each client's problem.
While treatment is typically short term (approximately 3-5 months, meeting once a week), the strategies learned can be used immediately as well as for the rest of the patient's life. For children and adolescents, parents also play an important role, learning more effective parenting strategies that can help support the skills that their child is learning to use.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, please contact Dr. Goldfine at 201-503-5590 or drgoldfine@drgoldfine.com.