The use of cognitive therapy in combination with behavioral therapy has a proven record of helping people overcome many kinds of psychological problems. For example, cognitive therapy is as effective in helping people overcome depression as prescription antidepressants. Cognitive therapy is also useful as a technique for overcoming other common problems such as shyness, social phobia, many mood disorders, and general anxiety disorder.

The concept that underlies cognitive therapy is that people suffering from many emotional problems are thinking in a distorted manner that is not realistic. For example, they may be thinking in all or nothing terms rather than interpreting events in a more nuanced manner, or they may be predicting that certain future negative events will occur even though they have no real evidence.

Cognitive therapy teaches the client to challenge their thoughts. Clients learn to apply more realistic ways of thinking so that they no longer reach faulty conclusions that lead to continued depressed and anxious thinking.

One advantage of cognitive therapy is that it produces real results much more quickly than more traditional psychotherapeutic techniques. Many clients experience positive results in just six weeks of cognitive therapy.

More information about using cognitive therapy to overcome emotional and psychological problems can be found at http://www.ccbt.ca.