Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: The History and Significance
Dr. Aaron Beck
In the 1960s, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) was developed by Aaron Beck. Some facts about Dr. Beck are:
He was born in Providence, Rhode island on July 18th, 1921.
He had some health issues when he was young, which lead to anxiety about his health. He was able to use his personal problems as a foundation to understand others.
While attending Yale School of Medicine, he discovered his passion for finding ways to help people suffering from depression. He was originally trained as neurologist, but switched to psychiatry during his residency.
As he shifted his work and began to develop a cognitive approach, his research didn’t validate Freud’s theory of depression, so he set out to develop a model for depression that supported his findings.
He eventually established a depression research clinic to help patients identify negative thoughts and replace them with more accurate thoughts. He wanted to help minimize distorted thinking that he believed contributed to depression. His approach eventually led to what is now known as cognitive behavioral therapy.
Aaron beck is known as the father of CBT
He has co-authored 25 books, published over 600 articles in his lifetime, and has won numerous awards.
The Beck Institute
In 1994, with his daughter Judith, he founded the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy. They work to innovate and improve lives with CBT.
What is CBT?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been researched and found very effective for psychiatric disorders. This includes depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, substance abuse, and personality disorders.
It also has been proven to be effective as an addition to medication for serious mental disorders, such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
CBT can help people change unrealistic thoughts and beliefs as they learn practical skills. They will work towards making positive changes to their thoughts, behaviors, and emotions.
The Negative Cognitive Triad
Beck recognized that regardless of the cause of someone’s depression, once the person began feeling depressed, their thinking reflected the negative cognitive triad. He believed that this triad kept the depression going, even when the the negative thoughts were not necessarily the original cause of the depression.
According to Dr. Beck, there are three aspects of cognition:
Self-criticism (negative views of yourself)
Pessimism (negative views of the world)
Hopelessness (negative views of your future)
The Therapist & Client Relationship
Cognitive therapists help clients identify measurable goals and help them find ways to achieve those goals. Clients have the opportunity to rate their moods in relation to the activities they do throughout the day. As their symptoms begin to subside, the therapist will begin to introduce additional skills.
One tool that therapists use is homework, and they can give clients worksheets they can use to track and record their thoughts. We’ve attached a free one for you to download and use below! These worksheets can help identify negative automatic thoughts and test them - which is what CBT is all about.
Some other skills therapists may use during a CBT session:
Cognitive restructuring - a technique that helps people identify negative thought patterns and reframe them.
Activity scheduling - helps clients create opportunities for structured activities. This can help with the feelings of depression, sadness, and grief.
Therapeutic journaling - this can help clients clarify and redefine emotions relating to loss and grief. Journaling can help people find beneficial coping mechanisms.
Exposure - exposure therapy can help clients find a safe place to face their innermost emotions, anxiety, and fears. It can be very effective with anxiety stemming from grief. Exposure can show worst-case fears that can be overcome.
Guided imagery - the client visualizes and tells the story of when they first became aware of a loved one’s death, or of the moment they are grieving. The goal is to help the client come to terms with the loss they have experienced.
Your turn!
If you’re ready to try CBT and experience the benefits for yourself, give us a call to set up a free consultation today! We have highly-trained therapists that are excited to meet you and help you on your journey.
Blog Article Sources:
Chand, S. P. (2023, May 23). Cognitive behavior therapy. StatPearls [Internet]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470241/
Corey, G. (2021). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (10th ed.). Cengage.
Dibdin, E. (2023, March 19). Grief therapy: What it is, techniques, and how it helps. Psych Central. https://psychcentral.com/health/therapy-for-grief#types-of-grief
Dr. Aaron T. Beck. Beck Institute. (2024, February 16). https://beckinstitute.org/about/dr-aaron-t-beck/#developmentof
Kendra Cherry, Mse. (2023, July 27). Psychologist Aaron Beck and the founding of cognitive therapy. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/aaron-beck-biography-2795492
Morrow, M. (2023, August 23). How can CBT therapy help with unhealthy eating patterns?. Klearminds. https://www.klearminds.com/blog/how-can-cbt-therapy-help-with-unhealthy-eating-patterns/
Schulze, A. (2017, October 13). 5 easy steps to changing your thinking using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) - groff & associates. Groff & Associates - Lighting the Way. https://groffandassociates.com/2017/10/12/5-easy-steps-to-changing-your-thinking-using-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-cbt/
Waichler, A. I., & Waichler, I. (n.d.). CBT for grief: Examples, how it works, & effectiveness. Choosing Therapy. https://www.choosingtherapy.com/cbt-for-grief/
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