Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques are effective for eliminating depression anger, anxiety, low self-esteem and impulse control behaviors: drugs, alcohol gambling, sex, food, shop-lifting. Free yourself of these behaviors once and for all.

The techniques are based on the premise that our thoughts determine our emotions, which then determines our attitudes and our actions

These thoughts, attitudes and beliefs are about ourselves, our relationships with others (living or dead) and the world around us. According to the Cognitive Behavioral Modal we’ve established this thinking very early in our childhood, but it’s not necessary to dwell on the deep dark issues of our past.

In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, what’s going on in the present is what’s important, because here is where the problem lies. Of course we talk about the past, but we don't dwell on it. We work on the issue, handle the problems, learn new coping strategies and a new way of thinking about the situation and move on.

According to this model, which was pioneered by Dr. Aaron Beck, the client learns to identify his/her negativity and change how they think about a situation.....and once you change your thinking, you also change your feelings as well as your behavior.

You learn how to confront the same issues in a knew empowering way.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is not a long process.

Unlike psychoanalysis, which can take many years to see results, (think Woody Allen here) with Cognitive Behavioral therapy you can see results almost immediately. Your new way of thinking also becomes automatic.

This is not about developing a 'positive thinking', it’s about learning new strategies and becoming empowered. And this new way of thinking will last for the rest of your life. ” I had a client who came to me for food and anger issues, and at the end of the session, she noticed that I have a certificate from the Albert Ellis Institute in New York.” Why did you go there?” she asked me. “Aren’t his methods crazy?”

I thought of a film on Dr. Ellis in an undergrad psychology course, on the ‘gurus’ of psychology and yes, this man was rude, abrupt and truly outrageous, but a genius.

Albert Ellis is the founder of Rational Emotive Therapy (RET). According to him, our feelings are the result of our beliefs and reactions to the events in our lives. When our beliefs are irrational, we think and behave likewise. So the game plan in RET is to confront your irrational beliefs and change them. RET is based on thinking and doing. Similar, but not the same as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. In fact, Albert Ellis has been called the ‘grandfather of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy'. I assured my client that Dr Ellis was brilliant, but he not only intimidated his clients, he put fear in his graduate students. He demanded perfection and was intolerant of anything less. I bring to mind one session, when he vented his frustration with a student telling her in front of all of us, “you’re stupid. You're doing more harm than good. You should get out of this field.” She was stunned – and so were all of us. I'm sure I'd faint dead away, if he said that to me, but he didn’t. When it came my turn, he said absolutely nothing. He winked - and I was elated. Coming from Albert Ellis, he said it all.

I'm very grateful to have had many great teachers, but learning from Dr. Albert Ellis was studying with a master."

I also did graduate work in the Adlerian model, founded by Alfred Adler. (Individual Psychology). Alfred Adler broke from Freud with his belief that true change results from identifying, exploring and changing mistaken goals and beliefs. Alfred Ellis was a student of Adlerian principles and based his model of RET from him.

So you can see that I’m steeped in the education of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – and have a wealth of other techniques - to help you overcome impulse control behaviors: anger, dysfunctional relationships, and all impulse control behaviors for: food, alcohol, drugs, sex, shop-lifting, gambling and codependency.

Among all the therapeutic techniques in psychology today, research has shown that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy works best for these issues.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy combats negative thinking.

How to change negative thinking?

Here's more information about me

My office is in the Montreal area, but I am available for coaching, on the phone or on the web. Coaching is not therapy, but it is very effective to untwist your thinking.

You set the goal and we become at team to get you there. This can be the quickest way to get help in a difficult time. Get the FAQS

Have a question? Share it and help others as well It's simple. Here's how to do it.

For more pages on this site, check the sitemap

Change positive thinking to being proactive