CALL TODAY: 202-969-2274

1350 Connecticut Ave NW | Suite 500 | Washington, DC 20036

Betsey Mencher Ph.d Logo
REQUEST APPOINTMENT
CLIENT PORTAL

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in Washington, DC

CBT is based on several core principles, including:

  1. Psychological problems are based, in part, on faulty or unhelpful ways of thinking.
  2. Psychological problems are based, in part, on learned patterns of unhelpful behavior.
  3. People suffering from psychological problems can learn better ways of coping with them, thereby relieving their symptoms and becoming more effective in their lives.

CBT treatment usually involves efforts to change thinking patterns. These strategies might include:

  • Learning to recognize one’s distortions in thinking that are creating problems, and then to reevaluate them in light of reality.
  • Gaining a better understanding of the behavior and motivation of others.
  • Using problem-solving skills to cope with difficult situations.
  • Learning to develop a greater sense of confidence in one’s own abilities.

CBT treatment also usually involves efforts to change behavioral patterns. These strategies might include:

  • Facing one’s fears instead of avoiding them.
  • Using role playing to prepare for potentially problematic interactions with others.
  • Learning to calm one’s mind and relax one’s body.

The psychologist and patient/client work together, in a collaborative fashion, to develop an understanding of the problem and to develop a treatment strategy. Through exercises in the session as well as “homework” exercises outside of sessions, patients/clients are helped to develop coping skills, whereby they can learn to change their own thinking, problematic emotions, and behavior.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been demonstrated to be effective for a range of problems including depression, anxiety disorders, OCD, relationship issues, and ADHD. CBT therapists emphasize what is going on in the person’s current life, rather than what has led up to their difficulties. A certain amount of information about one’s history is needed, but the focus is primarily on moving forward in time to develop more effective ways of coping with life.

Treatment Modalities Include:

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)

Dialectical (DBT)

Therapy can be thought of as a conversation between people.