At Willow Behavioral Health, we use proven therapies to help you feel more in control and find healing. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is one of our core tools, used to shift harmful thinking and build better habits.
What Is CBT Therapy?
CBT stands for cognitive-behavioral therapy. It’s an evidence-based treatment used to help people understand the connection between their thoughts, feelings, and actions. CBT is used in mental health and addiction recovery to create healthier thinking habits and build new responses.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Addiction Treatment
In addiction treatment, CBT helps you take back control. When substance use becomes a pattern, CBT can teach you to spot the triggers behind cravings or risky behavior. You’ll learn how to recognize thought patterns that lead to use and how to interrupt them.
CBT forms part of our addiction care approach at Willow. Whether you’re struggling with opioids, alcohol, stimulants, or another substance, CBT offers a grounded, hands-on way to move forward.
CBT for Mental Health Conditions
CBT is one of the most trusted therapies for mental health treatment. At Willow, we use it to support people dealing with depression, general anxiety disorder, OCD, and other challenges.
It helps you:
- Reframe unhelpful thinking that fuels anxiety or hopelessness
- Interrupt obsessive thought loops and reduce mental distress
- Build motivation and confidence to re-engage with daily life
CBT isn’t about pretending everything’s okay; it’s about learning how to meet challenges with tools that actually work. Learn more about how CBT fits into our care for mental health conditions.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Techniques at Willow
Our team uses CBT strategies that are both effective and adaptable to your needs. You can expect:
- One-on-one therapy focused on your personal goals
- Thought tracking tools to challenge negative patterns
- Skills training for stress, triggers, and daily challenges
- Progress reviews to keep your treatment plan on track
- Guided problem-solving to build practical coping habits
- Encouragement from therapists with real-life experience
- Exposure strategies to reduce anxiety and OCD symptoms
- Homework exercises to practice what you learn in sessions
CBT vs. DBT: What’s the Difference?
Change unhelpful thinking and behavior
Regulate emotions and tolerate distress
Anxiety, depression, OCD, addiction
Intense emotions, self-harm, relationship struggles
Identifying thoughts, problem-solving, coping strategies
Mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation
Individual or group therapy
Often includes both individual and group components
Yes; across all levels of care
Yes; offered for those who benefit from additional support
Both therapies are powerful. CBT is often a great starting point, while DBT can be added in when emotional intensity needs special attention.
How CBT Exercises Work and What to Expect
CBT isn’t a passive process. You’ll work closely with your therapist to practice new ways of thinking and behaving, both in sessions and in daily life.
At Willow, CBT is integrated into all levels of care:
- Daily therapy sessions focused on thought and behavior patterns
- Skill-building practice with guidance from licensed clinicians
- Individual and group support in a structured daytime setting
- Multiple CBT sessions each week in a flexible, clinical setting
- Learn to manage symptoms while balancing daily responsibilities
- Consistent support without the commitment of full-day care
- Weekly therapy options to maintain and build progress
- Secure telehealth sessions for private, flexible treatment
- Ideal for step-down support or continued mental health care
CBT introduces you to a whole set of tools, including journaling, thought logs, behavioral experiments, and skill-building activities. The exact combination depends on you; every plan is tailored to your needs and progress.
Contact Willow Behavioral Health for Expert CBT Treatment
Whatever you’re facing, you don’t have to figure it out alone. If you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure where to turn, CBT offers a steady path forward. At Willow Behavioral Health, you’ll be supported by a team that truly understands what healing takes; many of us have lived it ourselves.
Reach out today to explore how CBT can help you move from stuck to supported, with real tools and real people behind you.
FAQs About CBT
What does CBT stand for?
What does cognitive-behavioral therapy involve?
What are the 5 steps of CBT?
- Identify troubling situations or triggers
- Become aware of your thoughts and beliefs
- Recognize negative or inaccurate thinking
- Challenge and reframe those thoughts
- Practice and apply new behaviors
How does CBT teach coping skills?
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