Unlocking Inner Peace: Top Truths About Therapy with Your Anxiety Therapist in Cincinnati

As a therapist, I assume everyone knows how helpful it is to have the support of a professional. But the reality is, a lot of people are on the fence, don't really know what therapy is like, and aren't sure it'll work for them. Or some of us (myself included) have had bad experiences in therapy and are reluctant to try someone else. Here are some things I want people to know about working with a professional.

Understanding Therapy: Transformative Healing for High Achievers

Therapy isn't just for people who are so anxious they can't function, or so depressed they can't get out of bed. Professional psychotherapy can help high functioning people who are overwhelmed and on the verge of burnout. You might be getting by, just making it through to the end of each week. If you feel like you're constantly waiting for things to slow down so you can breathe, therapy can help you pause and take a big picture look at what's causing this overwhelming stress and what to do about it. Learning new skills and practicing new ways of thinking can help you to not just function, but really be intentional about your life.

Beyond Chatting: The Distinct Support of Professional Therapy

Therapy shouldn't just be venting about your week. Your therapist should be asking questions prompting reflection on how you're seeing things, the choices you're making, and the patterns in relationships. In therapy, you make connections and develop insights, set goals and learn new things so you can make measurable progress. Your therapist will challenge you to grow and provide accountability so you can feel better.

Overwhelm and Burnout: Why High Achievers Need Therapy More Than Ever

High achievers can get caught up in the “doing” and struggle with the “being.” We can identify with our achievements, and struggle when we're not productive or successful. We can also develop a disconnect between what others expect of us and who we truly are. It can lead to some existential questions in times of burnout where we wonder what we're even doing. That is exhausting. Therapy is a great place to explore this and learn to slow down and connect with your true self.

Virtual Therapy: Accessible Solutions for Busy Lifestyles

Virtual therapy has allowed so many busy people to get the support of a professional psychotherapist. Finding one hour at home or in a conference room is much easier than taking time off each week driving to an office and dealing with traffic. Lots of people wouldn't otherwise get help because there's just no time for it.

Mindfulness in Motion: Harnessing Inner Strength with Your Anxiety Therapist

Many of us have heard about or tried mindfulness, meditation, yoga, or some type of practice where we're supposed to slow down. But who has time to actually practice something regularly? And it can be so hard to get your brain to slow down. Therapy is a place where you can take a few moments and breathe in session, but also learn how to practice mindfulness during your day.

For instance, many days the only time I take for mindfulness are while I'm doing dishes or waiting in line at school pickup. Using all 5 senses, you can learn to start noticing everything around you which brings you out of your head and into the moment. Little moments like that add up and make it easier to “drop in” when you do take a few minutes to focus on your breathing.

Solution-Focused Therapy: Empowering Tools for Real-Life Challenges

Old stereotypes about going to a therapist who listens and nods are outdated. Modern psychotherapy is interactive and collaborative. We actively solve problems in sessions, rather than just trying to feel better about something that needs to change. For people who spend a lot of time in their head, therapy can make things more tangible with someone who is truly listening while looking at the big picture, and can walk you through identifying problems and solutions. You can leave a session feeling like you have some direction.

Taking the First Step: How to Start Your Journey with an Anxiety Therapist in Cincinnati

If these truths about therapy resonate, the first step is to find a therapist and set up a phone to see if it's a good fit.

Ready to reclaim your balance and conquer anxiety? Click here to schedule a free 15-minute consultation with an experienced online anxiety therapist in Cincinnati today for online counseling in Indiana and Ohio. Or call/text 513-461-2045.

Breaking Down the Benefits of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression in Cincinnati

Introduction: Understanding Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is based on the theory that our thoughts affect our feelings, which then affect our behaviors and symptoms. If our thoughts aren't really accurate, we can feel bad, and it can become a cycle. So in cognitive behavioral therapy, we work on the thoughts in order to change the feelings.

By using worksheets and repetition, we change the negative thinking habits of the brain. The behavioral part will include coping skills or changes in our routine which will also improve how we're feeling.

How CBT Addresses Depression: An Overview

Depression can mean one depressive episode, recurrent episodes, or persistent symptoms. A clinical diagnosis would include having some of the following symptoms: depressed mood, loss of interest and pleasure, weight loss or gain, slowed thought or movement, fatigue, feeling worthless or inappropriate guilt, difficulty concentrating, and thoughts of death or suicide.

CBT therapy for depression looks at how your thoughts are impacting your depression. For instance, if you think “I'm a failure,” you're probably going to feel pretty bad. In CBT, we first identify what you're thinking, then analyze whether it's true based on evidence. So for this example, we might gather information about what you've failed at, what successes you've had, and come up with a more realistic way of viewing yourself. By repeating this process, we reinforce new thought habits that are more neutral and realistic. We also work on getting out of the cycle of rumination.

The other part of CBT treatment for depression will be the behavioral piece. There are exercises and assignments that will also help to lift your mood. So by changing what you're thinking and what you're doing, you change how you're feeling.

Tailored Treatment: Personalized Approach to Depression Therapy in Cincinnati

It helps to have a whole-person view for depression treatment. For instance, before going gung-ho on only therapy or only medication, it's standard practice to rule out any medical causes for the symptoms. Many medical conditions or medication side effects can overlap with depression symptoms, so it's good practice to have your doctor evaluate your symptoms.

It's also helpful to assess whether there are problems that are contributing to the symptoms, and whether those problems can be solved. It's important to look for things that might get in the way of solutions and plan for those (like getting childcare so you can exercise, or asking a friend to come over for dinner so you'll eat).

Sometimes the thoughts you have are accurate and are depressing (like with grief or trauma). So it may not be about challenging those thoughts, but processing and finding a more adaptive way to move forward.

Evidence-Based Benefits of CBT for Depression

CBT is often recommended for depression because it has been studied a lot and has been found to be effective for depression for many people. The behavioral part like adding in exercise, which has been found to be helpful for depression, increases the effectiveness.

I was originally trained as a CBT therapist, and though I've had training in several other types of therapy, I have always kept it as my base. I've seen it help a lot of people. Getting the basics of CBT can be so helpful for everyone to learn. I often start off new clients with CBT and then add in other strategies as we go.

Accessing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Cincinnati

Many therapists have some basic understanding of CBT because it's been around as an evidence-based practice for so long. And honestly, insurance providers only reimburse for specific types of therapy and CBT is always one of them, so that drives a lot of the interest in practicing it.

Therapist training in CBT varies. Some have only gotten an introduction to it in grad school, and some get extensive training. For instance, my internship was solely focused on the model using the manualized approach, and I've been trained in Trauma-Focused CBT and CBT for Insomnia.

In terms of how to find a cognitive behavioral therapist in Cincinnati, you can search CBT therapy in your location or use a directory with a filter for CBT. You can also ask for referrals from your doctor or friends or family. You can reach out to some therapists and ask what type of therapy they do and if they do CBT specifically, and how they do it. Therapists can range from just talking about negative thinking, to only using CBT “by the book” and nothing else.

Success Stories: Real-life Examples of CBT's Impact

Some rewarding experiences with CBT include having someone come in feeling completely down on themselves, with all sorts of negative thoughts and assumptions about what others are thinking about them. Through CBT they realize that the thoughts weren't actually true and they're able to start thinking more clearly and moving forward, doing things that are good for them and feeling better. Seeing someone crawl out of that hole of depression is amazing.

Another example is how CBT can help relationships. We often make assumptions about someone's words or behaviors without investigating first. I've had someone come to therapy feeling so bad about their relationship, but when we start investigating if their thoughts are true, it shifts the whole dynamic. Going from assumption to curiosity allows you to communicate effectively.

Example: Partner is quiet and not talking like usual. Assumption is “they're mad at me.” React to that by pulling back or snapping. Find out partner had a horrible day and is really worried about money. That inaccurate thought makes a big impact.

Conclusion: Embracing the Benefits of CBT for Overcoming Depression in Cincinnati

Although CBT may not work for every person or problem, it's a great way for us to think about how we're thinking. That awareness alone is so helpful. I use it daily, like when driving and realizing I'm making a whole lot of assumptions about the person who pulled out in front of me. Once you get in the habit of catching unhelpful thoughts with practice in CBT therapy, you'll be better equipped to stop a spiral and intervene if you find depressive symptoms coming back.

If you're ready to get depression help with virtual Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Cincinnati, or anywhere in Ohio or Indiana, click here to schedule a free 15-minute consultation. Or call/text 513-461-2045.