A Basic Guide to Understanding CBT
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based therapy, meaning that research findings support its usefulness in improving mental health. Pioneered by Aaron Beck in the 1960s, CBT is regarded as a collaborative process between the counsellor and client with a brief, goal-oriented approach. Through this therapy, you will develop awareness of how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are interconnected, and then use that information to begin challenging old thinking habits and behaviours.
Smartphone Apps to Improve your Mental Health
Not surprisingly, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the need for mental healthcare, which has in turn led to the development of new online services. In our expanding technological world, there is an abundance of helpful mental health apps and websites to choose from. Like traditional self-help and in-person mental health services, many of these online tools target self-management, challenging unhelpful thinking styles, skills-training, social support, and symptom and mood tracking.
Can Online or Phone Therapy Really Help Me?
Recent weeks have been challenging for many people, with the arrival of COVID-19 leading to a sudden shift to physical distancing and disruption for many in their personal and professional lives. This may be a time when more people than ever would benefit from individual psychotherapy, but may not think this is an option at present, given that in-person meetings are strongly discouraged. Like many clinics, out of necessity, we made the rapid transition from seeing our clients in person for therapy, to working completely virtually. This means that we are “seeing” clients either through an online video medium or telephone.
Breaks are Good for your Brain
Have you ever found yourself working through your lunch break? Perhaps you have thought to yourself “I’ll eat after I finish this one more task…” or “I’ll take a longer lunch break tomorrow…” or “none of my co-workers are taking their lunch break so I don’t want to look uncommitted…” Have you ever found yourself […]
Understanding Social Anxiety Disorder
On any given day, many of us spend the much of our time engaging in social interactions, from picking up our morning coffee at Starbucks, to shopping for groceries, to taking public transit. And let’s not forget class presentations, job interviews and blind dates! Our lives are riddled with social exchanges. While some may find […]
What’s so great about gratitude?
Did you know that November is national gratitude month? Well, this month, at the Waterloo CBT Clinic, we will be celebrating national gratitude month and encourage all of you to celebrate with us. Gratitude refers to “the quality of being thankful” and the readiness to show appreciation. I think we can all agree that practicing […]
Breaking Free of Perfectionism
People often think of perfectionism as a desirable trait – perfectionists may be viewed as more effective, punctual, accomplished, and just generally seem to “have it together.” As a result, it is often thought that, “I’m a perfectionist” is a good answer to the question, “What is your biggest weakness?” on a job interview. Unfortunately, […]
Understanding Insomnia
Do you struggle to fall asleep despite feeling exhausted? Or do you wake up in the middle of the night, tossing-and-turning for hours, unable to fall back asleep? If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Although occasional sleep problems are experienced by almost everyone, recent studies suggest that 40% of Canadians experience frequent sleep problems. This is not surprising given the pressures of modern society which include jam-packed work schedules and constant access to work via email and remote access. Faced-paced lifestyles have become the norm in our society, and they leave less time for us to relax and unwind. Sleep however requires us to disconnect and disengage from the world around us, and daily stresses can significantly interfere with this process.
Understanding Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a serious but treatable mental health condition. As the name implies, this disorder is characterized by both obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are intrusive and disturbing thoughts that one has over and over again, even though they try to stop or suppress them. Obsessions often lead to anxiety, distress, or discomfort. Compulsions are an attempt to alleviate the negative emotions brought on by the obsessions. For example, as this video explains, compulsions such as repetitive hand washing in response to a fear of contamination can take up many hours a day, and be quite debilitating.
How to Stay Motivated to Exercise Beyond New Year’s Eve
season for setting new goals is upon us, and I thought I would take this opportunity to share some information on motivation. Many people choose to set New Year’s Resolutions focused on exercise, but most of these resolutions do not lead to lasting behaviour change. Part of the reason for the lack of follow-through is likely due to the motivations behind these goals. According to Self-Determination Theory, motivation occurs on a continuum, with activities that are driven by rewards or punishments occurring on one end of the continuum (external motivations), and activities driven by enjoyment or interest occurring at the other end of the continuum (intrinsic motivations).