Managing Yourself

In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, you will be asked to set goals for what you want to achieve through

this therapeutic work. "What would your life look like if you were able to better manage your

depression, anxiety, etc.?" is a question that you will need to define for yourself. Because as you will

see in our work together, we are collaborating to help you develop skills to manage your emotional

self on a day to day basis for the rest of your life.

For example, can you imagine a life in which you were not suffering from depression? You might see

yourself as being more social, exercising more regularly, having more energy to be more involved

with various activities with your children, spouse, family…to name just a few changes. And then when

life throws you the various “curves” (challenges of life), and stressful times ensue, you are less likely to

revert back to your old depressive behavioral patterns.

Or imagine a life in which you were not suffering from severe levels of anxiety For example, without the

constant worrying tendency of generalized anxiety disorder, you might envision a lif e in which you

smile and laugh more each day; without phobias, you might envision the ability to drive on that freeway

again after many years of not doing so; without obsessive compulsive disorders,you might envision the

ability to get through a day without constantly washing your hands to prevent contact with germs;

without panic attacks, you might envision the ability to once again go into that shopping mall and be in a

crowd of people without leaving early for fear of “losing control”; without post traumatic stress disorder
,
you might envision the ability to have good night of sleep without nightmares; without health anxiety,

you might envision the ability to minimize your visits to the doctor for minor aches and pains; and without

social phobias, you might envision the ability to say “hello” first to people you see in the hallways at

work and to invite others to join you for that morning coffee break. This is the work of Cognitive

Behavioral Therapy…to help you achieve that life you have been wanting to live or to get back to life as

you once knew it…and to help you learn the skills for managing your emotional self for the rest of your

life. This is some of the most exciting work you could ever do in therapy because it can open up endless

possibilities for a more fulfilling life ahead.

To sign up for our free, bi-monthly newsletter on CBT, click here