t make a connection between their thinking and their symptoms. They do not realize that it is the panicky thinking about the panic that keeps the symptoms alive. An individual may begin to sweat, have heart palpitations, and dizziness during a business meeting. This person may unwittingly say, “Oh my God, here it comes again,Cognitive therapy, pioneered by Aaron Beck, is a structured, time-limited and pragmatic approach to dealing with a variety of psychological disorders. Most therapists using this approach employ an exploratory, discovery model designed to ferret out maladaptive thinking, cognitive distortions, and faulty underlying beliefs which are based upon prior experience.

Cognitive therapists are interested in working with clients in the here-and-now. Psychoanalyzing one’s past is unnecessary and counterproductive. Trying to dissect the “why” of thoughts, feelings and behavior is a worthless pursuit. Prior experience is only explored as it relates to present functioning. There may be “hot buttons” from one’s past that perpetuates a cycle of self-defeating behavior. These faulty underlying beliefs are viewed as stumbling blocks to present awareness and adaptive functioning.

This therapy model involves a structured approach by focusing on several aspects of maladaptive thinking. Spontaneous, automatic thoughts represent the free-flowing stream of self-defeating thoughts that are associated with an individual’s psychological symptoms. For example, those who suffer from panic attacks believe that their symptoms surface uncontrollably without related triggers. In other words, panic sufferers do not make a connection between their thinking and their symptoms. They do not realize that it is the panicky thinking about the panic that keeps the symptoms alive. An individual may begin to sweat, have heart palpitations, and dizziness during a business meeting. This person may unwittingly say, “Oh my God, here it comes again,

are based upon prior experience.

Cognitive therapists are interested in working with clients in the here-and-now. Psychoanalyzing one’s past is unnecessary and counterproductive. Trying to dissect the “why” of thoughts, feelings and behavior is a worthless pursuit. Prior experience is only explored as it relates to present functioning. There may be “hot buttons” from one’s past that perpetuates a cycle of self-defeating behavior. These faulty underlying beliefs are viewed as stumbling blocks to present awareness and adaptive functioning.

This therapy model involves a structured approach by focusing on several aspects of maladaptive thinking. Spontaneous, automatic thoughts represent the free-flowing stream of self-defeating thoughts that are associated with an individual’s psychological symptoms. For example, those who suffer from panic attacks believe that their symptoms surface uncontrollably without related triggers. In other words, panic sufferers do not make a connection between their thinking and their symptoms. They do not realize that it is the panicky thinking about the panic that keeps the symptoms alive. An individual may begin to sweat, have heart palpitations, and dizziness during a business meeting. This person may unwittingly say, “Oh my God, here it comes again,

ent functioning. There may be “hot buttons” from one’s past that perpetuates a cycle of self-defeating behavior. These faulty underlying beliefs are viewed as stumbling blocks to present awareness and adaptive functioning.

This therapy model involves a structured approach by focusing on several aspects of maladaptive thinking. Spontaneous, automatic thoughts represent the free-flowing stream of self-defeating thoughts that are associated with an individual’s psychological symptoms. For example, those who suffer from panic attacks believe that their symptoms surface uncontrollably without related triggers. In other words, panic sufferers do not make a connection between their thinking and their symptoms. They do not realize that it is the panicky thinking about the panic that keeps the symptoms alive. An individual may begin to sweat, have heart palpitations, and dizziness during a business meeting. This person may unwittingly say, “Oh my God, here it comes again,

nking. Spontaneous, automatic thoughts represent the free-flowing stream of self-defeating thoughts that are associated with an individual’s psychological symptoms. For example, those who suffer from panic attacks believe that their symptoms surface uncontrollably without related triggers. In other words, panic sufferers do not make a connection between their thinking and their symptoms. They do not realize that it is the panicky thinking about the panic that keeps the symptoms alive. An individual may begin to sweat, have heart palpitations, and dizziness during a business meeting. This person may unwittingly say, “Oh my God, here it comes again,t make a connection between their thinking and their symptoms. They do not realize that it is the panicky thinking about the panic that keeps the symptoms alive. An individual may begin to sweat, have heart palpitations, and dizziness during a business meeting. This person may unwittingly say, “Oh my God, here it comes again, those nasty feelings. Everybody here must know that I am panicking – how embarrassing. I better find a way to get out of this meeting before I pass out!” Once the patient is taught to recognize the connection between symptoms and nonsensical thinking, he can be taught to find more rational ways to respond to his dilemma. This person might say, “Here comes those symptoms again, just relax and take some deep breaths. This too shall pass. You know, people are too busy listening to what’s going on in their lives to be concerned about my inner thoughts and feelings. Just hang in there and the panic will subside.” Panic no longer has power over a client once they realize that the way they think about it determines its impact. Once a patient comes to the understanding that panic is time-limited and the symptoms are benign, progress can be made in minimizing and eventually resolving the syndrome.

Cognitive distortions are the lenses out of which many people view the world. Distorted thinking leads to misperceptions about feelings, thoughts and events. For example, the anorexic client looks out of her distorted lenses to determine that she is too fat. Understanding that her disorder is based upon body misperception, cognitive therapists help the patient to reattribute her thinking to the dis