# good cognitive-behavioral therapist



## sabry34 (May 15, 2002)

How do you realise if your therapist is good in cognitive-behavioral therapy?I go to a therapist, we speak about everything but I do not feel about the cognitive-behavioral side of her?How does this therapy work?Thanks in advancesabry


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

FYI SabryBarbara Bradley Bolen, Ph.D.bbolen###optonline.netSeptember 5, 2002COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY FOR IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROMEThere is an old saying that if you give a child a fish, you feed that child for a day, but if you teach a child to fish, they are fed for a lifetime. In accordance with this old proverb, Cognitive behavioral therapy CBT is a form of psychotherapy that strives to actively teach people skills and strategies that they can use to help themselves feel better. A considerable amount of research indicates that CBT is effective in helping to reduce the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.Many people wonder how psychotherapy can help IBS if IBS is a physical disorder. One of the major triggers that can set off or exacerbate IBS is stress. In addition, IBS is a very stressful disorder to live with. CBT provides an individual with tools for combating stress, reducing the anxiety response and thus calming the GI system.The cognitive therapy part of CBT helps individuals to identify, challenge and replace unhealthy thought patterns. When we are thinking clearly, we are able to deal with the world in a calm, rational manner. However, our thinking often gets distorted, due to our personalities, our past history, our emotional state or lack of information. When thinking gets distorted it can lead to excessive emotional reactions. For an individual with IBS, these thought distortions may lead to an anxiety response that can trigger symptoms. For example, if a person with IBS thinks ï¿½My stomach is rumbling. Uh, oh! I know I am going to be sick. What is I canï¿½t make it to the bathroom? This is terrible!ï¿½, that person is going to experience anxiety and perhaps set off the very symptoms they are afraid of. If instead, the person thinks, ï¿½Just because my stomach is making some noise does not necessarily mean I am going to have symptoms. I will just focus on what I am doing and see what happensï¿½, that person will remain calm and be less likely to stimulate their digestive system.The behavioral aspect of CBT involves skill training. Relaxation techniques, including deep breathing skills and progressive muscle relaxation, help the individual to reduce the physiological symptoms of anxiety. An anxiety reaction can be likened to a home security alarm. Relaxation techniques send the message to the body that there is no emergency and that the alarm can be shut off. CBT for IBS may also include skill training in assertion and anger management, as research has shown that IBS patients often have difficulty in these areas.IBS can wreak havoc on a personï¿½s quality of life. CBT helps IBS sufferers to regain a sense of control over their life. With the skills gained in CBT, one no longer needs to be a passive victim of this disruptive disorder, but can now actively use strategies which are effective in reducing the frequency, intensity and duration of IBS symptoms. Barbara Bradley Bolen, Ph.D.bbolen###optonline.netAuthor of:Breaking the Bonds of Irritable Bowel SyndromeNew Harbinger Publications 2000


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## sabry34 (May 15, 2002)

Thank you Eric for your info.I'm going to ask her to focus more on my negative thoughtsByesabry


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