According to the National Institutes of Health, 61.5 million Americans experience mental illness annually while around 13 million have to live with a serious mental condition, like depression and bipolar disorder (as cited in National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2013). One of the ways to deal with these conditions is the use of psychological therapies. Psychological therapy takes different forms, such as interpersonal therapy, family-focused therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Among these therapies, the most predominant is the last one, cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT. The National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists (n.d.) states that this type of therapy emphasizes the role that thinking plays in how a person feels or acts. According to Ben Martin (2015), CBT is “a short-term, goal-oriented psychotherapy treatment that takes a hands-on, practical approach to problem-solving.” The Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy (n.d.) cites many mental health illnesses and other conditions that can be effectively addressed by CBT, such as different forms of anxiety, bipolar disorder, eating disorder, and even different kinds of phobia. It is relatively the most predominant approach to psychological therapy because it is skills-based, has measurable results, can be completed at a lesser time compared to other therapies, and costs less.
First of all, CBT uses a skills-based approach that empowers patients to take control of their situation. During the therapy, the patients takes on an active role and is given several homeworks to accomplish (“What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy,” n.d.). These homeworks will help the patient practice coping mechanisms and skills that are discussed during the sessions. For example, if a patient suffers from depression, the signs and symptoms will be identified first. Then, the skills to handle and cope with the condition will be discussed. A possible homework would be to take down notes regarding feelings and listing down coping strategies applied when the patient feels depressed outside the session. Eventually, the patient will have an established set of skills that he/she can use to manage depression on his/her own. This specific approach makes CBT more popular to those who are seeking help.
Second, the progress made by the client who chooses CBT is measurable, making its effectiveness more evident. According to Stallard, the goals and targets of the intervention are explicitly defined and regularly reviewed” and “there is an emphasis on quantification and the use of ratings” in the process (p. 6). For instance, during sessions, patients may be asked to evaluate their level of depression or the rate of its occurrence. This assessment may be repeated as necessary, and if the results showed improvement towards the end of the course, then it may be concluded that the patient’s condition has been improved. This makes the process more objective and quantifiable, making it look more effective.
Third, CBT courses are completed at a lesser time. In general, there is no standard length for CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, 2013). However, it is regarded as a short-term treatment because compared to others, it is brief. It usually lasts for no more than 16 sessions (Stallard, 2002, p.6). Every session lasts only about an hour. Other psychotherapies, those that are classified as long-term, usually last for a year or two (Smith & Elliot, n.d.).
Lastly, being a short-term therapy, CBT costs lesser than other therapies. According to Anxiety and Depression Association of America (n.d.), CBT costs around $100 per session. However, there are insurance companies that cover these costs. This takes away the financial burden from the patients, which is the opposite of long-term psychological therapies. Dziegielewski states that “insurance companies usually will not pay for long-term treatment” (p. 119). This makes short-term therapies all the more popular.
Overall, cognitive behavioral therapy provides different benefits that make it the most predominant type of therapy in the field of psychology. Because it uses skills-based approach, it helps empower patients so that they will be more in control of their mental conditions. In addition, its effectiveness is measurable. It also requires fewer sessions to complete. Furthermore, the cost of CBT may be reimbursed, depending on the insurance companies, unlike long-term therapies that are not normally covered in insurances. All these factors play an important role in the predominance of cognitive behavioral therapy.
References
Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy (n.d.). Conditions for Which CBT is Effective. Retrieved on June 28, 2015, from http://www.beckinstitute.org/cognitive-therapy-can-treat/
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (2013). PubMed Health. Retrieved on June 28, 2015, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0072481/
Dziegielewski, S. (2010).DSM-IV-TR in Action Second Edition. New Jersey, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Martin, B. (2013). In-Depth: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Psych Central. Retrieved on June 28, 2015, from http://psychcentral.com/lib/in-depth-cognitive-behavioral-therapy/
National Alliance on Mental Illness (2013). Mental Illness Facts and Numbers. Retrieved on June 28, 2015, from http://www2.nami.org/factsheets/mentalillness_factsheet.pdf
National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists (n.d.). NACBT.org. Retrieved on June 28, 2015, from http://www.nacbt.org/whatiscbt.htm
Smith, L. & Elliot, C. (n.d.). Psychotherapy: How Much is Enough?. PsychCentral. Retrieved on June 28, 2015, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2010/01/22/psychotherapy-how-much-is-enough/
Stallard, P. (2002). Think Good Feel Good. England, UK: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (n.d.). Patient. Retrieved on June 28, 2015, from http://patient.info/health/cognitive-behavioural-therapy-cbt-leaflet
