Manage Emotions Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Skills

Emotions shape our worlds, yet they can be difficult, confusing, and draining. Whether we are trying to navigate our own distress or to comfort loved ones through trying times, we may find ourselves wishing we had more tools to help us think about and handle emotions from a different perspective. Skills derived from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)—a treatment especially effective for depression and anxiety—are one way of challenging the thought patterns and behavioral habits that keep people stuck in a spiral of negative emotion. For example, people who feel distressed after giving a presentation can learn to notice their thoughts (“Everyone could tell I was unprepared”), label thoughts that are distorted (in this case, mind reading), and then restructure the thought (“They asked me to speak again, so maybe they didn't think so poorly of me”). In this course, students will learn the principles of and theory behind CBT, as well as ways to integrate them. Students will participate in CBT exercises, group discussions, and role-plays in which they “play therapist” with one another. Assignments will include relevant readings, case studies, and completion of CBT worksheets. The course also will offer an introduction to the real-life practice of psychotherapy for those wishing for a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how CBT therapists develop their treatments.

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