At the Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Silicon Valley, we offer a number of different cognitive behavior therapy and schema therapy programs and services for anxiety disorders, OCD, personality issues and related problems. Please note we can not predict in advance how long therapy will last or guarantee specific outcomes.
Standard Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) for Specific Goals or Problems
Cognitive behavior therapy has been extensively researched for solving specific problems such as generalized anxiety, work anxiety, health anxiety, panic disorder, specific social anxiety, trichotillomania, recent-onset depression, insomnia, specific phobias, adjustment difficulties due to life changes or a new job, and many other issues. We will identify a concrete goal you want to achieve and follow the evidence-based guidelines used in research and shown to be effective for your specific problem. We may ask you to purchase a workbook and the therapist will guide you through in-session and homework exercises. After the initial assessment session, you and your therapist will identify a realistic treatment plan to achieve your goals. This will include a recommendation of the number of sessions and what you can expect to realistically achieve with that amount of therapy. Standard CBT is most appropriate if you have a well-defined problem that you want to solve and you are motivated to do the work necessary to make progress toward your goal in a limited number of sessions. While timing and progress will vary by person, standard CBT for a specific goal or problem is usually between 12-20 sessions over three to six months. With standard CBT, you will learn cognitive, behavioral and interpersonal skills that you must continue to practice after CBT ends to continue progress and make additional gains after therapy ends.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) for Multiple or Complex Problems
If you have chronic, long term problems or more than one diagnosis, you may need a more comprehensive CBT approach over a longer period to address the complexity and/or variety of problems in your life. For example, you may be suffering from moderate to severe OCD, chronic anxiety, chronic depression, severe social anxiety or selective mutism, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or a combination of diagnoses i.e. OCD, anxiety and depression. We will follow the evidence-based guidelines to the extent possible but treatment will involve more customization since there may not be an exact treatment protocol for your combination of problems. We will follow the standard CBT session structure, including agenda setting, self-monitoring, actively working on problems in every session, assigning homework and tracking results. You will learn standard CBT strategies that will help you with all of your problems as well as customized strategies that are specific to each of the various problems you have. Therapy will consist of weekly sessions and may start with greater frequency if stabilization is needed. Treatment may last a year or longer, depending on the complexity of your problems and how actively involved you are with your treatment and completing homework in between sessions. You may also need longer term maintenance and relapse prevention counseling after the active treatment period ends.
Schema Therapy for Chronic Anxiety, Depression or Personality Change
Schema Therapy is a longer term integrative therapy with its roots in Cognitive Behavior Therapy. Schema therapy is designed to treat more challenging long term problems with its roots in childhood issues such as personality disorders. In addition, schema therapy can be added to CBT when the anxiety or depression has been long term and unresponsive to standard CBT or other therapies. Schema therapy is evidence-based for a variety of personality disorders including borderline personality, narcissistic personality, avoidant personality, obsessive compulsive personality, dependent personality and other personality disorders or styles. It can be very effective for partners and family members who have loved and been wounded by borderline or narcissistic types. It has been shown to be effective in research across many disorders. The goal of schema therapy is to help you get your needs met in the present so you will use more effective coping methods when your schemas are triggered. Schema therapy works on four levels: cognitive, behavioral, emotional and interpersonal. The first phase of schema therapy involves assessing your life history, relationships, family background, schemas and coping styles and developing a case conceptualization. The assessment phase usually takes about 7-8 sessions. Once the assessment phase is completed, schema therapy is weekly and lasts a minimum of one year and is usually a multi-year process for deeper personality change. A variety of strategies are used including imagery, role plays, behavioral experiments, schema diaries, schema flashcards, coping cards, dialogues between schema modes, chair work and many other techniques. Since the goal is to make personality change (vs symptom reduction), that is why schema therapy takes longer than standard CBT.
How to Get Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Schema Therapy in San Jose and California
The Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center in Silicon Valley (San Jose | California) specializes in cognitive behavior therapy and schema therapy with adults, children and teenagers. Click to send an email for more information on how we can help you or your family members solve your problems using cognitive behavior therapy and schema therapy.
Silicon Valley Communities We Serve
San Jose Therapy and Counseling • Saratoga Counseling and Therapy • Los Gatos Therapy and Counseling • Monte Sereno Therapy and Counseling • Cupertino Therapy and Counseling • Campbell Therapy and Counseling • Mountain View Therapy and Counseling • Los Altos Therapy and Counseling • Sunnyvale Therapy and Counseling • Santa Clara Therapy and Counseling • Palo Alto Therapy and Counseling
Other California Communities We Serve
San Francisco Therapy Counseling • Sacramento Valley Therapy Counseling • Carmel CA Therapy Counseling • Santa Cruz Therapy Counseling • Monterey Therapy Counseling • Los Angeles Therapy Counseling • San Diego Therapy Counseling • Orange County Therapy Counseling
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