CBT is a therapeutic approach that emphasizes the important role of our thoughts in how we feel and what we do. Primarily developed by merging Cognitive Therapy and Behavior Therapy, CBT is highly effective in treatment of many problems including mood disorders, anxiety, personality, eating, substance abuse, psychotic disorders, insomnia etc. CBT is used for individual therapy as well as group sessions and the techniques can be adapted for self help applications.

Common techniques include

1. Keeping a log of significant events and associated feelings, thoughts and behaviors.
2. Questioning and testing unrealistic and unhelpful cognitions, assumptions, evaluations and beliefs.
3. Testing new ways of behaving and reacting.
4. Practicing relaxation techniques like Meditation, Mindfulness and Breathing Exercises

CBT teaches people to analyze how negative thoughts may be contributing to their anxieties. The basis of CBT is the idea that our thoughts are the cause of our feelings and behaviors, not external factors, like people, situations, and events. The benefit of this fact is that even if the situations do not change we can learn to change the way we think and react.