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CBT Center Blog

Science-backed therapy tools, expert insights, and real talk on mental health, relationships, and personal growth.

cbt for soothing the rollercoaster ride of anxiety

Evidence-Based Tips for Soothing Anxiety

Anxiety triggers our sympathetic nervous system which manifests in our physical body, eliciting sensations similar to the adrenaline rush of a roller coaster. Understanding how anxiety affects our bodies, our minds, and our behaviors is key to managing it effectively. The Physiology of Anxiety: A Roller Coaster Ride When faced with anxiety, our bodies react...

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a person overcoming challenges using their values in therapy

Improve Your Life With the Power of Core Values

The Role of Core Values in Enhancing Life Quality To significantly enhance your quality of life, it’s essential to identify and clarify a set of values that resonate with your inner self. This could range from integrity, honesty, and humor to collaboration, fairness, and spontaneity. Once you’ve pinpointed these guiding principles, ensure that every decision...

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cbt tools to overcome and defend against passive aggressive people and relationships

Tips for Recognizing and Defending Against Passive-Aggressive Behavior

This blog post delves into passive-aggressive behavior, a form of communication marked by indirect resistance and avoidance of direct confrontation. We’ll explore its causes, how it manifests, and its effects on relationships, offering strategies for addressing and mitigating its impact. What Is Passive-Aggressive Behavior? Passive-aggressive behavior is a nuanced form of communication, and its effects...

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cbt tips to avoid situationships: situationships are toxic because they turn dating into an addictive game

CBT Tips: How to Recognize and Avoid Situationships

Have you ever found yourself hooking up with someone who seems really into you, but you weren’t sure if you were that into them? Then as the relationship progresses, suddenly you realize you’ve become somewhat attached to them. At first, you weren’t certain whether you were genuinely attracted or even liked them, but now you...

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changing your core beliefs and rewiring your brain with behavioral experiments and cbt in california

Changing Core Beliefs: Using Behavioral Experiments to Rewire Your Brain

Behavioral experiments are a powerful tool in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). They are designed to test and challenge the beliefs (maladaptive schemas) and assumptions of individuals, leading to significant changes in their behavior and emotional responses. This article examines the efficacy of behavioral experiments in CBT, provides insights into crafting impactful behavioral tests, and offers methods...

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schema chemistry and attachment chemistry in dating relationships

Dating Beyond Your Type: Overcoming Schema and Attachment Chemistry

When it comes to dating, we often find ourselves drawn to a specific “type” that aligns with our preconceived preferences. Sometimes, this type is something we’re consciously aware of, and it works for us. Sometimes, we consciously know it’s not working for us, but it’s still kind of exciting, so we keep doing it. And...

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A person in a state of survival mode, feeling overwhelmed and anxious

CBT Tips for Overcoming Survival Mode

Do you often feel overwhelmed, disconnected, and constantly on edge? You might be stuck in “survival mode,” a chronic state of heightened stress in which your nervous system stays activated because of trauma or prolonged stress....

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A person with bipolar disorder talking to a mental health professional about their treatment options

Exploring Types of Therapy for Bipolar Disorder

Living with bipolar disorder can be challenging, but with the right support and treatment, individuals can manage their symptoms and lead fulfilling lives. While medication is often the first line of defense, it is not the only tool available. A comprehensive approach to treating bipolar disorder includes therapy sessions that address various aspects of the...

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complex trauma counseling in san francisco

Complex Trauma: CPTSD Vs. BPD Vs. Insecure Attachment

If you're comparing anxious attachment vs BPD, anxious attachment is an insecure relationship pattern shaped by early interactions and fear of abandonment, while borderline personality disorder is a broader condition marked by emotional instability and unstable relationships. Both can overlap with complex trauma, but they are not the same thing....

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couples using somatic psychotherapy to improve their relationship

Evidence-Based Couples Therapy

Are you and your partner caught in a repetitive cycle of arguments, finding yourselves trapped in the same conflicts time and again? Are you experiencing a growing sense of disconnection and loneliness in your romantic relationship? Do you feel like you and your partner are just missing each other’s needs and intentions, causing further frustration?...

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mom with baby representing secure attachment with therapy in san francisco

How Attachment Styles Impact Relationships: Healing Relational Trauma

Do you find it challenging to form secure and fulfilling relationships? Are you often plagued by fear of abandonment or struggle with intimacy? Are you constantly afraid of losing yourself in a relationship? If so, you might be dealing with an insecure adult attachment style. In this article, we’ll explore the four attachment styles, how...

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A woman on a sofa raises her hand to stop a man who is talking to her

Reverse DARVO For Combating Gaslighting and Emotional Abuse

If you’re wondering how to respond to DARVO in a relationship or how to respond to DARVO in marriage, the goal is not to argue your way out of the trap but to step out of it: detach from the false story, state what happened and what you need clearly, set firm boundaries, make specific requests, validate your own feelings, and watch whether the other person responds with more denial, attack, or role reversal....

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couple feeling more connected after resolving conflict effectively

How Conflict Can Help Strengthen Your Relationship

When we think of conflicts, we often view them as roadblocks to harmony and happiness, especially in our relationships. But what if we told you that conflicts can actually help strengthen your relationship? Conflicts, when handled effectively, can actually promote personal growth, improved communication, and increased intimacy. Sounds intriguing, doesn’t it? In this article, we...

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CBT to heal from narcissistic abuse and echosim

CBT to Overcome Narcissistic Abuse: Understanding Echoism and Pseudo-Identity

Narcissistic abuse occurs when an individual with narcissistic traits or narcissistic personality disorder manipulates, exploits, and emotionally controls their victims to serve their own needs and desires. This form of abuse is characterized by a range of destructive behaviors, including gaslighting (invalidating the victim’s perceptions and reality), emotional manipulation, demeaning criticism, belittling, and exploitation of...

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