CBT therapy? what to think?

So I have attended about 5 sessions of CBT therapy got 6 left I am still not getting it, I find it is very confusing and does not help me at all, would like to talk to anyone who is feeling the same. The first 2 sessions were ok then it went down hill I am feeling tense in the sessions and sometimes I feel I don't know the answers and feel pressure. What happens after CBT I don't know but all I am getting is where is it coming from and I don't feel I am being listened to a lot of the time. Wish now I had took another course or something else. Does anyone else have any advice. The next stage is I have to write my goals of what I want out of therapy, I am nervous for going into the next session this should not be happening. I also find it very repetitive but this is how I feel.

[BlueBelle06]

I'm sorry the course is not going well. Try not to blame yourself for not getting it. Maybe its not a very well designed course. Maybe they're trying to cram too much into a small time period? Sounds like you feel put on the spot as well? Take a deep breath and realize you are doing this to help yourself and doing the best you can. Maybe if you're struggling with it, you can talk to the leader or therapist? I applaud you for taking such a positive step in your recovery.

Here's something I just started because I'm interested in CBT - not sure if you are interested in something like this.... I have never taken a course but I just got a book called "thoughts and feelings" on Amazon recommended by my therapist because I wanted to do some extra self-help at home. It walks you through different CBT exercises at your won pace. You do the chapters in a different order based on your problem-depression, anxiety, OCD etc. (They have different treatment paths for each) So far I like it, but I just started. Its simple, has easy to follow worksheets with clear instructions. For me, writing things down is effective, so I think that's part of why I like it.

[Hidden in reply to BlueBelle06]

Thankyou so much yes I do feel put on the spot and I feel like its rushed, I feel like the last few weeks have just been over the same thing I had to read through an assertiveness course on the the website they gave me but yes I read it but what then I seem to keep asking myself am I doing it right. Sometimes I don't know the answer and im expected to I just don't get it. I am thinking of saying something this week thankyou for your kind reply. I might look into reading about it. Do you have to do another course after CBT?

[BlueBelle06 in reply to Hidden]

I don’t know the answer to your question. I’m sorry. Have you finished the whole course yet? How was the rest of the course?

[gerg]

I was a skeptical participant in therapy at first. I didn’t get it either. It is a process to learn a new way of thinking and it will take effort on your part. I expect that you will understand by the end of your group, but how much it is going to help is up to you. This type of therapy does not instantly cure anxiety and depression. The effects are gradual and the work is continuous, but the results are really really worth it.

[Hidden in reply to gerg]

It is more one to one sessions but find it so repetitive but I guess your right, I suppose in time maybe I was thinking it would be quick thing. Thankyou

[gerg in reply to Hidden]

You are welcome.

These are the type of things that we are not told or that we just don’t understand when we are told. This site works because we share as people who have gone through these things, we didn’t just read about it in a book.

[gcoop83]

One thing I've learned about therapy over the years is that it IS all about repetition. We've spent years repeating the same thought patterns so it makes sense it's going to take some time and repetition to change them. I heard a therapist say recently that our brains have to repeat a thought around 90 times (and believe it) before a new pathway is formed. CBT can sometimes get a little complicated and overwhelming, especially if you are in the midst of anxiety and/or depression (lots of terms, worksheets, etc. can be overwhelming even in a highly functional state of mind.) You might want to look into ACT, or acceptance therapy, which is a bit simpler. Instead of identifying and replacing every negative belief with a positive one you simply learn to not to identify with negative beliefs, let thoughts come and go without latching on to them as true or meaningful and over time they lose their power...

[Hidden]

Will look into this thankyou.

[Whitenoise14]

I’ve been in therapy every week for over a year. I am just now starting to feel like it is working. It can be very frustrating to feel like you are doing all the work and not getting better. Practice does make perfect though. It takes a lot of doing the same thing to start seeing results. It can be tempting to stop and write it off as not working but you really have to give it as much time as possible and buy into it as much as possible. You are already doing a great job by going and getting help and wanting to get better. Keep working on it!