What is CBT Anyway?
See my Approach page to learn more about how I use CBT.
As a therapist in Philadelphia, I often get asked: What exactly is CBT? You’ve probably heard the acronym before—maybe from a friend, a podcast, or a doctor’s referral—but understanding what Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) actually is, and how it works, can be the first step toward finding the right kind of support.
In this post, I’ll break down the essentials of CBT, share how I use it with clients, and explain why it’s one of the most evidence-based and effective treatments for concerns like anxiety, depression, and OCD.
What Is CBT?
CBT is a structured, goal-oriented form of talk therapy that helps you understand and change patterns in your thinking and behavior. It’s based on the idea that your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected. When you're stuck in unhelpful cycles—like catastrophizing, avoiding, or overanalyzing—CBT offers practical tools to help you shift gears.
Rather than only talking about the past, CBT also helps focus on what’s happening in your life right now—and what you can do to move forward. That said, we don’t ignore the past. We simply use it to better understand what’s keeping you stuck in the present.
How CBT Helps
CBT is widely used to treat a range of mental health conditions. Some of the most common include:
Anxiety disorders (including social anxiety, panic attacks, phobias)
Depression and low mood
Perfectionism and procrastination
Stress and burnout
Negative self-talk and low self-esteem
Clients often come to me feeling overwhelmed, emotionally drained, or paralyzed by fear. CBT helps by offering a framework to better understand what's happening—and then equipping you with strategies to interrupt unhelpful cycles and take meaningful action
An NIH study indicates CBT is the most commonly used therapy modality.
What CBT Looks Like in Therapy
Here’s what you can expect in a CBT-informed therapy process:
Identifying thought patterns – We’ll notice the recurring thoughts that show up in certain situations. Are they helpful? Are they realistic? Or are they reinforcing anxiety or hopelessness?
Understanding behavior loops – Together, we’ll look at how your actions (or avoidance) may be reinforcing the very things you’re trying to avoid.
Practicing new responses – CBT isn’t just about insight. It’s about change. We’ll work on new strategies—whether it’s challenging a negative thought, setting a boundary, or taking small, doable steps toward a goal.
Between-session tools – I may offer tools, reflection prompts, or real-life experiments you can try between sessions. This helps make therapy more active and effective.
Why I Use CBT in My Practice
As a therapist offering CBT in Philadelphia, I appreciate this approach because it empowers clients. Rather than labeling or pathologizing, CBT assumes that our brains are doing what they’ve learned to do—often in response to past experiences. Therapy becomes a space to retrain your brain and reclaim your choices. Some other modalities that I incorporate (and will be discussed in future blog posts) include:
Psychodynamic Therapy
Internal Family System (IFS), or “parts work”
Emotion-focused Therapy
Behavioral Activation
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
Mindfulness and Acceptance-based Therapies (i.e. ACT)
Next Steps: Finding a Philadelphia Therapist
If you’re feeling stuck in cycles of anxiety, depression, or perfectionism, CBT can help. It’s a collaborative, present-focused approach that offers more than just insight—it gives you a plan.
At Philadelphia Talk Therapy, I specialize in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for adults navigating mental health and life challenges. If you’re curious about whether CBT is right for you, I’d be glad to talk more. Reach out to learn how therapy can support real, lasting change.
Matt Sosnowsky, LCSW, MSW, MAPP is the founder and director of Philadelphia Talk Therapy. For over a decade, Mr. Sosnowsky has provided psychotherapy services in agency and private practice settings, helping individuals overcome mental health challenges, manage life transitions, and find passion & meaning in life.
Want to learn more about Philadelphia Talk Therapy and how we can with CBT therapy? Get in touch today.
