cognitive behavioral therapy

noun

variants or less commonly cognitive behavior therapy

: psychotherapy that combines cognitive therapy with behavior therapy by identifying faulty or maladaptive patterns of thinking, emotional response, or behavior and substituting them with desirable patterns of thinking, emotional response, or behavior

—abbreviation CBT

Note: Cognitive behavioral therapy is used in the treatment of various mental and emotional disorders including depression, anxiety, anorexia, and substance abuse. Cognitive therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy are often used interchangeably.

Cognitive behavioral therapy prods patients to do things that will make them feel a sense of accomplishment and connection, and to avoid interpreting situations as being worse than they are.

—David H. Freedman

The most scientifically studied technique, cognitive behavior therapy, teaches people to identify and dispute self-degrading thoughts … that can feed on themselves and cause people to sink into despair.

—Benedict Carey

Examples of cognitive behavioral therapy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The study also suggests that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), often considered the gold standard in mental health treatment, isn’t enough to treat anxiety in pregnancy alone. —Hannah Silverman, Parents, 2 May 2025

Safer sleep alternatives Patients suffering from insomnia and other sleep issues should try making lifestyle changes and cognitive behavioral therapy before being placed on lorazepam, Rohrscheib advised. —Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 31 Mar. 2025

See a mental health professional: If accessible to you, therapy approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) can build mental and emotional resilience. —Jakob Roze, Health, 19 June 2025

Among the handful of dedicated gambling-addiction treatment providers around the country, many deploy cognitive behavioral therapy, which studies suggest can at least temporarily improve patients’ quality of life and reduce the severity of their gambling problem. —Hana Kiros, The Atlantic, 5 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1975, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cognitive behavioral therapy

• brachytherapy
• chemotherapy
• cryotherapy
• hydrotherapy
• hypnotherapy
• monotherapy
• phototherapy
• psychotherapy
• sclerotherapy
• immunotherapy
• pharmacotherapy
• physiotherapy

Medical Definition

cognitive behavioral therapy

noun

variants also cognitive behavior therapy

: psychotherapy that combines cognitive therapy with behavior therapy by identifying faulty or maladaptive patterns of thinking, emotional response, or behavior and substituting them with desirable patterns of thinking, emotional response, or behavior

—abbreviation CBT

Note: Cognitive behavioral therapy is used in the treatment of various mental and emotional disorders including depression, anxiety, anorexia, and substance abuse. Cognitive therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy are often used interchangeably.

Cognitive behavioral therapy prods patients to do things that will make them feel a sense of accomplishment and connection, and to avoid interpreting situations as being worse than they are.

—David H. Freedman, Discover

The most scientifically studied technique, cognitive behavior therapy, teaches people to identify and dispute self-degrading thoughts … that can feed on themselves and cause people to sink into despair.

—Benedict Carey, The New York Times