TARA FERGUSON,PH.D. LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST
  • Meet Dr. Ferguson
    • Specialties and Therapy Approach
    • Professional Publications and Presentations
  • Psychotherapy
    • General Psychotherapy
    • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
    • Mindfulness and Meditation
    • EMDR / Trauma Therapy
  • Supervision & Consultation
    • Clinical Supervision
    • Professional Consultation
    • Business Consultations
  • Associate Practitioners
  • Professional Speaking Engagements
  • Testimonials and Outcome Data
  • Insurance and Fees
  • Contact
  • Schedule an Appointment Online
Congitive-Behavioral Therapy
                      Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is an effective therapy for anxiety, worry, depression, relationship issues, and general behavior change. This therapy is based on the premise that the way we think about things affects the way we feel and therefore, it is often incorrect assumptions and inaccurate or extreme thinking styles that lead to out-of-proportion emotional reactions and problematic behaviors. For example, a "catastrophizing" thinking style often leads to out-of-control ​​worrying and a "mindreading" cognitive distortion often leads us to make incorrect assumptions in our relationships. Cognitive-behavioral therapy encourages us to examine our thinking and to assess its practical effect on the symptoms we are experiencing. Then, armed with this awareness, we can evaluate our thoughts by examining the evidence for and against them, and choose to replace them if we find that they are not supported by evidence, are causing problems in our lives, or simply would be better replaced with a more adaptive or evidence-based thought.

​​Important elements of cognitive-behavioral therapy:
​
1) Self-monitoring of symptoms: Clients collect evidence from their daily lives about how thoughts are affecting physical and emotional states as well as behaviors. 
2) Identify your cognitive distortions: Learn about the most common thinking errors and how to recognize them in your thought patterns.
3) Careful evaluation of thoughts: Learn how to weigh the evidence for and against your automatic thoughts so that you can make an informed decision about whether to keep or replace them.
4) Thought replacement: Learn how to replace faulty thinking styles with healthy alternative thoughts that are more adaptive and/or realistic. 
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Schedule an appointment

Location

Dr. Ferguson's Private Practice Office            Ph: (910) 444-1837
5004 Oleander Drive                                       Fax: (888) 206-0215
Wilmington, NC 28403                                    [email protected]


**Dr. Ferguson's group practice, Place of Peace Counseling and Therapeutic Center, is across the street from her private practice office. 
  • Meet Dr. Ferguson
    • Specialties and Therapy Approach
    • Professional Publications and Presentations
  • Psychotherapy
    • General Psychotherapy
    • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
    • Mindfulness and Meditation
    • EMDR / Trauma Therapy
  • Supervision & Consultation
    • Clinical Supervision
    • Professional Consultation
    • Business Consultations
  • Associate Practitioners
  • Professional Speaking Engagements
  • Testimonials and Outcome Data
  • Insurance and Fees
  • Contact
  • Schedule an Appointment Online