Cognitive behavioral therapy

CBT stands for cognitive behavioral therapy. It's a structured, evidence-based form of psychotherapy that helps people identify and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors that maintain distress.

Definition from Shrinktionary, reviewed by Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, FAPA (last reviewed 2026-06-27). Shrinktionary is the network's language layer and carries the canonical short definition; this page adds the research-context detail below. Full definition on Shrinktionary →

CBT rests on a simple idea. The way a person thinks about a situation, and what they do in response, both shape how they feel. CBT helps a person notice unhelpful thought patterns and avoidance behaviors, then test and change them. It's usually short, often around 12 to 20 sessions, and it includes practice between sessions. For anxiety, CBT often includes exposure, which means facing feared situations in a planned, gradual way.

CBT is the most studied talk therapy for anxiety disorders. Across generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, panic disorder, and specific phobias, meta-analyses report moderate to large effects compared with waitlist conditions. Guidelines from the APA and NICE place it among first-line treatments.

A person with panic disorder works with a therapist to understand their panic cycle, then practices facing the body sensations they fear, such as a fast heartbeat, until those sensations feel less dangerous.

CBT isn't one fixed thing. Protocols differ by condition, and the quality of delivery varies. Effects also look larger against a waitlist than against another active treatment. CBT helps many people, not all, and relapse can still happen.