What is TEAM-CBT?
TEAM-CBT is a structure for what makes psychotherapy effective, created and developed by Dr. David Burns. TEAM has two meanings: 1) We are a team, working together to help you achieve your goals in therapy. 2) It is an acronym for what we we are doing in your therapy sessions— T = Testing, E = Empathy, A = Assessment of Resistance and M = Methods.
T = TESTING
I use testing before and after every therapy session. The Brief Mood Survey I use checks to see how you are feeling by assessing your levels of Depression, Suicidal Urges, Anxiety, Anger, Positive Feelings and Relationship Satisfaction. You take the Brief Mood Survey before your session to help us both understand how you are feeling. We will discuss the scores on your survey and you will be able to tell me some details about how you are feeling. You will take the same survey after your session, so we can see how things went in the session. Did you feel better after the session? Are you getting better over the course of several sessions? This information is essential for us to adjust your treatment to make it personalized and as effective as possible for you. After your session, you will also provide an Evaluation of the Therapy Session. You’ll rate the truth of statements like “My therapist was warm, supportive and concerned,” “My therapist understood how I felt inside,” “The techniques we used were helpful,” and “I learned some new ways to deal with my problems.” You’ll also answer open ended questions like “What did you like least about the session,” and “What did you like best about the session?” The Evaluation of Therapy Session survey helps me understand what is and is not working in your treatment so I can adjust your treatment accordingly.
E = EMPATHY
The relationship you have with your therapist is a powerful part of psychotherapy treatment. It is important that I am trustworthy, understanding and supportive. I will take time in your session to understand as best I can the problems you are seeking help with in your therapy. Empathy is an essential element of therapy— without it, your treatment can feel cold, calculated and unsatisfying. This is why we put a big emphasis on creating a great relationship of understanding and trust.
A = ASSESSMENT OF RESISTANCE
Most therapy patients come to treatment because they are seeking big changes in their lives. You may want to feel happier or less afraid. Why would anyone resist feeling better? Yet, resistance is something that is present in almost all therapy sessions. in TEAM therapy, we take a unique approach to resistance that is powerful and effective. Our way of assessing and addressing resistance is what really sets TEAM apart from other kinds of therapy and makes it so powerful and effective. We ask, what if your negative feelings and the thoughts that cause them are not a sign of things that are wrong with you, but an important representation of things that are right with you? How are your feelings and thoughts helping you and what do they show about you and your values that is truly positive and even beautiful? We bring all of these things to conscious awareness and I take the side of resistance, putting you in the position of convincing me that you would want to feel better. The tools of Assessment of Resistance help you become aware of how your symptoms are helping you. When you can make a strong argument for changing anyway, then the Methods of therapy we use will have the chance be very successful very quickly.
M = Methods
I have over 100 Methods of TEAM-CBT available to help you change the way you feel by changing the way you think and behave. TEAM-CBT is an evidence-based practice, meaning that I only use therapy tools that have scientific evidence that shows the tools work. You can read details about most of the tools I use in therapy in Dr. Burns’ books, such as his latest book “Feeling Great: The Revolutionary New Treatment for Depression and Anxiety.” You can also get great information about the tools of TEAM-CBT on “The Feeling Good Podcast” with Dr. David Burns and Dr. Rhonda Barovsky.