Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Couples

clinical psychologist based in Boca Raton, Florida, Dr. David Steinbok has a master’s degree in mental health counseling, a master’s in clinical psychology, and a PsyD in clinical psychology. He has been a member of the American Psychological Association since 2009. Over the past ten years, Dr. David Steinbok has been diagnosing and providing treatment for a range of emotional disorders and difficulties such as panic attacks, insomnia, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and intimacy issues.

One effective approach to deal with intimacy and relationship issues is cognitive-behavioral therapy, or CBCT (cognitive-behavioral couples therapy). This approach allows couples to understand how their behaviors affect the other person’s emotions, either negatively or positively. The main theory behind CBTC is that behavior, cognition, and emotions are tightly connected in intimate relationships, and that they are all equally important in the functioning of the relationship.

CBCT helps couples explore how their thoughts and behaviors are causing stress in their relationship. Most of the time partners are unaware of their automatic thoughts and assumptions that lead to specific behaviors in the relationships that elicit negative emotions in the other person. By understanding these thoughts, partners are able to recognize them when they arise and change their behavior.

This psychotherapy approach consists of identifying both the positive and negative aspects of the relationship, meeting with each member individually, identifying the aspects that couples are willing to work on, and coming up with a plan. The couple will then work on the agreed-upon actions both during therapy sessions and in their daily life.