How to Adjust to Civilian Life After the Military
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Mental Health and Wellness

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in San Diego

Mental health disorders can sometimes cause harmful, even destructive behavioral and thought patterns. These patterns can inhibit normal day-to-day functioning, hinder interpersonal relationships, and increase mental and emotional suffering. These patterns can often be extremely difficult to break out of, even for those who recognize the negative effects these patterns have in their lives.

Replacing unhealthy thought patterns and behavioral patterns with healthier alternatives can help you manage your mental condition and find long-term healing. To promote this, Solara Mental Health Center in San Diego provides cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) — a form of therapy that provides veterans with defined practices to develop positive healthy thought patterns and find substantial relief from mental health problems.

What is CBT?

Cognitive-behavioral therapy can be an effective short-term treatment that provides a long-term benefit.

CBT is a therapeutic practice designed to help people with mental health disorders address their current struggles — learning to accept the things they cannot change and take control of the things they can.

CBT does not explore the causes of maladaptive thoughts and behaviors; instead, it provides a structured, goal-oriented therapy that helps veterans recognize and interrupt negative thought patterns and replace them with alternatives that are healthier and more constructive.

Core principles CBT is based on include:

  • Faulty and unhelpful ways of thinking can provoke psychological problems
  • Unhelpful behaviors can provoke psychological problems
  • And, people can learn better ways to cope with their psychological problems, hence relieving symptoms related to those problems.

Specific benefits of CBT include the following:

  • Exchanging maladaptive thought patterns for more productive, realistic, and positive alternatives
  • Learning healthy, appropriate coping mechanisms for processing and reacting to stressful situations
  • Strengthening self-control over behaviors and emotions
  • Developing a stronger sense of self-healing

Conditions Best Treated By CBT

A wide range of conditions may benefit from CBT, allowing people to focus on and handle specific problems that they face.

CBT is commonly used to treat conditions such as:

  • Addiction
  • Anger
  • Anxiety
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Depression
  • Eating disorders
  • Personality Disorders
  • Phobias
  • OCD

Skills Commonly Learned Through CBT

The great thing about CBT is that it promotes healthy skills and behaviors that can be useful for a lifetime. CBT helps people process their thoughts and feelings healthily to avoid problematic emotions and behaviors.

With CBT, a person may benefit from strategies such as:

Learning to identify Negative thoughts — so that they may process difficult feelings and situations in a way that doesn’t contribute to troubling behaviors. This process requires deep introspection and self-discovery.

Practicing New Skills — that can be used to cope with real-world situations.

Setting Goals — that are SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based) so a person may focus on making the changes they need to improve their condition.

Solving Problems — both big and small to avoid stress that agitates mental illness.

Monitoring Oneself — by writing things down to track progression or degression. This can be helpful for the individual, but can also be useful for the treating therapist.

Progressing Gradually — because true change doesn’t happen overnight. Achieving small wins overtime is almost always better than taking giant leaps.

Start CBT at Solara Mental Health

The expert, compassionate therapists, and clinicians at Solara’s Mental Health Center in San Diego can guide you through cognitive behavioral therapy.

Learn to manage your thoughts, transform your perceptions, and gain control over your behaviors with CBT. Engage in introspective mental exercises such as journaling, role-playing, and visualization so that you can identify ways to grow.

Whether you’ve landed here looking to help yourself or a loved one, Solara Mental Health can help. Call 844-600-9747 or fill out our contact form to get started today.

Solara’s Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Veterans

People with mental health disorders can benefit from cognitive behavior therapy by learning to accept the things they cannot change and take control of the things they can. We understand this is a complex and broad term that requires the guidance and assistance of our qualified staff at our facility.

Solara Mental Health is VA contracted as a community care provider, which gives us the unique opportunity to help veterans with their needs. Once authorized, housing, transportation, and accommodations will be provided.

What Our Clients Say

Husband

Solara was truly a life-changing experience for me and for our children, because of what you did for my wife! The treatment team was phenomenally supportive and perfect for helping her with her anxiety and depression. We are all now moving forward to put our lives back together and it started with you all in Pacific Beach. Thank you for what you do.

Dad

We are so grateful to you for the treatment and care you provided our daughter. She is doing unbelievably well now thanks to your program. We will gladly tell anyone we encounter that needs treatment about the wonderful work you do at Solara.

Alex

I have never felt better than I do now, since completing your program. The truly caring and supportive staff and the intensive program changed my life. What a neat place to stay for treatment - I love Pacific Beach! I have learned skills and behavior to move forward with my life thanks to you.

Bill

The program has given me the tools I needed to really gain stability. For the first time in years - maybe for as long as I can remember, actually, I’m learning how to cope and manage my stressors and triggers. I now believe that I can find some relief and happiness.

Michelle Family

I want to thank you and the entire staff and support system at Solara for taking such good care of my sister. On behalf of my entire family, we want you all to understand that your patience and kindness stretches further than you can see… Thank you, again and again, from the bottom of my heart.

Bradley

The therapists and counselors and really whole team were extremely beneficial to me and my understanding of my issues. The treatment plan they developed was exactly what I needed

Terri

The Solara Treatment Program was a life-changing experience for me. To be able to heal in such a beautiful, peaceful environment, with such a terrific treatment team, was so amazingly positive. I have found my true self, again. I thank you and my family thanks you for helping me become the person I was meant to be.

M.P. – Father

Your program provided our daughter with the most masterful therapist we have ever encountered (and we have used many).  She has had an unbelievable ability to see the long-term trajectory of our daughter’s treatment and to approach her treatment in stages that fit where my daughter’s development was.  We can’t say enough positive about her.

Lynn

Even though I’m not religious, I realized when I got sober that for the first time in my life I wanted to explore my spiritual side. I benefited hugely from the individual spiritual sessions that I had with Chris. I’m really grateful for that aspect of the whole treatment experience.

R.M. – Father

If not for Solara Mental Health, I am almost positive that our daughter would not be as advanced in her treatment, and would not have the almost miraculous confident and positive outlook that she has.

Watson Family

Solara’s program was such a positive experience for our mom (and for us)! She had become almost impossible to deal with. Your entire staff was phenomenally supportive and kind and patient with her. We feel like we’ve got our mom back, now.

Lauren

The Solara program is truly amazing. I’ve never had more clarity or more good energy in my entire life. The attention the physicians and the therapists gave me was outstanding. I feel like they truly understood and addressed my issues, which had consumed my life for years. Thank you all.