What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and is This Approach Right for Me?

ADG Marriage & Family Therapy • 8 July 2023

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT is a clinical approach that helps people change their distressing circumstances by first changing the thoughts causing them. Chances are that if you or someone you know is experiencing anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, social anxiety, lack of assertiveness, or adjustment issues the underlying thoughts are contributing in some way. One advantage to seeking professional help is uncovering the core thoughts that perpetuate the distress. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has had great success in treating these and many other conditions.


Clients usually attempt psychotherapy after they have made several attempts at solving their problems using alternate methods. One reason why clients don’t find relief from their distressing situation is that they are not working at the source of the problem. How one views their situation will affect how they will behave and feel. For that reason, it is important to have thoughts that are conducive to the kind of life you want to have. If you feel that your life is not in line with what your dreams or wishes have been, then take control and change the course of your future. Don’t let another year, five or ten go by before you act. The time that passes by can’t be recovered. Learn how to create the life that you like so you can look back at the memories and say, ‘those were the good old days.’


What to expect…

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a time-limited approach. So, you won’t spend year after year in therapy. It is a structured approach that addresses the problems the client is experiencing at the moment.


How it works…

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps clients resolve their distress by recognizing and changing their irrational thoughts, restructuring their core beliefs, and learning to find evidence that supports their thinking.


If you would like to talk to a therapist about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, contact me. I serve Pembroke Pines, Davie, Weston, Southwest Ranches, Plantation, Cooper City and surrounding areas.

Person with clasped hands in therapy session, facing a therapist who gestures with hands, in a well-lit room.

When Sadness is Rooted in Past Pain, EMDR Can Help Lift the Weight (Depression)

by ADG Marriage & Family Therapy • 8 January 2026
Have you tried everything to feel better - but the heaviness, the sell-doubt, or the hopelessness still lingers? Depression often connects back to unresolved pain: losses, failures, or childhood rejection. The brain tends to loop around these old experiences, reinforcing painful beliefs like "I'm not good enough" or "Nothing will ever change." EMDR interrupts these loops by targeting the painful memory and the negative beliefs tied to it. Instead of reliving the pain over and over, EMDR helps the brain reprocess the memory in a healthier way. As healing takes place, new, life-giving beliefs can take root-like "l am worthy" or "I can move forward." The burden lifts, and clients often feel more hopeful and alive again. You don't have to carry this weight forever. EMDR can help lift the burden and open the door to a lighter, freer life. Reach out today to begin.
Two people hold hands, offering support, likely in a therapy or counseling setting.

How EMDR Can Calm the Body's Overactive Alarm System (Anxiety Disorders)

by ADG Marriage & Family Therapy • 8 January 2026
Do you feel like your mind is always racing-like there's a constant alarm bell going off that you just can't shut down? Anxiety isn't just "in your head." It's your body stuck in fight-or-flight mode, convinced that danger is always around the corner. Life events, chronic stress, or past trauma can all flip this switch and keep it stuck on high alert. While coping skills help in the moment, they don't always resolve the deeper triggers. EMDR goes further by targeting those root triggers and retraining your nervous system to stand down. Clients often describe feeling calmer, lighter, and more in control after EMDR. It's not about erasing who you are - it's about finally letting your mind and body rest. Imagine living with a calmer mind and body. EMDR can help restore balance. Contact me to see how we can work together.
Girl with head in hand sits, parents argue in background doorway.

Why Talk Therapy Alone Isn't Enough for Deep Childhood Wounds (Complex Trauma)

by ADG Marriage & Family Therapy • 8 January 2026
Have you ever wondered why, no matter how much insight you gain in therapy, the same old patterns keep showing up in your relationships? Complex trauma comes from repeated emotional wounds, often in childhood- neglect, criticism, emotional unavailability. These early experiences wire the nervous system to expect danger or rejection, leaving deep scars that shape how you see yourself and others. Traditional talk therapy builds awareness, but awareness alone doesn't always heal. That's because trauma lives not only in your thoughts, but also in your body and nervous system. EMDR works directly with those deep, unprocessed experiences so you can finally move beyond old scripts and live with more freedom. You don't have to keep repeating the past. Healing is possible. You don't have to live in the shadow of your past. EMDR offers a path to healing that goes deeper than words. Let's start that journey together.