Good Morning, Monster: A Therapist Shares Five Heroic Stories of Emotional Recovery

Dr. Gildiner’s therapeutic techniques and philosophies draw on several theories and ways of thinking that are common in Western therapy. She often engages the patient in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT); here, the patient learns to identify their own problematic thought patterns and behaviors. The American Psychological Association (APA) explains that CBT is highly effective and can be used in a variety of circumstances, such as the treatment of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, stress management, mental illness, or in family or marital counseling. It can be used in combination with other therapies. The APA and other medical bodies, such as the Mayo Clinic and the National Institute of Health (NIH), promote the use of CBT and point to clinical research that supports its effectiveness. It operates on three basic principles:

Psychological problems are based, in part, on faulty or unhelpful ways of thinking; Psychological problems are based, in part, on learned patterns of unhelpful behavior; and People suffering from psychological problems can learn better ways of coping with them, thereby relieving their symptoms and becoming more effective in their lives (“What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?” American Psychological Association, 2017).

In sessions, the therapist works with the patient to identify faulty or skewed ways of thinking or perceptions.