Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Austin, TX

A young man stands outdoors with his eyes closed and head slightly tilted up, appearing calm and reflective under a blue sky with clouds, symbolizing peace, healing, and emotional relief, possibly after grief therapy.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Austin, TX, is a structured, evidence-based form of psychotherapy that helps individuals better understand how their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are connected. By identifying unhelpful thought patterns and behavioral responses, CBT therapy provides practical tools to address mental health issues and create positive change in daily life. At Louis Laves-Webb, LCSW, LPC-S & Associates, CBT is offered in a nonjudgmental space where adults, adolescents, and individuals facing unique challenges can feel heard and supported.

Man sitting on a sofa, appearing stressed, with hands clasped, in a counseling session.

What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

‍Cognitive behavioral therapy, often referred to as CBT, focuses on how thinking influences emotions and behaviors. Many mental health disorders are shaped by patterns of negative thoughts, beliefs, and cognitive distortions. These are sometimes called cognitive distortions because they distort how a person interprets situations, relationships, and their own lives.

CBT helps individuals recognize these unhelpful thoughts and replace them with more balanced ways of thinking. Through this process, clients gain a better understanding of how negative thought patterns may contribute to mental health challenges.

Phase 1: History Taking

Before beginning EMDR, your trauma therapist will get to know more about your experiences and symptoms. This step is for you to share about events in your past that may be affecting your current mindset.

Phase 2: Preparation

This stage is about ensuring your readiness for EMDR. Even though EMDR therapy for trauma is completely safe, it can be problematic for individuals who commonly experience dissociation. As a safeguard, your trauma therapist will work with you to create your own “calm place” to concentrate on if you feel distressed.

Phase 3: Assessment

It’s now time to choose a target to be reprocessed during your next few sessions. In doing so, you’ll need to identify a vivid image related to the memory, a negative cognition about yourself associated with it, and emotions and bodily sensations that accompany both. Your therapist will then have you challenge that negative cognition with a cognitive one. They will have you rate how true your positive cognition feels and how much distress the target memory causes you on a scale from 1-10.

Phase 4: Desensitization

This is where Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing comes into play. When you feel ready, your therapist will guide you to process your negative feelings and memories using bilateral eye movements to facilitate the brain’s healing process. This will help to ground you and take more directed focus on the thoughts, feelings, and images associated with your target. Every minute or so, your therapist will check in on what you’ve noticed and ask you to rate how much discomfort you’re now feeling. When you no longer report distress related to your targeted memory, you move onto the next step.

Phase 5: Installation

Next, your attention will be brought back to the positive cognition you identified earlier. Your trauma/PTSD therapist will recheck how true this belief now feels. The goal is to get this belief to feel like it’s 100 percent true.

Phase 6: Body Scan

You will now be asked to check your body for any areas of tension in your body caused by the target memory. Are your teeth clenched? Is your chest tight? Any uncomfortable physical sensations will be reprocessed using the same procedure as before until you can think of the target memory without feeling any tension.

Phase 7: Closure

At the end of every session, your trauma counselor will make sure that you are leaving feeling more relaxed than when you arrived. If you are feeling agitated, they will lead you through self-calming techniques until you regain your sense of control.

Phase 8: Reevaluation

At the beginning of each subsequent session, your therapist will ask you questions to ensure your positive beliefs have been maintained. This will also help them to identify any new problem areas that may need to be targeted.

EMDR therapy for trauma is considered a success once you are able to bring up memories of trauma without feeling the distress that brought you to therapy. Your trauma therapist will also provide you with the techniques and skills you need going forward to deal with upsetting feelings.

How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Works

CBT therapy is a collaborative and solution-focused therapy approach. Sessions focus on identifying specific challenges, understanding behavioral patterns, and practicing techniques that promote meaningful change. Rather than dwelling solely on the past, CBT emphasizes present-day experiences and actionable strategies.

During therapy sessions, a cognitive behavioral therapist works with clients to:

Identify negative thoughts and unhelpful beliefs
Examine how thought patterns influence emotions and behaviors
Develop coping skills and new ways of responding to stress
Practice techniques that support emotional regulation and self-care

Over time, CBT helps clients feel more confident navigating life, relationships, and emotional challenges.

Phase 1: History Taking

Before beginning EMDR, your trauma therapist will get to know more about your experiences and symptoms. This step is for you to share about events in your past that may be affecting your current mindset.

Phase 2: Preparation

This stage is about ensuring your readiness for EMDR. Even though EMDR therapy for trauma is completely safe, it can be problematic for individuals who commonly experience dissociation. As a safeguard, your trauma therapist will work with you to create your own “calm place” to concentrate on if you feel distressed.

Phase 3: Assessment

It’s now time to choose a target to be reprocessed during your next few sessions. In doing so, you’ll need to identify a vivid image related to the memory, a negative cognition about yourself associated with it, and emotions and bodily sensations that accompany both. Your therapist will then have you challenge that negative cognition with a cognitive one. They will have you rate how true your positive cognition feels and how much distress the target memory causes you on a scale from 1-10.

Phase 4: Desensitization

This is where Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing comes into play. When you feel ready, your therapist will guide you to process your negative feelings and memories using bilateral eye movements to facilitate the brain’s healing process. This will help to ground you and take more directed focus on the thoughts, feelings, and images associated with your target. Every minute or so, your therapist will check in on what you’ve noticed and ask you to rate how much discomfort you’re now feeling. When you no longer report distress related to your targeted memory, you move onto the next step.

Phase 5: Installation

Next, your attention will be brought back to the positive cognition you identified earlier. Your trauma/PTSD therapist will recheck how true this belief now feels. The goal is to get this belief to feel like it’s 100 percent true.

Phase 6: Body Scan

You will now be asked to check your body for any areas of tension in your body caused by the target memory. Are your teeth clenched? Is your chest tight? Any uncomfortable physical sensations will be reprocessed using the same procedure as before until you can think of the target memory without feeling any tension.

Phase 7: Closure

At the end of every session, your trauma counselor will make sure that you are leaving feeling more relaxed than when you arrived. If you are feeling agitated, they will lead you through self-calming techniques until you regain your sense of control.

Phase 8: Reevaluation

At the beginning of each subsequent session, your therapist will ask you questions to ensure your positive beliefs have been maintained. This will also help them to identify any new problem areas that may need to be targeted.

EMDR therapy for trauma is considered a success once you are able to bring up memories of trauma without feeling the distress that brought you to therapy. Your trauma therapist will also provide you with the techniques and skills you need going forward to deal with upsetting feelings.

What to Expect During Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy sessions may be conducted in person at our Austin, TX office or virtually. Each person’s treatment plan is tailored to their goals, challenges, and life circumstances.

Sessions often include discussion, guided exercises, and practical tools that can be applied between appointments. Clients are encouraged to practice new skills outside therapy, which supports lasting change.

Many people ask how many sessions CBT requires. The number of sessions varies depending on the individual, symptom severity, and the goals being addressed. Your therapist will work with you to determine an approach that fits your needs.

 Schedule A Consultation Today

Phase 1: History Taking

Before beginning EMDR, your trauma therapist will get to know more about your experiences and symptoms. This step is for you to share about events in your past that may be affecting your current mindset.

Phase 2: Preparation

This stage is about ensuring your readiness for EMDR. Even though EMDR therapy for trauma is completely safe, it can be problematic for individuals who commonly experience dissociation. As a safeguard, your trauma therapist will work with you to create your own “calm place” to concentrate on if you feel distressed.

Phase 3: Assessment

It’s now time to choose a target to be reprocessed during your next few sessions. In doing so, you’ll need to identify a vivid image related to the memory, a negative cognition about yourself associated with it, and emotions and bodily sensations that accompany both. Your therapist will then have you challenge that negative cognition with a cognitive one. They will have you rate how true your positive cognition feels and how much distress the target memory causes you on a scale from 1-10.

Phase 4: Desensitization

This is where Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing comes into play. When you feel ready, your therapist will guide you to process your negative feelings and memories using bilateral eye movements to facilitate the brain’s healing process. This will help to ground you and take more directed focus on the thoughts, feelings, and images associated with your target. Every minute or so, your therapist will check in on what you’ve noticed and ask you to rate how much discomfort you’re now feeling. When you no longer report distress related to your targeted memory, you move onto the next step.

Phase 5: Installation

Next, your attention will be brought back to the positive cognition you identified earlier. Your trauma/PTSD therapist will recheck how true this belief now feels. The goal is to get this belief to feel like it’s 100 percent true.

Phase 6: Body Scan

You will now be asked to check your body for any areas of tension in your body caused by the target memory. Are your teeth clenched? Is your chest tight? Any uncomfortable physical sensations will be reprocessed using the same procedure as before until you can think of the target memory without feeling any tension.

Phase 7: Closure

At the end of every session, your trauma counselor will make sure that you are leaving feeling more relaxed than when you arrived. If you are feeling agitated, they will lead you through self-calming techniques until you regain your sense of control.

Phase 8: Reevaluation

At the beginning of each subsequent session, your therapist will ask you questions to ensure your positive beliefs have been maintained. This will also help them to identify any new problem areas that may need to be targeted.

EMDR therapy for trauma is considered a success once you are able to bring up memories of trauma without feeling the distress that brought you to therapy. Your trauma therapist will also provide you with the techniques and skills you need going forward to deal with upsetting feelings.

Benefits of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

CBT helps individuals build practical skills that can be used throughout life. Rather than relying solely on insight, CBT emphasizes active participation and skill building.

Benefits of cognitive behavioral therapy include:

Learning coping skills to manage stress and anxiety
Gaining awareness of negative thought patterns and beliefs
Developing new skills to navigate emotional challenges
Building resilience and emotional flexibility
Supporting long-term well-being and personal growth

Many clients find CBT empowering because it provides tools they can continue using long after therapy ends.

What Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Can Help With

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) provides structured support for individuals navigating a wide range of mental health challenges. By focusing on how thoughts, emotions, and behaviors interact, CBT helps clients develop a better understanding of patterns that contribute to distress and learn skills that promote meaningful change.

 Schedule A Consultation Today

Anxiety and Anxiety Disorders

CBT is widely used for treating anxiety, including social anxiety and generalized anxiety disorders. Clients learn to recognize unhelpful thoughts, challenge cognitive distortions, and build coping skills that reduce avoidance and fear-based reactions.

Depression and Mood Challenges

For individuals experiencing depression, CBT helps identify negative thought patterns that reinforce low mood and self-doubt. By addressing these patterns and developing healthier behavioral responses, clients can work toward improved emotional balance and well-being.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

CBT therapy supports individuals with obsessive compulsive disorder by addressing repetitive thinking, behavioral patterns, and distressing urges. Clients learn techniques to reduce the influence of intrusive thoughts and build tolerance for uncertainty.

Stress and Emotional Regulation

Stress often develops from unhelpful beliefs and automatic reactions. CBT helps clients pause, examine their thinking, and respond with intention rather than habit. This approach supports emotional clarity and improved daily functioning.

Relationship and Behavioral Issues

CBT can be effective for addressing relationship issues, behavioral issues, and interpersonal challenges. By increasing awareness of thought patterns and behaviors, clients gain tools to communicate more clearly and respond more effectively in relationships.

Phase 1: History Taking

Before beginning EMDR, your trauma therapist will get to know more about your experiences and symptoms. This step is for you to share about events in your past that may be affecting your current mindset.

Phase 2: Preparation

This stage is about ensuring your readiness for EMDR. Even though EMDR therapy for trauma is completely safe, it can be problematic for individuals who commonly experience dissociation. As a safeguard, your trauma therapist will work with you to create your own “calm place” to concentrate on if you feel distressed.

Phase 3: Assessment

It’s now time to choose a target to be reprocessed during your next few sessions. In doing so, you’ll need to identify a vivid image related to the memory, a negative cognition about yourself associated with it, and emotions and bodily sensations that accompany both. Your therapist will then have you challenge that negative cognition with a cognitive one. They will have you rate how true your positive cognition feels and how much distress the target memory causes you on a scale from 1-10.

Phase 4: Desensitization

This is where Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing comes into play. When you feel ready, your therapist will guide you to process your negative feelings and memories using bilateral eye movements to facilitate the brain’s healing process. This will help to ground you and take more directed focus on the thoughts, feelings, and images associated with your target. Every minute or so, your therapist will check in on what you’ve noticed and ask you to rate how much discomfort you’re now feeling. When you no longer report distress related to your targeted memory, you move onto the next step.

Phase 5: Installation

Next, your attention will be brought back to the positive cognition you identified earlier. Your trauma/PTSD therapist will recheck how true this belief now feels. The goal is to get this belief to feel like it’s 100 percent true.

Phase 6: Body Scan

You will now be asked to check your body for any areas of tension in your body caused by the target memory. Are your teeth clenched? Is your chest tight? Any uncomfortable physical sensations will be reprocessed using the same procedure as before until you can think of the target memory without feeling any tension.

Phase 7: Closure

At the end of every session, your trauma counselor will make sure that you are leaving feeling more relaxed than when you arrived. If you are feeling agitated, they will lead you through self-calming techniques until you regain your sense of control.

Phase 8: Reevaluation

At the beginning of each subsequent session, your therapist will ask you questions to ensure your positive beliefs have been maintained. This will also help them to identify any new problem areas that may need to be targeted.

EMDR therapy for trauma is considered a success once you are able to bring up memories of trauma without feeling the distress that brought you to therapy. Your trauma therapist will also provide you with the techniques and skills you need going forward to deal with upsetting feelings.

Techniques Used in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

At Louis Laves-Webb LCSW, LPC-S & Associates, cognitive behavioral therapy incorporates a range of evidence-based practices to help clients build new skills and gain confidence in managing challenges.

Person sitting on floor, distressed, near a scale and measuring tape in a room.

Identifying Cognitive Distortions

Clients learn to recognize thinking patterns called cognitive distortions, which often involve negative thoughts or inaccurate beliefs. Understanding these patterns is the first step toward creating positive change.

Close-up of two people sitting at a wooden table, holding hands in a comforting gesture, symbolizing support, empathy, and compassion, possibly during a moment of grief or emotional support.

Cognitive Restructuring

This technique helps clients challenge unhelpful thoughts and replace them with more balanced perspectives. Over time, this supports healthier thinking and emotional resilience.

Skill Building and Coping Strategies

CBT emphasizes developing practical coping skills that can be applied outside of sessions. These skills support self-care, emotional regulation, and stress management in everyday life.

Woman in purple sweater video chatting on laptop.

Behavioral Experiments and Practice

Clients are encouraged to practice new behaviors between sessions. This experiential approach helps reinforce learning and supports meaningful change over time.

Therapist talking to a client on a couch.

Goal Setting and Progress Tracking

CBT includes collaborative goal-setting to help clients determine priorities, track progress, and stay focused on achievable outcomes that support their lives and well-being.

 Schedule A Consultation Today

Frequently Asked Questions About Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

What is cognitive behavioral therapy CBT?



Cognitive behavioral therapy CBT is a form of behavioral therapy that focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and developing practical skills to address mental health challenges.

How many sessions will I need?



The number of sessions varies depending on the person, the challenges being addressed, and treatment goals. Your therapist will help determine an approach that fits your needs.

Is CBT a form of talk therapy?



Yes, CBT is a type of talk therapy, but it is more structured than other forms and emphasizes skill-building, goal-setting, and active participation.

Who provides CBT at Louis Laves-Webb?



CBT is offered by licensed professional counselors and therapists who are experienced in evidence-based practices and in working with adults and adolescents.

Can CBT be combined with other techniques?



Yes. CBT may be integrated with other techniques or other forms of psychotherapy, depending on the individual’s needs and goals.

If you still have questions, please feel free to give us a call: (512) 914-6635

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for LGBTQIA+ Well-Being

Mental health support should honor each person’s identity and lived experience. At Louis Laves-Webb, CBT is offered within an affirming, nonjudgmental space that supports LGBTQIA+ clients in navigating anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, trauma, and stress.

Start Your LGBTQIA+ Mindfulness Journey

Let’s Build a Better Understanding of Yourself

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Specialties

Addiction Anger/ Aggression Anxiety Autism Spectrum Children/ Adolescents Coaching & Consulting College Students Chronic Illness Couple's Therapy Depression Drug & Alcohol Assessments Eating Disorders Election Stress EMDR Trauma Therapy Family Therapy Grief Therapy Group Therapy Individual Therapy Cognitive Behavioral Therapy IFS Therapy LGBTQIA+Life Transitions Men's Issues Mindfulness PTSD Process & Behavioral Addiction Online Therapy Parenting Relationship / Intimacy Religious Trauma Sex Therapy Self-Esteem Spirituality Student Concerns Trauma Veteran's Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Austin, TX

What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

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Counseling On Your Schedule

Phase 1: History Taking

Phase 2: Preparation

Phase 3: Assessment

Phase 4: Desensitization

Phase 5: Installation

Phase 6: Body Scan

Phase 7: Closure

Phase 8: Reevaluation

How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Works

Phase 1: History Taking

Phase 2: Preparation

Phase 3: Assessment

Phase 4: Desensitization

Phase 5: Installation

Phase 6: Body Scan

Phase 7: Closure

Phase 8: Reevaluation

What to Expect During Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Phase 1: History Taking

Phase 2: Preparation

Phase 3: Assessment

Phase 4: Desensitization

Phase 5: Installation

Phase 6: Body Scan

Phase 7: Closure

Phase 8: Reevaluation

Benefits of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

What Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Can Help With

Anxiety and Anxiety Disorders

Depression and Mood Challenges

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Stress and Emotional Regulation

Relationship and Behavioral Issues

Phase 1: History Taking

Phase 2: Preparation

Phase 3: Assessment

Phase 4: Desensitization

Phase 5: Installation

Phase 6: Body Scan

Phase 7: Closure

Phase 8: Reevaluation

Techniques Used in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Identifying Cognitive Distortions

Cognitive Restructuring

Skill Building and Coping Strategies

Behavioral Experiments and Practice

Goal Setting and Progress Tracking

Frequently Asked Questions About Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

What is cognitive behavioral therapy CBT?

How many sessions will I need?

Is CBT a form of talk therapy?

Who provides CBT at Louis Laves-Webb?

Can CBT be combined with other techniques?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for LGBTQIA+ Well-Being

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