Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
What is CBT?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy also commonly known as CBT is a form of psychotherapy aimed at understanding and dealing with a patient’s beliefs so as to change the way they think and how they react to the things happening around them. CBT treatment is based on the concept that our thoughts (cognition), feelings (emotions) and actions (behavior) are all interconnected. How we think influences our feelings and determines how we act.
CBT was originally developed and is commonly used for the treatment of depression and anxiety. It, however, can be applied in the treatment of other physical and mental health problems such as eating disorders and phobias.
The History of CBT
The existence of CBT as we know it today is credited back to the psychiatrist Aaron Beck. In the 1960s while doing his psychoanalysis, Beck observed that his patients seemed to have internal dialogues during the analytical sessions but would not fully disclose to him about the conversations they had in their minds.
Through his research, he discovered that there is an important link between thoughts and feelings. Beck realized that people may not always be aware of their emotion-filled thoughts but could be taught to identify and vocalize them. Aaron Beck realized that the answer to his patients’ understanding and dealing with their problems was in identifying and reporting on their negative emotion-filled thoughts.
CBT treatment application is however not a single therapeutic technique. Rather, CBT is an umbrella term that groups a number of different therapy approaches with common elements. The most prominent approaches include:
• Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
• Rational Behavior Therapy
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy
• Rational Living Therapy
• Cognitive therapy
• Multimodal Therapy
CBT Sessions
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy treatment is a very goal-directed form of talking therapy. It helps patients deal with a specific problem, emphasizes more on current situations and does not delve so much into the past. A full course CBT treatment runs from between 5 to 20 sessions. A typical session with a therapist should take about half an hour to an hour. Here is what you can expect in CBT sessions.
- Your therapist will work with you to identify the problems you would like to address, then break each of them down into smaller parts and fit them into the categories of either thoughts, emotions or actions.
- Your therapist will work with you to identify the problems you would like to address, then break each of them down into smaller parts and fit them into the categories of either thoughts, emotions or actions.
- Next, you will help your therapist determine the effect your problems have on each other as well as on you. This will enable your therapist to identify the unrealistic or unhelpful thoughts and behavior you need to change to allow you to deal with your problems.
- You and your therapist will develop the changes you need to make and the skills to adopt. Together, create a plan on how to factor in these changes in your daily life then you will be tasked to put them into practice.
- The subsequent sessions with your therapist will be to discuss your progress, evaluate the impact the changes have made in your life and work on managing your emotions, thoughts, and behavior.
Pros of CBT
CBT treatment has the following advantages:
- Compared to other talking therapies CBT can be completed in a relatively shorter period.
- Because of its highly structured nature, CBT treatment can be offered in various formats such as self-help books, computer programs, and group sessions.
- CBT aims to equip patients with practical skills and techniques to be used in everyday life that will help you process and cope with your problems positively, even after completion of treatment.
- CBT treatment helps patients develop beliefs and attitudes that are flexible and self-empowering towards themselves, others and their environment to assist in overcoming depression and anxiety.
Cons of CBT
The success of CBT treatment is highly dependent on the patient’s ability to change their thoughts, feelings, and actions. Thus a high level of commitment is required to get the most out of the process, which not always possible for everyone.
CBT sessions mostly involve the therapist giving the patient tasks to be completed between sessions. This may be time-consuming for some patients and may slow down their progress in the treatment.
CBT Therapists at Gibson Counseling

Ida MacDonald, LPC, CMHIMP
Ida's Patient Portal / New Client Registration Read more about Ida
Location: Video Only for Texas Residents
Evaluations Offered: Health Assessment
Insurances Accepted: Cigna/Evernorth, Tricare, United Health Care (UMR, Optum, Oscar, Allsavers), Optum EAP, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Humana, Multiplan/PHCS, Aetna (NO AETNA EAP), Sendero, Self pay $110
Accepting New Clients: Yes (Video only)
Expertise: Adults, Couples, Kids (16 year and up)
- ADHD (Adult Only)
- Child and adolescent counseling (16 and up)
- Integrative Holistic Counseling
- Anger
- Anxiety
- Christian Counseling
- CBT
- Depression
- Life adjustment
- Marriage Counseling / Couples
- Premarital

Sheryl Stiffler, LMFT
Sheryl's Patient Portal / New Client RegistrationRead more about Sheryl
Location: Video Therapy for residents in Texas
Insurances Accepted: Aetna (NO AETNA EAP), BCBS, Beacon, Cigna/Evernorth (NO CIGNA EAP), Humana, Multiplan/PHCS, Sendero, Tricare, United Health Care (UMR, Oscar, Optum, Allsavers), Triwest-VA, Self pay $150
Accepting New Clients: YES (video only) Daytime availability only
Expertise: Kids (6 yr and up), Adults and Couples

Amy Venn, LCSW-S
Amy's Patient Portal / New Client Registration Read more about Amy
Location: Video Only for Texas
Insurances Accepted: Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna/Evernorth, Humana, United Health Care (UMR, Oscar, Optum, Allsavers), Multiplan/PHCS, Sendero, Triwest, Self pay $110
Accepting New Clients: NO (Video only)
Expertise: Adults and Children (12 and up), No Couples
- ADHD
- Anxiety
- Autism
- CBT
- Child and adolescent counseling (12 and up)
- Christian Counseling
- Depression
- Grief/Loss
- Life adjustment
- Solution Focused Therapy
- Mindfulness
- Trauma
- Chronic illness

David "Nathan" Evans, LPC
Nathan's Patient Portal / New Client Registration Read more about Nathan
Location: In Person and Video for Texas residents
Insurances Accepted: Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, United Health Care (UMR, Oscar, Optum, Allsavers), Multiplan/PHCS, Humana, Sendero, Self pay $150
Accepting New Clients: Yes In Person & Video
Expertise: Adults and kids over 15

Rhonda Mack, LPC
Rhonda's Patient Portal / New Client RegistrationRead more about Rhonda
Location: In person Cedar Park and Video Therapy for residents in Texas
Insurances Accepted: Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Health Care (UMR, Oscar, Optum, Allsavers), Humana, Cigna/Evernorth (no EAP), Aetna (no EAP) , Multiplan/PHCS, Sendero, Triwest-VA, Self pay $150
Accepting New Clients: NO
(Video and in person)
Expertise: Adults , Couples
- Military Veterans and/or family
- BIPOC communities (Black, Indigenous and People of Color)
- Military Sexual Trauma (MST)
- Self Esteem
- Anger
- Anxiety
- CBT
- Trauma
- Depression
- Life adjustment
- LGBTQ
- Solution Focused Therapy
- Mindfulness
- Marriage Counseling

Mary Ellen Martin, LMFT
MaryEllen's Patient Portal / New Client Registration Read more about MaryEllen
Location: In person South Round Rock and Video Therapy for residents in Texas
Insurances Accepted: United Health Care (UMR, Optum, Oscar, Allsavers), Self pay $150
Accepting New Clients: NO
Expertise: Kids (6 yrs and older), Adults

Whitney Briggs, LPC
Whitney's Patient Portal / New Client RegistrationRead more about Whitney
Location: Video Therapy for residents in Texas
Insurances Accepted: Aetna (NO AETNA EAP), Beacon Options, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna/Evernorth (NO CIGNA EAP), Humana, Multiplan/PHCS, Sendero, Tricare, United Health Care (UMR, Optum, Oscar, Allsavers) , Triwest-VA, Self pay $150
Accepting New Clients: YES (Video Only) ADULTS, COUPLES & CHILDREN OVER 12
Expertise: Adults

Kyle Dickerson, LMFT
Kyle's Patient Portal / New Client Registration Read more about Kyle
Location: In person South Round Rock and Video Therapy for residents in Texas
Insurances Accepted: Aetna, (NO AETNA EAP), Cigna/Evernorth (NO CIGNA EAP), Blue Cross Blue Shield, Humana, Multiplan/PHCS, Sendero, Tricare, United Health Care (UMR, Optum, Oscar, Allsavers) , Triwest-VA, Self pay $150
Accepting New Clients: No (no children)
(Video and in office)
Expertise: Adults and Couples
- Marriage Counseling
- Anger
- Anxiety
- CBT
- Self Esteem
- Depression
- Life adjustment
- Mindfulness
- Men's Issues
- Trauma
- Anxiety and Panic attacks
- PTSD and Trauma
- Depression
- Behavioral Issues
- Schizophrenia and Psychosis
- Bipolar
- Eating Disorders
- Addiction (e.g. porn, internet, eating ,etc)

Sally Guerra, LPC
Sally's Patient Portal / New Client Registration Read more about Sally
Location: Video Only for Texas Residents
Insurances Accepted: Aetna (NO AETNA EAP), Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna/Evernorth (NO CIGNA EAP), Humana, Multiplan/PHCS, Sendero, Tricare, United Health Care (UMR, Oscar, Optum, Allsavers), Triwest-VA, Self Pay $150
Evaluations Offered: ADD, ADHD, Mood Disorders, Anger Issues and PTSD
Accepting New Clients: YES (VIDEO ONLY)
Video only (Children age 12 and up)
Expertise: Kids (5yr and up), Adults and Couples
- Addiction
- ADHD
- Anger
- Anxiety
- CBT
- Child and adolescent counseling (12 years and older)
- Depression
- Geriatric/Elderly concerns
- LGBTQIA
- Life adjustment
- Marriage Counseling
- Mindfulness
- Solution Focused Therapy
- Trauma
- Dissociative Disorder

Danielle Linders, NCC, LPC, LCDC
Danielle's Patient Portal / New Client RegistrationRead more about Danielle
Location: In person North Round Rock and Video Therapy for residents in Texas
Insurances Accepted: Aetna (NO AETNA EAP), Beacon Options, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna/Evernorth (NO CIGNA EAP), Humana, Multiplan/PHCS, Sendero, Tricare, United Health Care (UMR, Oscar, Optum, Allsavers) , Triwest-VA, Self pay $150
Accepting New Clients: YES
Expertise: Adults -Individuals only

Eleny Guerrero Pena, LPC, LCDC
Eleny's Patient Portal / New Client RegistrationRead more about Eleny
Location: In person Cedar Park and Video Therapy for residents in Texas
Insurances Accepted: United Health Care (UMR, Oscar, Optum, Allsavers), , Self pay $150
Accepting New Clients: NO (no children)
(Video and in person)
Expertise: Adults , Couples
- Military Veterans and/or family
- BIPOC communities (Black, Indigenous and People of Color)
- Sexual Assault
- Self Esteem
- Addiction
- Anger
- Anxiety
- CBT
- Trauma-EMDR
- Depression
- Life adjustment
- LGBTQ
- Solution Focused Therapy
- Mindfulness
- Marriage Counseling-Gottman Trained

Kristi Long, LPC, LCDC
Kristi's Patient Portal / New Client Registration Read more about Kristi
Location: Video Only for Texas
Evaluations Offered: Addiction (e.g. porn, internet, eating ,etc), Anxiety and Panic attacks, Behavioral Issues, Bipolar, Depression, PTSD and Trauma, Schizophrenia and Psychosis
Insurances Accepted: Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Cigna/Evernorth (NO CIGNA EAP), United Health Care (UMR, Optum, Oscar, Allsavers), Humana, Triwest-VA, Tricare, Multiplan/PHCS, Sendero, Self pay $110
Accepting New Clients: NO (Video only)
Expertise: Adults and Adolescents (over 13 years), No couples
- ADHD
- Addiction
- Anxiety
- Anger
- Children and adolescent over 13 yrs
- Disruptive behaviors/defiant
- Self harm
- CBT
- Depression
- Grief/Loss
- Life adjustment
- Mindfulness
- Self-Esteem
- Solution Focused Therapy
- Trauma
- EMDR

Paulina Pina, LPC
Paulina's Patient Portal / New Client Registration Read more about Paulina
Location: In person North Round Rock and Video Therapy for residents in Texas
Insurances Accepted: Aetna (NO AETNA EAP), Beacon Options, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna/Evernorth (NO CIGNA EAP), Humana, Multiplan/PHCS, Sendero, Tricare, United Health Care (UMR, Optum, Oscar, Allsavers), Triwest-VA, Self pay $150
Accepting New Clients: No
Expertise:Kids (8 yrs and older), Adults and Couples

Ana "Rebeca" Ramirez, LPC
Rebeca's Patient Portal / New Client Registration Read more about Rebeca
Location: In person in Cedar Park starting February or video for Texas residents
Insurances Accepted: Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, United Health Care (UMR, Oscar, Optum, Allsavers), Multiplan/PHCS, Humana, Sendero, Triwest, Tricare, Self pay $150
Accepting New Clients: NO
Rebeca speaks both English and Spanish. Rebeca habla español.
Expertise: Adults and Children 7 and up