Evidence-based treatment that helps you identify and change the thought patterns driving addiction and mental health challenges. Used by every therapist at Valley Spring across all program levels.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most widely researched and effective forms of psychotherapy used in addiction and mental health treatment. It is built on a core principle: the way we think directly influences how we feel and behave. By identifying and restructuring negative thought patterns, CBT helps individuals develop healthier responses to stress, cravings, and emotional triggers.
At Valley Spring Recovery Center, CBT is not a specialty reserved for a single clinician -- it is a foundational modality used by every therapist on our team, in both individual and group sessions. This means that no matter which program level you are in, you will receive CBT-informed care as part of your treatment plan.
CBT is especially effective for people with co-occurring disorders -- those struggling with both substance use and mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, or PTSD. By addressing the thinking patterns that fuel both conditions, CBT creates lasting change from the inside out.
CBT follows a structured, skills-based approach that gives you practical tools to change how you think, feel, and respond to challenges.
The first phase of CBT focuses on awareness. Your therapist helps you recognize the automatic thoughts, cognitive distortions, and core beliefs that drive unhealthy behaviors. These might include catastrophizing ("everything is ruined"), all-or-nothing thinking ("if I slip once, I've failed"), or overgeneralization. At Valley Spring, this foundation is introduced in Week 1 of our Mental Health Program curriculum through dedicated CBT Introduction sessions.
Once you can identify distorted thinking, you learn to challenge it. Your therapist guides you through techniques like cognitive restructuring, thought records, and Socratic questioning to test whether your thoughts are based in reality or fueled by emotion and habit. By Week 3 of treatment, our curriculum progresses to Cognitive Flexibility -- helping you challenge distortions, examine core beliefs, and build more balanced perspectives that support recovery.
The final phase translates insight into action. You practice new behavioral strategies -- such as grounding techniques, behavioral activation, exposure exercises, and relapse prevention planning -- that replace old patterns with constructive responses. These skills become tools you carry beyond treatment, helping you navigate triggers, cravings, and stressors in everyday life with confidence and clarity.
At Valley Spring Recovery Center, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is woven into the fabric of everything we do. Unlike facilities where CBT is offered by a single specialist, every therapist on our clinical team is trained in CBT and integrates it into both individual sessions and group therapy.
This means whether you are in Partial Care, Intensive Outpatient, Virtual IOP, or our Outpatient Program, you will receive CBT-informed treatment from day one. Our dually-licensed clinicians combine CBT with complementary modalities like DBT, motivational interviewing, and trauma-focused approaches to create a treatment experience tailored to your unique needs.
Under the clinical leadership of Henry Iwuala, Clinical Director, and Dr. Michael Olla, Medical Director, our team ensures that CBT is delivered with both clinical rigor and genuine compassion -- creating a safe space for the difficult work of changing deeply held thought patterns.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has strong clinical evidence for treating a wide range of substance use and mental health disorders.
Generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and panic disorder
Major depressive disorder and persistent depressive disorder
Post-traumatic stress from trauma, abuse, or critical incidents
Alcohol, opioid, cocaine, and polysubstance addictions
Obsessive-compulsive disorder and related conditions
Mood stabilization and managing manic-depressive episodes
Attention-deficit patterns, impulsivity, and focus challenges
Emotional regulation and interpersonal relationship patterns
Disordered eating patterns and body image distortions
Simultaneous substance use and mental health conditions
CBT is not limited to a single program -- it is a core therapy modality integrated into every stage of care at Valley Spring.
Intensive daily CBT sessions address acute thought distortions. Structured curriculum introduces CBT fundamentals, thought records, and cognitive awareness during the most critical stabilization phase.
CBT deepens with cognitive flexibility work -- challenging distortions, examining core beliefs, and building restructuring skills. Group CBT sessions reinforce individual progress with peer support.
CBT continues via telehealth with real-world application. Clients practice CBT techniques in their daily environment while maintaining therapeutic support and accountability.
CBT skills become lifelong tools. Alumni access ongoing CBT-informed groups and check-ins that reinforce healthy thinking patterns and prevent relapse long after primary treatment ends.
Decades of clinical research consistently demonstrate CBT as one of the most effective therapeutic approaches for addiction and mental health treatment.
At Valley Spring, our commitment to evidence-based care means we do not simply offer CBT as an add-on -- we build treatment plans around it. Our CARF accreditation reflects our adherence to the highest standards of clinical practice, and our therapists receive ongoing training to stay current with the latest CBT research and techniques. This dedication to clinical excellence is what makes CBT at Valley Spring not just a therapy session, but a transformative experience.
Speak with our admissions team to learn how CBT can be part of your personalized recovery plan.
Whether it is your first session or your fiftieth, here is what CBT looks like at Valley Spring Recovery Center.
Your first CBT session is designed to feel safe, structured, and collaborative. You will not be asked to dive into deep emotional territory right away. Instead, your therapist will:
Most clients describe their first session as "surprisingly comfortable." Our therapists are skilled at building rapport quickly and creating a judgment-free space for honest conversation.
As treatment progresses, CBT sessions become more focused and skills-oriented. You will move from awareness into active change:
In group CBT sessions, you will also benefit from hearing how peers apply these techniques -- often gaining insights that deepen your own understanding and accelerate progress.
Our admissions team is available to answer your questions and help you get started with treatment.