What is Cognitive Behavioral Theory (CBT)?
Developed by Aaron Beck in the 1960s, CBT relies on the cognitive triad also seen as an ABC system. This is the idea that an activating event (A) plus a belief (B) equals a consequence (C).
The cognitive approach believes that mental illness is rooted in faulty cognitions about others, our world and us. This faulty thinking may be through cognitive deficiencies (lack of planning) or cognitive distortions (processing information inaccurately). These cognitions cause distortions in the way we see things.