By Mridula Baurai, Intern, APC
CBT as a Career for Youth
Cognitive behavioural therapy is a short-term and structured therapy used to treat mental
health issues by focusing on problem solving and targeting dysfunctional thoughts and behaviours.
In a society where mental health concerns are increasing, it is important to equip ourselves
with a workforce that can deal with these concerns adeptly. While there are several therapies that
are commonly used in psychotherapy, why should CBT be a choice for the upcoming youth aspiring
to pursue psychology? To keep it simple, it is because CBT is an evidence based therapy. There has
been a lot of research in the past and several ongoing, which point to the empirical evidence show
casing the effectiveness of CBT for several disorders. Not only is CBT showing results for the
treatment of mental health disorders, but it can also be used for self-development which is some
thing we can all invest in as individuals for better personal and professional functioning.
CBT can be an effective tool when working as a clinical psychologist, a counsellor, a social
worker, a psychiatrist, a nurse or even as a teacher. As mental health professionals, an essential
point to keep in mind is that specialising in one therapy can really help understand what works and
what doesn’t for your client. When using an eclectic approach, it might be difficult to single out the
same. As CBT is an evidence based approach, it make this identification process simpler.
As per the Beck Institute, an article from Kiplinger website named CBT as the 13th most
promising career choice in the coming decade. While this article dates back to the year 2010, in a
country like India where mental health and related services are still catching up, becoming a CBT
therapist can be quite promising. CBT is an approach that can be applied to various settings for the
self and others.
By Mridula Baurai, Intern, APC