CBT
CBT therapy in Orange County
Enhance provides the CBT therapy Orange County residents use to notice the thoughts behind depression, anxiety and substance use, then test whether they're accurate.
(714) 862-19074.9 from 448 Google reviews
Clinically reviewed by Christina Khouie, MA, LMFT, our founder, on September 30, 2026. Enhance is accredited by The Joint Commission and certified by the California Department of Health Care Services.
Check your coverage
Send us three details and we’ll check what your plan covers, then call you back.
How CBT works
What is cognitive behavioral therapy?
NIMH describes cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, as a structured talk therapy that teaches you to notice unhelpful thought patterns and change how you respond.
Your therapist works with you on specific goals, such as sleeping better or drinking less, and you practice new skills between sessions.
We use CBT therapy for mental health conditions and substance use disorders at every level of care.
How thoughts lead to actions
A situation triggers an automatic thought, the thought leads to a feeling, and the feeling leads to an action. CBT helps you see each step so you can respond differently.
Changing the thought
In cognitive restructuring, you write the thought down and ask whether another explanation could be true. Then you try a different action and notice what happens.
The number of sessions you need depends on your condition and your level of care, and your therapist works that out with you.
Where it is used
Cognitive behavioral therapy at each level of care
Our therapists in Orange County use CBT at every level of care, including inpatient, partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP), outpatient, and virtual care.
Inpatient
- Where you sleep
- On site, with clinical staff
- How much of your week
- All of it
- Who it suits
- Needs more than a day program
- What usually comes next
- PHP
Partial hospitalization (PHP)
- Where you sleep
- At home
- How much of your week
- Most of each day
- Who it suits
- Can sleep at home safely
- What usually comes next
- IOP
Intensive outpatient (IOP)
- Where you sleep
- At home
- How much of your week
- Part of the week
- Who it suits
- Keeping up work or school
- What usually comes next
- Outpatient
Outpatient
- Where you sleep
- At home
- How much of your week
- Regular sessions
- Who it suits
- Doing well with therapy
- What usually comes next
- Ongoing care
DBT and REBT are related therapies, and your therapist may use either one alongside CBT.
In session
What happens in a CBT session
In a CBT session, you and your therapist work on practical skills that you keep practicing between sessions.
- You name an automatic thought instead of treating it as a fact.
- You list the evidence for that thought and the evidence against it.
- You try a small step you have been avoiding and talk about how it went.
- You get a short task to practice before your next session.
- You and your therapist focus on one problem at a time.
CBT may not be the right fit if
- You are in crisis and need a safety plan first.
- You want open-ended talk without any practice.
- You need a method such as EMDR for a trauma memory.
If there is immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. For a mental health crisis, call or text 988.
How we deliver CBT therapy
CBT is one part of your treatment plan, and a licensed therapist uses it in each of these settings.
Individual therapy
One-to-one sessions with a licensed therapist, where you set goals and work through your own thought patterns.
Group therapy
Groups led by a licensed therapist, where you practice CBT skills out loud with other people in the program.
Medication management
A licensed psychiatrist prescribes medication when it is part of your plan, and CBT continues alongside it.
Dual diagnosis care
If you have a mental health condition and a substance use disorder, CBT is part of one plan that treats both.
Teen outpatient care
Teens with anxiety or ADHD can learn CBT skills in our online outpatient care.
Virtual care
Our virtual programs include CBT by video, for people who can safely receive their care at home.
What it treats
Conditions CBT is used for
We use CBT therapy to treat a range of mental health conditions and addictions, including when you have both at once.
What happens when you call
See what happens when you call admissions or send us the form.
You call, or send the form
You tell admissions what is happening and whether you think CBT might fit.
We check your benefits
With your permission, we contact your insurer and find out what your plan covers.
You hear what it means
Admissions explains your deductible, your copay and which level of care your plan supports, in plain terms.
You decide
If you want to go ahead, admissions walks you through what happens next.
Benefits vary from plan to plan, and checking them does not guarantee coverage.
(714) 862-1907Cost and coverage
Does insurance pay for CBT therapy?
What you pay depends on your deductible, your copay and the level your insurer approves. Admissions checks your benefits with the insurer and tells you the figures before you decide anything.
We're in network with most insurance plans. If your plan isn't listed, call us and we'll check it for you.
Some plans we accept
- Ambetter
- MHN
- CalPERS
- Covered California
Common questions about cognitive behavioral therapy
If your question is not answered here, call admissions at (714) 862-1907.
What is the five-minute rule in CBT?
It is a technique some therapists use when you keep putting a task off. You work on the task for five minutes, then decide whether to keep going.
What can CBT treat?
We use CBT for depression, anxiety disorders, ADHD, trauma, eating disorders and alcohol or drug use, including when two of these happen together.
What happens in a first CBT session?
Your therapist asks about your symptoms and what you want to change, and together you agree on a few goals for treatment.
How many CBT sessions will I need?
It depends on you and your level of care. A course of CBT is often measured in weeks rather than years, and your therapist will talk with you about the plan.
What are common CBT techniques?
Common techniques include cognitive restructuring, thought records, behavioral experiments, and gradual practice with situations you have been avoiding.
Why do CBT therapists give homework?
Practicing between sessions is how a new response becomes a habit, so your therapist gives you short tasks and reviews them with you.
Can CBT be part of addiction treatment?
Yes. In addiction treatment, CBT helps you notice the thoughts that lead to using and practice a different response. Admissions helps you decide separately whether you need detox and which level of care fits.
How is cognitive behavioral therapy different from DBT or REBT?
DBT adds skills for strong emotions that rise quickly, and it was first developed for borderline personality disorder. REBT focuses on the rigid beliefs behind your thoughts. Your plan may use more than one of these therapies.
How is CBT used in PHP and IOP?
In partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient care, CBT is used in individual and group therapy, alongside the rest of your treatment plan.
Do I need to live in Orange County for CBT?
No. In-person care takes place in Orange County, and our virtual programs include CBT by video. Admissions confirms whether virtual care fits where you live.
Does insurance cover CBT?
CBT is usually billed as part of your level of care, not as a separate service. Admissions checks your plan and explains your deductible and copay.
Ask admissions whether CBT therapy fits your treatment
Call and describe the problem you want to work on. Admissions will explain which level of care fits and whether CBT will be part of your plan.
Enhance Health Group14742 Newport Ave STE 208, Tustin, CA 92780