This is how talking to a therapist actually changes your brain

Most people who’ve gone to therapy will tell you it’s a godsend, but a new study showing physical improvements to the brain after seeing a therapist might just convince the skeptics out there.

The study by researchers King’s College London shows that six months of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) strengthens connections in the brain (between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex, to be exact) which can lead to a significant decrease in psychosis.

In short: Therapy strengthens your brain and helps with recovery from mental illnesses. BAM. Science.

CBT is a therapy technique used quite often by psychologists that helps patients recognize unhealthy thought patterns, and work to replace them with healthier ones.

“CBT helps people learn new ways of thinking about and responding to their difficulties, Dr. Liam Mason, the study's lead author, said. “What we think makes it effective is that people can take the tools they have learned and practiced in therapy, and then continue to use them long after the therapy has ended.

All the more reason to pick up the phone and schedule that appointment you’ve been considering.