Why One-Size-Fits-All CBT Doesn’t Work—And How We Do It Differently at Compassionate Counseling St. Louis
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most researched and effective treatments for anxiety, but not all CBT is created equal.
If you’ve been to therapy before and felt like you were just given worksheet after worksheet—or if you’ve read posts online about how CBT is too rigid or invalidating—you’re not alone. Many people worry that CBT is a blanket approach that doesn’t take their unique experiences into account.
At Compassionate Counseling St. Louis, we believe CBT should never be a one-size-fits-all solution.
Image Credit: Unsplash Taylor Heery @taylorheeryphoto
Instead, we tailor therapy to each child, teen, or young adult we work with at Compassionate Counseling St. Louis. Our therapists use CBT in a way that makes sure our clients thoughts, emotions, and experiences are truly heard.
We integrate CBT St. Louis techniques with other evidence-based approaches, such as play-informed therapy, ACT, and RO-DBT, to create a plan that actually works for you or your child.
The Problem with “Bad” CBT
Some therapists, including the burned out ones; the new ones to the field; the ones that don’t have the time, energy or space; can rely too heavily on worksheets and repetitive exercises. While structured interventions can be helpful, CBT isn’t meant to be a rigid checklist. Therapy shouldn’t feel like schoolwork, and your therapist shouldn’t just tell you to “think differently” without understanding the deeper issues at play.
If CBT has felt unhelpful in the past, it might be because it wasn’t tailored to you. Here’s how we approach things differently at Compassionate Counseling St. Louis:
How We Do CBT Differently
✅ CBT Without the Guilt or Judgment – Thoughts aren’t “bad” or “wrong.” At Compassionate Counseling St. Louis, we don’t believe in labeling thoughts as negative or telling kids and teens they need to “fix” their thinking. Instead, we use CBT to help them explore the connection between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors—without shame.
✅ CBT That Adjusts to Your Needs – Some kids love structured tools, while others feel exhausted by worksheets. We adjust how we teach CBT principles based on what actually works for you or your child, whether that’s through conversation, play-based approaches, or hands-on strategies.
✅ CBT That Looks Beyond Just the Symptoms – If therapy only focuses on surface-level worries without addressing underlying anxiety, trauma, or stress, it won’t create lasting change. That’s why we take the time to fully understand what’s going on beneath the behaviors.
✅ CBT That Tracks Real Progress – Every week, we check in with parents and track progress using evidence-based outcome measures. You won’t be left wondering if therapy is working or not—we’ll have clear indicators of the growth and improvement that is happening.
The Right CBT Can Make a Difference
When CBT is done well, it doesn’t feel like a set of rigid steps—it feels like relief. Parents often tell us they notice their child:
Feeling more in charge of their emotions, rather than overwhelmed by them.
Reacting differently in stressful situations, with fewer outbursts or shutdowns.
Learning how to manage anxiety in ways that actually make sense to them.
Building confidence in handling their thoughts and behaviors, rather than feeling stuck in a loop of frustration and self-doubt.
If past therapy experiences have left you frustrated, unmoved, or even harmed, or if you’re worried about whether CBT can actually help, let’s talk. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to see how we personalize CBT St. Louis therapy to fit your child’s needs. We’re here to make sure therapy works for you—not the other way around.
Curious to learn more about how CBT can help with anxiety and anxiety-driven anger? Reach out to us at hello@compassionatecounselingstl.com. As child anxiety experts, we love working with kids, teens, college students and parents to help manage their anxiety, stress, and anger. Compassionate Counseling St. Louis is located in Clayton, MO and works with families by offering both in-person counseling and online therapy throughout St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Ladue, University City, Town and Country, Webster Groves, Creve Couer, Kirkwood, Richmond Heights, and Brentwood. We also provide online therapy Missouri -wide to teens and college students. You can set up your first free consult on this website, on our consultation page.
