The Cognitive-Behavioral Model

What is the ‘cognitive-behavioral’ approach?

The cognitive-behavioral model helps us understand our well-being and behavior. It has received strong support in research for many years. The model looks at how ‘internal’ events such as our thoughts and feelings affect our behavior. Our thoughts, feelings and behaviors each strongly impact one another. The Craving Change^® program is based on this cognitive-behavioral approach as it relates to our eating behaviors.

Learn more about the cognitive-behavioral model with our ‘eating iceberg’ example.

The physical act of eating is an action or behavior. It is something we can see someone doing. Let’s compare eating to an iceberg.

An iceberg looks like a little island of frozen snow floating in the ocean. It’s big. However, under the surface of the water lies a much, much bigger chunk of ice. In fact, almost 90% of the iceberg is under the water where we can’t see it.

Think of the visible part of the iceberg as your eating behavior. This would be what, when and how much you’re eating. Take a look at the iceberg diagram above. Imagine that you’re a busy parent with young children. You find yourself eating ice cream in the evening. This is your eating behavior. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Beneath your eating behavior lie the answers to ‘why’ you’re eating the ice cream. This is what you can’t see. It’s what is going on in your mind.

Beneath your eating iceberg are thoughts (green quotations) and emotions (blue font). Thoughts and feelings that you are likely not aware of at the time. Yet, what you’re thinking and how you’re feeling can have a powerful effect on what you’re eating.

Become more successful at changing your eating by changing what’s going on under the tip of the iceberg. The Craving Change^® cognitive-behavioral approach will help you become more aware of your eating triggers. It will then teach you how to deal with these triggers to help you better manage your eating.