A form of psychotherapy designed to replace distorted or inappropriate ways of thinking with healthy, more realistic thoughts to alter maladaptive moods and behavior. It is instructional in approach and is based on the theory that thoughts (not external influences such as people, situations, and events) cause feelings and behaviors. Patients learn to identify the thinking that causes the negative feelings and behaviours and then learn how to replace that thinking with thoughts that lead to more desirable feelings and behaviors.