CBT In Action: From Avoidance To Breakthrough

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Working as a health coach, I’ve had the chance to go through the same CBT-based courses we offer to clients. Those lessons haven’t just shaped how I coach—they’ve transformed my own understanding of CBT for wellness.

💡 What Is CBT?

Cognitive Behavioral Training (CBT) helps people recognize how thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are connected, so they can make better choices and build lasting habits.

Facing Triggers Builds Strength

For a long time, I believed wellness meant avoiding temptation altogether. But one of the biggest mindset shifts came from using CBT: the idea that true growth happens when we face our triggers, not avoid them.

It’s not about never seeing ice cream. It’s about seeing it and choosing what aligns with your goals. That shift from avoidance to empowerment has been game changing.

It’s taught me that resilience is built not in isolation, but in real-world moments where we practice control, awareness, and self-compassion.

Balance Over Perfection

Person balancing on a guardrail during a fall day, representing CBT for wellness through balance and mindful decision-making.

Another powerful shift has been moving away from “all or nothing” thinking. Wellness isn’t about being perfect, it’s about being consistent, aware, and flexible.

I’ve learned it’s okay to enjoy something without guilt. What matters isn’t one moment—it’s the habits, intentions, and frequency behind our choices. That mindset makes health feel a lot more human.

Coaching from Experience

The tools we use in our coaching programs aren’t just for clients. CBT for wellness has helped me grow, too. And I carry these lessons with me every day, both in my own wellbeing and in how I support others.

Curious how CBT could support your wellness goals? You can explore Avidon’s platform for free and see what it’s like to use the same tools we share with clients.

Author

  • Kowalski Headshot

    Brittany Kowalski was one of the very first Nationally Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coaches in the country and earned her original certification through the University of Delaware’s Graduate program.While sports medicine was her first passion, she became drawn to preventative approaches with her patients and threw herself into learning ways to help motivate people to manage and prevent chronic diseases. Her diverse experiences as a health promotion specialist including diabetes lifestyle coaching, mental health initiatives, and even laughter therapy programs, have allowed her to walk beside and help guide people on their wellness journeys. Over her career, she has been sought out as an expert in the field of Health Coaching including speaking opportunities for the American Diabetes Association, the Medical Affairs Professionals Global Conference, Rutgers University, American College of Preventative Medicine, and the National Wellness Conference.In addition to her work as a clinician, she has also helped to initiate health coaching programs in various large-scale hospitals across the nation with focuses on cardiometabolic, pulmonary, bariatric, and physical therapy.

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