About Chico CBT | Chico Center for Cognitive Behavior Therapy

Psychological Services

Hello and welcome! I’m Joel Minden, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist (CA License: PSY27859) in Chico, CA. I provide cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for individuals with anxiety, depression, and relationship problems.

Below I share information about the services I offer, along with some details about my background and credentials.

If you’d like to read about my practice and policies, please take a look at the frequently asked questions page. You can also contact me for a free 20-minute consultation if you’re interested in learning whether we might work well together.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)

CBT is an evidence-based treatment offered in the context of a collaborative, supportive, and nonjudgmental therapeutic relationship. For some problems, CBT is an effective alternative to medication. It may also be combined with medical treatment to manage psychological symptoms.

Research has demonstrated that CBT is an effective treatment for anxiety and related disorders, major and chronic depression, anger, general stress, sleeping problems, eating disordered behavior, and chronic pain.

joel-minden — Joel Minden, PhD, Psychologist

Treatment Approach

One of the goals of CBT is to help you become skilled at examining your beliefs that lead to emotional and behavioral problems. Through experience and over time, patterns of negative thinking can become automatic and difficult to notice. CBT is a short-term, solution-oriented approach designed to help people identify, challenge, and change unrealistic ways of thinking.

CBT is not “the power of positive thinking.” Most of us recognize that thinking good thoughts is not always helpful, particularly if we try to convince ourselves that good things will happen and they don’t. In addition, CBT is not designed for you to take on the values of your therapist.

Instead, CBT sessions focus on how to think about yourself, your relationships, and your future in more realistic and useful ways. We’ll also create plans for you to change your behavior to overcome challenges, improve your mood, and give you a sense of accomplishment. Sessions are structured collaboratively to help you make decisions and lifestyle choices that prepare you for life satisfaction and fulfillment.

Health Promotion

I have a health-focused approach to treatment. In addition to symptom management, I help clients who wish to improve their diet, exercise, sleeping, and social behaviors. Health behavior change leads to greater optimism, confidence, competence, and stress management. It can be difficult to change negative patterns of thinking, but making lifestyle and other behavioral changes first or at the same time can make the process much easier.

I enjoy working with a range of individuals with diverse goals, including reducing emotional distress, experiencing greater life satisfaction, improving relationships, making healthy lifestyle decisions, and enhancing competitive, academic, and vocational performance.

For Athletes and Performers

Athletes, dancers, musicians, and other performing artists recognize the importance of focused physical training to perform at the highest level. Elite performers know that psychological skills are just as important. I offer sport psychology consulting to help you manage arousal, anxiety, and distractibility when high-level performance is essential. Learn more here.

About Me

In addition to my work at the Chico Center for Cognitive Behavior Therapy, I’m a lecturer in the psychology department at California State University, Chico, where I teach courses in abnormal psychology, personality psychology, sport and exercise psychology, wellness, and community health promotion.

I also have an ongoing blog at Psychology Today called CBT and Me: An Evidence-Based Approach to Personal Health, where I write about using the principles of CBT in your day-to-day life.

My Credentials