Aaron Brinen
Welcome to Recover with CBT! I’m Dr. Aaron Brinen, psychologist, co-creator of Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy (CT-R), and author of Living Well with Psychosis.
This channel shares mental health support, CBT strategies, and recovery tools for:
đź’™ Individuals living with psychosis, anxiety, depression, or other challenges
đź’™ Families and loved ones learning how to support recovery
đź’™ Providers seeking practical, evidence-based approaches
Here you’ll find videos on psychosis recovery, cognitive behavioral therapy, coping skills, and family guidance—all designed to reduce stigma, build resilience, and make recovery possible.
Subscribe for hope, tools, and a community focused on mental health recovery with CBT.
Aaron Brinen
Do you call yourself a procrastinator?
What if it’s not laziness—but a pattern your brain learned?
Tomorrow's video breaks down the “Pause Button” and how it keeps you stuck in cycles of avoidance and stress.
More importantly, I share 3 simple ways to break the cycle.
Let me know in the comments—what’s something you’ve been putting off?
1 month ago | [YT] | 6
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Aaron Brinen
Do you call yourself a procrastinator?
What if it’s not laziness—but a pattern your brain learned?
Tomorrow, I will post a video breaking down the “Pause Button” and how it keeps you stuck in cycles of avoidance and stress.
More importantly, I share 3 simple ways to break the cycle.
Let me know in the comments—what’s something you’ve been putting off?
1 month ago | [YT] | 2
View 0 replies
Aaron Brinen
Struggling with motivation or feeling stuck?
Tomorrow, I'm posting a quick Short on a simple framework I use all the time with clients:
👉 The Five Ways to Well-Being
It’s a practical way to build momentum when energy, confidence, or connection are low.
Curious—which one do you already do regularly?
• Connect
• Be Active
• Keep Learning
• Give
• Take Notice
Or which one do you want to work on?
1 month ago | [YT] | 3
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Aaron Brinen
Most people try to calm anxiety by taking a deep breath.
But that actually activates the fight-or-flight system.
In today’s video I share a simple breathing technique that helps your nervous system slow down instead.
It only takes about 60 seconds to practice.
If stress sometimes feels like it’s dialed up to 11, this one is worth trying.
2 months ago | [YT] | 4
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Aaron Brinen
🚨 New Clinical Bites drops tomorrow!
Have you ever had a session that felt great… but you weren’t sure how to turn it into real change?
Tomorrow, I’m breaking down a simple 5-step method to turn everyday activities—like walking, music, or even a cup of coffee—into powerful cognitive restructuring opportunities.
This is one of the biggest shifts in recovery-oriented cognitive therapy:
👉 Don’t just engage—create learning.
If you’re a clinician, this will give you a practical way to maximize every moment in session without adding complexity.
And if you’re a family member or individual, it’ll give you a clearer window into how therapy actually works.
⏰ Drops tomorrow
🔔 Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss it
Curious—what’s one activity you’ve used (or seen used) that led to a breakthrough?
2 months ago | [YT] | 5
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Aaron Brinen
New video drops tomorrow.
This one is for providers AND families.
We need to talk about how quickly we label families as:
“Codependent.”
“Enmeshed.”
“Enabling.”
Are we helping… or are we pushing families out of the treatment team?
If you work in mental health — or love someone with serious mental illness — you won’t want to miss this.
Tomorrow.
2 months ago | [YT] | 5
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Aaron Brinen
Ever feel like your mind just won’t turn off?
Worry. Overthinking. Trouble sleeping. Stress.
Tomorrow I’m sharing one of my favorite grounding techniques that helps bring your mind back to the present moment using something you always have with you: your five senses.
It’s simple, practical, and you can do it almost anywhere.
Watch for the video Today at 1PM CST.
2 months ago | [YT] | 2
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Aaron Brinen
One of the most common things I hear in supervision or consultation is:
“I don’t understand why my client keeps doing that.”
When that happens, the answer usually isn’t a new intervention.
It’s better understanding.
In the newest episode of Dr. Brinen’s Clinical Bites, I walk through one of the most useful tools in cognitive behavioral therapy:
Chain Analysis (Functional Analysis).
This simple framework helps clinicians:
• Understand the sequence behind behavior
• uncover thoughts, emotions, and triggers
• build stronger case conceptualizations
• collaborate with clients instead of guessing interventions
It’s also something many clients deeply appreciate—because the process shows them they are truly being listened to.
If you train clinicians, supervise therapists, or practice CBT, I hope this walkthrough is useful.
2 months ago | [YT] | 4
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Aaron Brinen
Many families ask me what to do when a loved one won’t come out of their room.
In my last video, I introduced the Ring & Run technique to help break through isolation.
But a viewer pointed out something important:
You can’t just try it once.
In tomorrow's video, I talk about why consistency and persistence are the key to making this approach work—and how to look for the small sparks that eventually lead to real change.
If you’re supporting someone living with psychosis or schizophrenia, this one is for you.
3 months ago | [YT] | 5
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Aaron Brinen
New video tomorrow đź‘€
If voices ever feel like they come and go whenever they want… I’m sharing a simple technique that many people use to lower the intensity and get back to living their life.
It’s called “Look, Point, Name.”
Quick. Practical. You can use it anywhere.
See you tomorrow.
— Dr. Aaron Brinen
3 months ago | [YT] | 4
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