Cognitive Behavioral Therapy places an emphasis on helping individuals learn to be their own therapists. Through exercises in the session as well as take home exercises, patients are helped to develop coping skills, whereby they can learn to change their own thinking, problematic emotions and behavior. CBT therapists emphasize what is going on in the person's current life, rather than what has led up to their difficulties. Information about the patient’s history is needed, but the focus is primarily on moving forward in time to develop more effective ways of coping with life.