According to Division 12 of the American Psychological Association (the Division of Clinical Psychology of the APA), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is
a form of psychological treatment that has been demonstrated to be effective for a range of problems including depression, anxiety disorders, alcohol and drug use problems, marital problems, eating disorders, and severe mental illness
CBT was developed based on both extensive scientific research and clinical experience.  It is the most widely researched approach to psychotherapy, and this research has found CBT to be as effective as, or more effective than, other forms of psychological and psychiatric treatment.   Many experts consider CBT to be the “gold standard” for psychotherapy