Cognitive Behavior Therapy

Concepts of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

• A collaborative relationship between the therapist and client
• Psychological distress is a function of disturbances in thinking processes
• A focus on changing thoughts to produce desired changes in affect and behavior
• A present centered and time-limited focus
• An active and directive stance by the therapist
• An educational treatment that focuses on specific and structured target problems
• The client must play an active role in the therapeutic process
• Strong emphasis on "homework"

Important Figures

Albert Ellis (1913-2007)

Founder of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy 

Aaron Beck (1921- present)

Founder of Cognitive Therapy

Donald Meichenbaum (1940 - present)

Founder of Cognitive Behavior Modification

Goals Of Each Approach

  Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy 

• To teach clients how to change their dysfunctional emotions and behaviors into healthy ones.
• To assist in the process of achieving unconditional self acceptance (USA) and unconditional other acceptance (UOA) and how these are interrelated.
• Utilization of the A-B-C framework to understand the client's feelings, thoughts, events, and behavior.

 

Cognitive Therapy

• To provide symptom relief
• Providing assistance in resolving the client's most pressing problems
• Teaching clients relapse prevention strategies

Cognitive Behavior Modification

• Focus on changing the clients self-verbalizations
• Helping clients become aware of their self-talk and the stories they tell about themselves
• The client must notice how they think, feel, and behave and the impact that this has on others before their behavior can change.

Techniques of Each Approach

 

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy 

Cognitive Methods 

• Disputing irrational beliefs
• Doing cognitive homework
• Bibliotherapy 
• Changing one's language
• Psychoeducational methods

Emotive Techniques

• Rational emotive imagery
• Humor
• Role playing
• Shame attacking exercises

Behavioral Techniques

• Operant conditioning
• Self-management principles
• Systematic desensitization
• Relaxation techniques
• Modeling
• Behavioral homework assignments

Cognitive Therapy

• Focus on identifying and examining beliefs, the origin of the beliefs, and modification of these beliefs if the client can not support them.
• Activity scheduing
• Behavioral experiments
• Skills training
• Role playing
• Behavioral rehearsal
• Exposure therapy
• Examination of automatic thoughts
• Education on the process of magnification and minimization of thinking

Cognitive Behavior Modification

• Self observation
• Starting a new internal dialogue
• Learning new skills
• Stress Inoculation Training
• Incorporation of the constructivist narrative perspective

References:

 Corey, Gerald (2012). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy. 9th ed.

      Belmont,California: Brooks/Cole. (pp.288-324).