The behavioral approaches to counseling focus on an individual's actions, whereby the counselor aims to change the undesirable behaviors by offering rewards, desensitization as well as reinforcement of the desired characters (Kabir, 2017). The approach to therapy is built on the belief that behaviors are learned through experiences, thus, easily reconditioned without necessarily having to analyze one's past to understand the cause of the behaviors (Kabir, 2017). The behavioral approaches are efficient in solving the obsessive and compulsive behaviors, addictions, phobias, and fears.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) combines both cognitive and behavioral therapies. According to Rector (2010), the CBT approach works towards helping people change the negative beliefs, thoughts patterns, and behaviors to help manage the symptoms to lead less stressful lives, which are more productive. The CBT is a form of Psychotherapeutic treatment that works towards ensuring the patients understand the various feelings and thoughts influencing certain behaviors (Rector, 2010). On the other hand, the REBT approach basis its ideas on the concept that a person's behaviors and emotions originate from their cognitive processes, therefore one is capable of modifying the procedures to feel and behave differently (Turner, 2016).
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The CBT and REBT are both cognitive-behavioral therapies, which are built on the ideas that human emotions and behaviors result from what they think or believe concerning the world in general, others, and themselves (Hyland & Bouduszek, 2012). The two affirm that human emotions and behaviors do not only depend on events but also beliefs, ideas, attitudes, and thoughts. They aim to change what people believe concerning the situations they face, which influences their behaviors and feelings.
Both CBT and REBT employ various skill training techniques including personal relating and assertion training. However, the two differ on the philosophical emphasis, whereby in CBT, cognitive functions are the focus and it omits the specific philosophical grounds (Hyland & Bouduszek, 2012). According to Hyland and Bouduszek (2012), REBT emphasizes that people are born and reared as philosophers, who create meanings, are natural scientists, and utilize their rational means to predict the future. Therefore, REBT aims to help people create profound philosophical change with the ability to manipulate their future as well as their present feelings.
CBT aims to remove symptoms to have behavioral and deep-seated emotional changes (Rector, 2010). However, CBT may not always achieve a psychological new set to enable their patients to get relieved and feel better in their presenting symptoms. However, REBT works towards developing people with new philosophies on self-direction, self-interest, self-tolerance, flexible, risk-takers, acceptors of uncertainty, and people who are committed to their crucial interest (Hyland & Bouduszek, 2012). The REBT is built on the idea that if people develop a philosophical changed perspective they are unlikely to create emotional problems in the present and future situations (Turner, 2016).
The disputing techniques between CBT and REBT are different. Hyland and Bouduszek (2012) explain that CBT incorporates various cognitive techniques such as cognitive distraction, teaching coping self-statements, thought to stop, problem-solving, and many others. However, REBT employs mainly the technique of therapist’s continuous debating with the patient's irrational thinking (Kabir, 2017). The therapist in REBT teaches their clients how to self -dispute and self-debate to internalize the challenging, questioning, and the skeptical method to utilize it in surrendering their present and future absolute cognitions (Hyland & Bouduszek, 2012). From the analyzes of the two techniques, one understands that CBT is mainly concerned with the elimination of the presented symptoms of an individual. While, REBT is based on science and philosophy, which tries to understand and respect human beings as creators hence, their technique is built upon helping people or guiding them in the self-disputation and debating to internalize the technique and apply it in the present and future cognitions.
In counseling sessions, I would adopt the REBT approach, which requires my direct and active role in teaching and correcting the patient’s cognitions. The approach is simply the best as it works towards helping clients understand that their wants and wishes are not always to be met (Kabir, 2017). Helping people appropriate emotional responses to certain events and situations is key to having emotional wellbeing. Therefore, my aim as a counselor is to help people tolerate and accept themselves, and the REBT approach, which is scientific, aligns with my approach in counseling hence, the best choice.
References
Hyland, P., & Boduszek, D. (2012). Resolving a difference between cognitive therapy and rational emotive behavior therapy: Towards the development of an integrated CBT model of psychopathology. Mental Health Review Journal , 17 (2), 104-116.
Kabir, S. M., (2017), Counselling Approaches. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325844296_
Rector, N. A., (2010) Cognitive-behavioral therapy: an information guide. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health https://www.camh.ca/-/media/files/guides-and-publications/cbt-guide-en.pdf?la=en&hash=BDA5FF472AA16E82C6AAE307EBCD3BE50347FBFE
Turner, M. J. (2016). Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT), irrational and rational beliefs, and the mental health of athletes. Frontiers in psycholo gy , 7 , 1423.
