Techniques Used By Therapists
The person-centered theory is one of the most commonly used approaches in therapy. This method focuses on the client as the main agent of change. The approach reveals to the client that they have the resources they need to grow and make a positive turn in their life.
Rational emotive behavior therapy and cognitive behavior therapy are slightly different approaches to person-centered therapy, but both focus on showing that the client has the potential to change the distress they are going through (Wong, 2017). Cognitive behavior theory looks to prove that the distress undergone by the client is as a result of a mixture of the events happening in the client’s life and the perception of the client to those events. The theory focuses on changing how the client currently evaluates these events or how they can view the consequences of these events differently (McKay et al., 2015).
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The A – B – Cs are used as a tool for evaluating the client in the cognitive behavioural therapy model. “A” represents the actual event which initiates the distress faced by the client. “B” represents the beliefs or assumptions made by the client, which reveal how they interpret the events they face in their lives. “C” represents the consequences of distress in the life of the client.
What the Session Would Look Like
The effectiveness of a counseling session usually depends on two factors, the client’s needs and the approach used by the counselor to address them. The skeleton structure for an ideal counseling session was set up by Cormier and Hackney in 1987, who indicated that counseling is a five-step process: Building a relationship between the counselor and the client, assessment and realization of the problem, setting counseling goals, making interventions to solve the problems stated, termination of the counseling session and follow up (Cuijpers et al., 2016).
I would initiate the counseling session by welcoming the client in a courteous way and welcoming them to a seat. Then I would introduce myself and allow Jessica to introduce herself as well. I would use a gentle, empathic, and understanding tone to help her feel comfortable and also to give an impression that I will not be judgmental. Then I would ask instinctively how I may be of service to her, and sequentially give her time to explain what situations or events put her in a position of distress.
I would introduce the counseling model that we would be using during the counseling sessions as the cognitive behavior therapy module and highlight briefly what the theory entails. I would then ask some questions to help her identifying and list the actual events that may have triggered the challenges she is facing, followed by the irrational beliefs which she has or might have developed over time as a result of the events that are going on in her life. For example, the beliefs that she should always feel happy and in control of her emotions, that if she needs the approval of almost everyone else to feel complete, that people will not accept her if she has flaws, that the past is completely important and she should remain as she previously was. Lastly, I would prompt her to highlight some of the consequences that she may face or is already facing as a result of her current distress. Wes would assess how the consequences are affecting her present life, what could be possible repercussions of those consequences in the near future and how failure to correct them would impact her future life.
The intervention would focus on showing why the beliefs she is experiencing may be irrational. Especially by helping her appreciate the important role that she currently plays, by appreciating what she has and how much she has already achieved to date. As part of the discussion, I would prompt her to discover ways of identifying a way to visualize the distress she feels like a challenge and come up with potential ways to solve the challenges rather than develop related beliefs.
Some limitations of the theory include the fact that the patient has to dedicate herself to the therapy regardless of how well the therapist may advise. Also, this theory may not be as effective for people with more complex needs as it has a structured nature. The cognitive behavior theory focuses on the client’s ability to transform the situation they are facing but does not specifically address the wider challenges which significantly contribute to the client’s distress.
What makes cognitive behavior therapy effective is the structured nature of the process, which allows it to be used for individuals and groups of even crisis intervention. It also allows the therapy to be more individualized; hence, the client addresses specific challenges that they are facing, making it easier for the therapist to integrate and advice (Cuijpers et al., 2016). Focusing on the client during therapy often proves to be more culturally sensitive as the clients seek to solve the distress as at hand with regard to the society around them. To address this population of clients, the therapist would have to be empathetic and unconditionally have positive regard towards the client’s feelings to avoid making any judgments. Also, the therapist needs to develop congruence with the client. The therapist has to focus on what is right with the client.
References
Cuijpers, P., Cristea, I. A., Karyotaki, E., Reijnders, M., & Huibers, M. J. (2016). How effective are cognitive behavior therapies for major depression and anxiety disorders? A meta‐analytic update of the evidence. World Psychiatry , 15 (3), 245-258.
McKay, D., Sookman, D., Neziroglu, F., Wilhelm, S., Stein, D. J., Kyrios, M., ... & Veale, D. (2015). Efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy for obsessive–compulsive disorder. Psychiatry research , 225 (3), 236-246.
Wong, P. T. (2017). Meaning-centered approach to research and therapy, second wave positive psychology, and the future of humanistic psychology. The Humanistic Psychologist , 45 (3), 207.
