Definition of Theory
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a psychotherapeutic treatment model that empowers individuals to abandon destructive thought patterns that have adverse implications on emotions and behaviors. CBT hinges on the basic principle that cognitions have a primary role in mediating behavioral and emotional responses to different situations (Gonzalez-Prendes, Resko, & Cassady, 2019). CBT focuses on eliminating the negative thoughts that directly contribute to mental instability in the form of anxiety, depression, and difficulties. Generally, spontaneous negative thoughts carry an adverse impact on an individual's mood. CBT seeks to challenge the existing negative beliefs and replace them with realistic and more objective ones. CBT uses several strategies to enable it to achieve its primary goal of eliminating negative thought patterns. The typical examples of methods employed include relaxation techniques, journaling, role-playing, and mental distractions (Gonzalez-Prendes et al., 2019). CBT is effective against a wide array of mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Applying the Theory in a Session/Structure
CBT therapists use a particular structure in their sessions. The session structure enables the therapist and client to be on the same page and maintain a steady flow from one stage to another. The structure is also crucial for the therapist because it enhances time efficiency. The client is also placed in a position to understand what to expect in each session (Bieling, McCabe, & Antony, 2009). The first part of the therapy session involves establishing a therapeutic alliance between the patient and the therapist. Secondly, the therapist will try to bridge between the last session and the current session. The client must understand that the action plan between the two sessions was crucial in their healing process (Bieling et al., 2009). The next step will involve both the client and the therapist setting a collaborative agenda to guide the next action course. Although the client might come up with different agendas, the therapist should guide them on the main ones (Bieling et al., 2009). The clients should leave the session knowing what they will be working on, including the experiments they will conduct. They should also provide a summary of what they have learned in the session.
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Application in Group Setting
Group CBT sessions are associated with more benefits than individual ones. As illustrated by the author, "Group models may offer more positive peer modeling opportunities, reinforcement, and social support" (Wolgensinger, 2015). The CBT group therapy session applies to a group of individuals having the same problem. Narrowing down the group to clients with similar manifestations would also be applicable. Besides the therapeutic alliance with the therapists, clients will also be required to form stable relationships with their clients (Bieling et al., 2009). Individuals will receive group action plans and assignments. Instead of reporting as an individual in the subsequent session, they will do so as a group. Throughout this process, the therapist must pay attention to the therapeutic factors. The primary ones to consider are altruism, instillation of hope, universality, imparting information, and catharsis (Bieling et al., 2009). Group cohesion is also a significant therapeutic factor a therapy needs to consider. Therefore, the therapist must select a small group that enables them to view and assess all these factors. The therapeutic factors form the basis of illness in a typical group CBT intervention process.
Contributing Professionals
Aaron T. Beck is responsible for inventing the CBT treatment in the 1960s. He began as a psychiatrist who later trained and became a psychoanalyst. As illustrated by Beck (2010), “Beck conducted a series of experiments in the 1950s that he believed would provide scientific validation of the psychoanalytic concepts of depression. “ Beck mainly conducted his research using depression patients as the selected mental health concern. The theory also received significant influence from the Greek Stoic philosophers (Beck, 2010). Scholars throughout the years have shaped and reshaped the theory to enhance clarity and applicability.
Behavioral Problems Treated with CBT
Since its inception, researchers have performed many experiments that have proved the success rate of CBT. The psychological treatment applies to a wide array of emotional and behavioral problems. The common examples include anxiety disorders, depression, marital issues, and drug abuse (Beck, 2010). CBT has also proven effective in alcohol addiction, mental illnesses, and eating disorders. The treatment is appropriate to a wide array of conditions because of its marked improvement in the quality of life and functioning. Some researchers opine that CBT is more effective than most psychiatric medications and psychological therapies. CBT's success has been proven both via clinical practice and research (Gonzalez-Prendes et al., 2019). Removing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors allows it to cut across various mental and behavioral problems that exist today. Therefore, this explains why CBT is utilized in counseling, hospitals, mental institutions, therapy, and social groups.
Parts That Align With My Future Counseling Style
At the center of any CBT process is the counselor's desire or the therapist to change the thought or behavioral patterns. As a counselor, I regard this as the most important way of dealing with mental and behavioral problems. Both of these issues arise when individuals allow faulty thought processes to define their life situations. As a counselor, I would relish the opportunity to work with individuals and remove the negative model of thinking and behavior. I believe that such a strategy has long-lasting implications and makes CBT one of the most admired psychotherapeutic strategies. I am particularly attracted to CBT's focus on one's distortion of thinking. For instance, a patient with PTSD has distorted thoughts regarding an incident that might have occurred sometime back. The patient might believe that they are responsible for the traumatic events that happened to someone or them. I love these situations because I understand that I have a role in reversing the distorted thought process and replace it with helpful ones. I regard CBT as a masterpiece because it allows the counselor to focus on a particular objective rather than paying attention to different aspects.
One other Theory
Aversion therapy is another theoretical model that could prove helpful in the treatment of unwanted behaviors. As a behavioral therapy, aversion therapy revolves around paring an undesirable behavior with a stimulus that causes discomfort. Aversion therapy has been used in alcoholism, substance abuse, and deviant sexual behavior (Arlinghaus, Foreyt, & Johnston, 2017). The strategy is based on the theoretical foundation that punishment weakens or reduces the frequency of unwanted behavior. For instance, a person with an unwanted smoking behavior might be subjected to electric shock whenever they view a cigarette. Essentially, this is a conditioning process that makes an individual associate the stimulus with uncomfortable or unpleasant sensations (Arlinghaus et al., 2017). However, unlike other behavioral therapies, aversion therapy cannot be used in a group setting for several reasons. First, it would be difficult to find an unpleasant sensation that cuts across every patient with a similar behavioral problem. For instance, a moderate electric shock as an aversion to smoking might apply to some members but not others. Secondly, I believe that a group setting requires therapy that allows individuals to learn from each other. However, aversion therapy is inherently not built to allow patients to learn from one another because it is modeled on punishment.
References
Arlinghaus, K. R., Foreyt, J. P., & Johnston, C. A. (2017). The issue of aversion in lifestyle treatments. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine , 11 (2), 119-121.
Beck, J. S. (2010). Cognitive therapy. The Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology , 1-3.
Bieling, P. J., McCabe, R. E., & Antony, M. M. (2009). Cognitive-behavioral therapy in groups . Guilford Press.
Gonzalez-Prendes, A. A., Resko, S., & Cassady, C. M. (2019). 2. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. In Trauma (pp. 20-66). Columbia University Press.
Wolgensinger, L. (2015). Cognitive-behavioral group therapy for anxiety: recent developments. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience , 17 (3), 347.
