How does this theory conceptualize mental health?
Behavioral therapy, which represents various types of therapy, is a concept that is used to refer to an approach that is used in treating mental health disorders. This theory is of the idea that all behaviors that individuals portray are as a result of learning but is still it is possible to change unhealthy behaviors. According to David, Cristea, and Hofmann (2018), behavioral therapy assumes that individuals are born tabula rasa and are thus prone to maladaptive learning, which is responsible for a myriad of mental health disorders. The mental health disorders are strengthened by classical conditioning as the individual learns to make associations between stimuli and responses. The theory is thus focused on identifying the individuals’ current disruptive behaviors with the aim of changing them for the better. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) which falls under Behavioral therapy rides on the assumption that the best way to deal with stresses is by facing them as opposed to avoiding them. An effective application of behavioral therapy ensures that the clients are rid of depression, panic disorders, anxiety, anger issues bipolar disorder, PTSD and phobias among other mental health issues.
Congruency of behavioral therapy of mental health conceptualization with the counseling profession’s wellness model
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Behavioral therapy most specifically ACT corresponds with the counseling profession’s wellness model to a certain degree especially in the field of minimizing unhealthy behaviors. The wellness model emphasizes on the need for adopting strength-based approaches in assessing clients, conceptualizing their developmental issues, and planning interventions. These interventions are aimed at optimizing the client’s growth by remediating the existing dysfunctions by helping the client to face and accept their stresses. This view is affirmed by Shannonhouse, Myers, and Sweeney (2016) who establish that the wellness models is about making conscious choices to engage in ‘healthful behaviors’. The decision to choose these healthful behaviors allows one to live a more fulfilled life in all areas. Looking at the provisions of the wellness model one cannot help but conclude that it matches the objective of behavioral therapy. ACT therapy just like the wellness model is about helping clients to make note of their harmful behavior, to become more self-determined to live a more fulfilled life. On establishing the aversive behaviors, the client is then helped to develop mindfulness and acceptance strategies which enhance psychological flexibility.
Congruency of behavioral therapy conceptualization of mental health with the medical models of mental health
Behavioral therapy conceptualization of mental health matches with the medical models of mental health in terms of causes and interventions. Medical models of mental health assert that mental conditions are correlated with the brains functioning and physical structure. In this regard, the brain has a significant role when it comes to determining as to whether an individual will be anxious, depressed or other mental health issues. Looking back at behavioral therapy one can see the connection with the medical model of mental health considering that mental health issues are natural and inevitable conditions. The medical model continues to suggest that mental illness symptoms such as hallucinations can be viewed as the syndromes associated with the diseases (Lake & Turner, 2017). Psychiatrists just like behavior therapists rely on these symptoms to diagnose and prescribe treatment to their patients. The final congruency between behavior therapy and medical models of mental illness is in the treatment regiments. Medical models of mental illness establish that the medications for mental illness work by changing the brain chemistry to rectify anxiety, mood disorders, PTSD among other mental health issues. On the other hand, ACT therapy aims at helping the clients to attain a meaningful life by developing mindfulness to deal with suffering and pain.
Key concepts of behavioral therapy
Behavioral therapy as an approach to identify and help individuals to deal with maladaptive mental health behaviors is based on several key concepts. The first concept is that the therapy focuses on clients overt behaviors with the aim of specifying treatment goals having developed treatment plans. In this regard, it is important to give attention to the present behavior as it helps in determining what the client is presenting the diagnosing team with in terms of mental health. The other concept associated with behavioral therapy is that it is based on the principles of learning theory, which establish that all behaviors are learned over time and become a part of one’s life (Bhat, 2017). In particular, faulty learning is associated with abnormal behaviors which behavioral therapy aims at eliminating. ACT, an improved version of behavioral therapy asserts that emotions and cognitions are private internal behaviors which are contextually controlled (Fung, 2014). for this reason, the only way to get rid of aversive behaviors is to embrace them as opposed to feeling guilty about them.
Concepts that are important to the mental health treatment process
All the concepts of behavior therapy are important in the mental health process as they provide an overall perspective on the mental health illness aspect. It is important to understand that mental health patients have developed the conditions owing to maladaptive learning but the situation can be averted with the right environment and circumstances. If the patients can be helped to learn new and normal behaviors through modeling and reinforcement, then they can be rid of mental health issues (Huguet et al., 2016). Additionally, the clients can be helped to develop self-efficacy and mindfulness so that they can be willing to accept harmful behaviors as in the case with ACT therapy. Finally, the concept of the need to focus on the current behaviors is important as it helps the physician to understand what is affecting the client and how it is being manifested.
Role of the therapist in behavioral therapy
The therapist who applies behavioral therapy as the main approach in dealing with mental health illness assists by helping the client to gain an insight into irrational and distorted thinking patterns. This kind of insight is crucial as it helps the client to be ready to change the emotions and behaviors or even accept them in the case of ACT therapy. Moreover, the therapist has the responsibility of assisting the clients to identify unproductive behaviors, which have an undesirable effect on their lives (Mohamadian, Bagheri, Hashemi, & Komeili, 2018). Upon the identification of such behaviors, the therapist then helps the client in developing and testing out new behaviors. At this point, the therapist would require the client to engage in simple reading and practicing tasks and assignments to assess the new behaviors acquisition. Additionally, the therapist helps the client to come up and identify measurable and specific long and short-term goals and together conduct regular evaluation to determine progress. Overall, the therapist teaches, listens and encourages the client as well as analyze the client’s strengths and use the strengths to modify the client’s behaviors.
How the therapist role fit with my conceptualization of mental health
The therapist role as a guide, a teacher, a moderator as an evaluator fits well with my conceptualization of mental health. I believe that the therapist knows what is best for the client and by identifying aversive behaviors; he or she can guide the client in accepting them. As a teacher, the therapist works by helping the client to determine healthful behaviors and the ways in which to make those behaviors a part of their everyday life. I agree that the therapist cannot tell the client what to do but rather look into the client strengths and then guide the client into developing those behaviors. Finally, the therapist ought to follow-up on the client to ensure that the client is adhering to the regiment to facilitate the acceptance of the harmful behaviors to reduce their aversiveness. At the end of it, the therapist will have helped the client in achieving the optimum mental health status.
Strengths and weaknesses of behavioral therapy
Behavioral therapy is associated with several strengths, which make it one of the most common therapies used in addressing issues in mental health discourse. The main strength is the fact that it accomplishes what is outlined in the behavioral theory about altering abnormal behaviors into normal ones. According to Bhat (2017), this approach to mental health is effective as relies on empirically scientifically proven theory with enough evidence to back it up. The other strength associated with the therapy is the fact that it emphasizes ethical accountability on the part of the therapist, which raises clients’ confidence levels. Finally, this therapy uses a wide variety of techniques such as social skills training and aversion therapy, which makes it more effective. The main weakness associated with behavioral therapy is its overdependence on animal research, which may result in inconsistencies when applied to humans. According to Fung (2014), ACT therapy presents a weakness in that some clients may be stuck with mindfulness as a tool to eliminate suffering especially in group therapy.
How behavioral therapy’s conceptualization of mental health contribute to these strengths or weaknesses
Behavioral therapy conceptualizes mental health as emanating from maladaptive learning owing to one’s environment. For this reason, it rules out the role that cognitive processes play in making one prone to mental health issues. The insistence on learning is to be blamed for the sole focus on treating the symptoms as opposed to cognition-based underlying causes. This oversight leaves no room for insightful treatment, which in turn creates room for the reemergence of the mental health issues. While the environment that facilitates learning may not be permanent the cognitive aspect is permanent something that contributes to behavioral therapy’s weaknesses in relation to mental health conceptualization.
How behavioral therapy fit with my view of life, including how change occurs, the cause of mental health problems, and the role of the counselor
Behavioral therapy fits with my view of life as being responsible for causing and sustaining mental health issues owing to dynamisms in environmental influence. Behavioral therapy is congruent on how change occurs considering it focuses on the role of learning in influencing mental health. I believe that it is possible to develop anxiety and depression especially if there are certain repetitive and depressive things that keep on playing out in one’s environment. I believe that mental health problems are things that one cannot avoid but with the help of the counselor, who understands ACT therapy one can be helped to live a normal life even with the stresses. The counselor can help one realize that it is still possible to live a normal life that is devoid of anxiety, ADHD, PTSD, panic disorders, phobias, and related mental health disorders.
References
Bhat, S. A. (2017). Cognitive behavioral therapy and depression. International Journal of Advanced Educational Research , 2(6), 143-145.
David, D., Cristea, I., & Hofmann, S. G. (2018). Why cognitive behavioral therapy is the current gold standard of psychotherapy. Frontiers in Psychiatry , 9(2018), 4.
Fung, K. (2014). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Western adoption of Buddhist tenets? Transcultural Psychiatry, 52(4), 561-574.
Huguet. A., Rao, S., McGrath, P. J., Wozney, L., Wheaton, M., Conrod, J., & Rozario, S. (2016) A systematic review of cognitive behavioral therapy and behavioral activation apps for depression. PLoS ONE , 11(5), e0154248.
Lake, J., & Turner, M. S. (2017). Urgent need for improved mental health care and a more collaborative model of care. The Permanente Journal , 21, 17–024.
Mohamadian, F., Bagheri, M., Hashemi, M. S., & Komeili, S. H. (2018). The effects of cognitive behavioral therapy on depression and anxiety among patients with Thalassemia: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Caring Sciences , 7(4), 219–224.
Shannonhouse, L. R., Myers, J. E., & Sweeney, T. (2016). Counseling for wellness. In Stebnicki, M & Marini, I. (Eds), The Professional Counselors' Desk Reference (2nd. Ed). (pp. 617-623). New York: Springer Publishing Company.
