The Cognitive Behavioural Theory

 

The cognitive behavioral theory was developed by the psychiatrist Aaron Beck and it is based on the concept that if the beliefs of individuals do not change, then there is little opportunity for improvement to their mental health. Beck proposed that the main aim of therapy is to ensure that there is the promotion of a scenario where individuals are guided towards changing their behavior in such a way that allows for their symptoms to change (Beck, 1993). This is because beliefs are essentially operational units which mean that the thoughts of individuals as well as their behaviors will have an effect on their actions. therefore, it is necessary to makes sure that there is the promotion of a scenario where the major target of therapy are the beliefs that are held by the patient as well as the promotion of a scenario where they are guided towards bringing about an improvement of their perception of life in a manner that prevents them from having negative thoughts. The cognitive behavioral theory is therefore one that can be used in a diversity of therapeutic circumstances based on the condition that is affecting the individual at the time. This therapy, because of the way that it targets the negative aspects of the thoughts of individuals, is highly effective, especially when it comes to the way that it is able to effectively treat a diversity of disorders such as compulsive gambling and uncontrollable anger, which are problems that significantly affect the lives of individuals in an undesirable manner. Cognitive behavioral therapy is an extremely beneficial method of ensuring that there is the effective treatment of psychiatric, psychological and medical disorders that have become quite common in the modern world.

The Role of the Counselor

The role of the counselor is extremely pertinent when it comes to the cognitive behavioral therapy approach. This is because it involves the counselor essentially undertaking an understanding of the thinking process of the patient in such a way that provides them with the means of changing their perspective of the world (Beck, 2011). The treatment of depression, for example, is a process that requires that the counselor makes such that he not only understands the core beliefs of the patient, but also makes sure that the patient is prevented from undertaking any harmful actions through a change of the core beliefs. In this case, the role of the counselor is very important in this approach because it is one that guides the patient through a process involving taking on a positive thinking perspective as opposed to merely providing them with an avenue to express themselves. The counselor has to ensure that he takes on the role of a guide in a manner that allows the patients to express themselves while at the same time being guided by the counselor involved in the process of enhancing their self-esteem as well as undertaking actions that have a positive effect on their thought process. Thus, the counselor is therefore extremely important when it comes to the process of restructuring the destructive thinking of patients in a manner that allows them to return to a sense of normalcy. The latter process shows that the counselor or therapist is an individual that has an extremely crucial role in the treatment of patients.

The role of the counselor also involves assisting patients in the process of setting goals that are realistic. This is a process that requires that that the counselor provides guidance to the patients concerning how to take responsibility for their thought as well as actions (Leahy, 2008). It allows the counselor to ensure that he guides the patient through the process of changing their thought and perception in order to ensure that there is a relative change in the behavior as well as emotional responses of the patient. It is also noteworthy to consider that the counselor is placed in a position where there is a consideration of the faulty thinking process of the patient, which he can then point out and address through the development of a strategy aimed at changing the faulty thinking into more positive thinking. The counselor is therefore able to proceed towards ensuring the development of an effective treatment process based on the development of new ideas and methods that are generated towards helping the patient achieve a more positive outlook of themselves. Moreover, the patient is guided towards the attainment of an attitude aimed at promoting the development of new experiences in addition to having a new perspective concerning their environment. Counselors can also give their patients home assignments in order to help them improve their perspective concerning themselves and take on a more productive attitude that allows them to overcome their condition. In this way, patients end up overcoming faulty thinking and attaining a better level of emotional wellbeing through the assistance and guidance of the counselor.

Therapeutic Goals

The cognitive behavioral therapy has a number of goals which are extremely important to its success. Among the most important of these is ensuring that there is the promotion of emotional intelligence and self-awareness when it comes to the therapist helping their patients make a self-analysis and become aware of how to distinguish their feelings between the healthy and unhealthy ones (Sun et al., 2019). Another goal of this form of therapy is to ensure that patients are helped to understand how distorted thoughts and perceptions can contribute to the development of feelings that are painful. There is also a process through which patients are provided with the means of dealing with their symptoms in a rapid way in such a way that promotes an emphasis on the current situation that they are enduring and the solution of these problems. Also, there is the goal of developing self-control among patients through teaching them specific techniques that not only identify but also challenge distorted thinking. In this way, there is the prevention of future episodes of emotional distress and instead, cognitive behavioral therapy makes it possible for the patients to attain personal growth through provision of means through which change to core beliefs that tend to be at the source of their suffering. Therefore, cognitive behavioral theory is pertinent because it ensures that there is the promotion of the welfare of patients through a focus on the source of the problem while at the same time ensuring that there is personal development through the enhancement of their self-esteem and an improvement in their outlook of the world. Thus, the role of the therapist is quite significant in this type of therapy since they act as a guide to the patient to alleviate their psychological problem.

There is a focus on the negative attitudes that the client might have and the therapist has the responsibility of pointing them out to the patients and making them realize that they are actually the cause of the psychological problem prevalent in their lives. This is an important factor in the therapist-patient relationship because it allows the therapist with an opportunity to provide the patient with the means of changing their attitudes and taking a more positive outlook to life (Alvares et al., 2014). Moreover, as mentioned above, it allows the patients to recognize that their negative attitudes are counterproductive and that these attitudes play a significant role in bringing about a scenario where they are forced to have a pessimistic view of life that actually causes such problems as depression (Karwoski et al., 2006). Therefore, in order to make sure that there is the advancement of better patient mental health, the therapist has to guide them towards making sure that they achieve a balance in their lives that prevents them from having a pessimistic attitude. Cognitive behavioral therapy also considers that in most cases, patients will prefer to talk about their problems, and because of this, there is the need for the therapist to ensure that he makes himself available and trustworthy enough to such an extent that the patients can share their darkest fears. The sharing process is important because it allows the patient to confidentially begin the change process since they share their problems with the therapist and come to terms with them. It is also necessary to consider the example of a patient suffering from depression can be helped through this form of therapy because it allows them to have a discussion with the therapist as a means of sharing their problem; enabling them to overcome it.

Techniques and Methods

Cognitive therapy is one that seeks to ensure that there is the improvement of the lives of patients through ensuring that there is a change in perspective. It is different from traditional therapy in a diversity of ways because it is not only active and directive, but it is also focused on the present time (Leichsenring et al., 2006). Moreover, the process is one that is aimed at being short-term, meaning that the goals of the therapy have to be attained within a short time. It becomes pertinent to make sure that there is the promotion of improvement among patients through a proactive approach aimed at helping them discover the root cause of their psychological problem and enabling them to not only come to terms with, but also overcome them. Therefore, in order to cognitive therapy to be a success, it becomes essential for them to place emphasis on a number of issues. The first of these is the identification of goals and problems that can be shared by the therapist and patient. This ensures that there is the effective setting of targets for the treatment process, which allows for the establishment of the basis for the relationship between the therapist and his patient. Another consideration is the establishment of a clear-cut agenda for each session, which allows the therapist to guide the patient towards making sure that there is the consideration of the aims and objective of the sessions that will be conducted. During this process, it becomes necessary to create a timeline for the attainment of goals during each sitting. It is also essential for the therapist to ensure that their patient receives some practice in changing their perspective through the provision of self-help activities that they can undertake following the therapy sessions. This is significant because it allows the patients to put into practice what they have learned and attempt to improve their perspective of life in a manner that they develop a more positive outlook. The final method is based on the process of taking objective measures of outcomes in a bid to determine its success. The role of the therapist in this case is to ensure that the patient is provided with strategies including behavioral, cognitive, and experiential to alleviate their suffering.

Reactions

This counseling approach is one that is most effective especially when one considers the way that it can help patients overcome a diversity of psychological problems, including depression. Cognitive therapy is also effective because it helps in the reduction of symptoms of anxiety and depression almost as effectively as medication, which in the end allows for a lowering of potential relapses. It is noteworthy that this approach is necessary in making sure that there is the promotion of a personalized approach where the therapist helps in guiding the patient towards overcoming their negative perceptions and towards the attainment of positive change. Therefore, the cognitive behavioral therapy is critical in the treatment of different psychological problems because of the considerable role played by the therapist in the process, while at the same time ensuring that the interests of the patient remain the main objective.