Week 4: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
When first introduced, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) was unlike any other therapeutic approach. For years, psychotherapeutic techniques were driven by psychoanalytic theories. These techniques were time consuming, leaving many therapists frustrated with the length of time involved in helping their clients achieve a sense of relief. With the development of CBT, however, therapists were able to help their clients heal more quickly. This poses the questions: If CBT is more efficient than other techniques, why isn’t it used with all clients? How do you know when CBT is an appropriate therapeutic approach?
This week, as you examine cognitive behavioral therapy and its appropriateness for clients, you compare it to rational emotive behavioral therapy.
Photo Credit: Clayton Rohner/Creatas Video/Getty Images
Learning Resources
Required Readings
Wheeler, K. (Ed.). (2014). Psychotherapy for the advanced practice psychiatric nurse: A how-to guide for evidence-based practice (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.
Chapter 8, “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy” (pp. 313–346)
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Required Media
Sommers-Flanagan, J., & Sommers-Flanagan, R. (2013). Counseling and psychotherapy theories in context and practice [Video file]. Mill Valley, CA: Psychotherapy.net.
Beck, A. (1994). Aaron Beck on cognitive therapy [Video file]. Mill Valley, CA: Psychotherapy.net.
Eysenck, H. (n.d.). Hans Eysenck on behavior therapy [Video file]. Mill Valley, CA: Psychotherapy.net.
Optional Resources
Ellis, A. (2012). Albert Ellis on REBT [Video file]. Mill Valley, CA: Psychotherapy.net.
Note: You will access this media from the Walden Library databases. The approximate length of this media piece is 50 minutes.
Assignment: Cognitive Behavioral Theory Versus Rational Emotive Behavioral Theory
While cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT) have many similarities, they are distinctly different therapeutic approaches. When assessing clients and selecting one of these therapies, you must recognize the importance of not only selecting the one that is best for the client, but also the approach that most aligns to your own skill set. For this Assignment, as you examine the similarities and differences between CBT and REBT, consider which therapeutic approach you might use with your clients.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Compare cognitive behavioral therapy and rational emotive behavioral therapy
Recommend cognitive behavioral therapies for clients
To prepare:
Review the media in this week’s Learning Resources.
Reflect on the various forms of cognitive behavioral therapy.
The Assignment
In a 1- to 2-page paper, address the following:
Briefly describe how cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT) are similar.
Explain at least three differences between CBT and REBT. Include how these differences might impact your practice as a mental health counselor.
Explain which version of cognitive behavioral therapy you might use with clients and why. Support your approach with evidence-based literature.
Note: The College of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The Sample Paper provided at the Walden Writing Center provides an example of those required elements (available at http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/57.htm). All papers submitted must use this formatting.
By Day 7
Submit your Assignment.
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CBT Versus REBT
Student’s Name
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CBT Versus REBT
Cognitive-behavioural therapy(CBT) ‘s main idea is that an individual’s thought process and beliefs affect how they operate compellingly. Any instance of negative thinking or mistaken beliefs can contribute to and maintain negative behavioural patterns, interactions, and even mental illness(Sommers-Flanagan & Sommers-Flanagan, 2018).On the other hand, Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy(REBT) addresses the challenges of emotions and behaviour by advocating that people change from irrational to rational actions (Ellis, 2012).
CBT and REBT share similarities because both therapies believe that emotions and behaviour are mainly generated by beliefs, attitudes, ideas, and thinking. Likewise, both concur that change in one’s thinking affects behavioural and emotional growth. In practice, emotive therapists believe that both approaches effectively treat anxiety and depression (Iftene, Predescu, Stefan & David, 2015).
Despite the similarities, CBT and REBT have their differences. For instance, CBT focuses on only distorted cognition. In contrast, REBT majors on the philosophical basis of distorted understanding and underlying emotional disturbance, leading to the unconditional acceptance of life despite its imperfections(Ellis, 2012). This difference will impact on how I will create profound philosophical changes that influence the present behaviours and emotions
REBT teaches individuals to be assertive and independent problem solvers when facing challenges. Even though CBT also introduces some of these values, it fails to uproot the philosophical root of anger (Wheeler, 2013). Through this, I will use REBT to deal with patients suffering from depression and relational problems by teaching them how to overcome the feeling of self-deprecation, fear, and intense hurt.
CBT model emphasizes patients’ boosting their self-esteem by reinforcing their positive qualities; REBT does not conform with that as it lacks self-rating on cognitive behaviour modification. To avoid the challenges that come with self-rating REBT model advocates for Unconditional Self-Acceptance(USA), which comes with a philosophy that allows patients to accept the imperfections in humanity (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). I will use this difference while dealing with patients that are suffering from bipolar and personality disorders.
Based on the analysis above, I feel confident that REBT is the most preferred method that I can use during my practice. The underlying reason for this is that REBT is based on profound philosophical priorities that seek to address the underlying cognitive distortions through a humanistic-existentialist approach (Ellis, 2012). The philosophy of REBT holds that no humans are to be damned for anything, no matter how execrable their acts maybe(Iftene et al., 2015). Through this, practitioners can give their clients unconditional rather than conditional positive regard. Patients will not have a hard time expressing their feelings and rating themselves down even when they admit immorality or inefficiencies of their act.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5®). American Psychiatric Pub.
Ellis, A. (2012). Albert Ellis on REBT [Video file]. Mill Valley, CA: Psychotherapy.net.
Iftene, F., Predescu, E., Stefan, S., & David, D. (2015). Rational-emotive and cognitive-behavior therapy (REBT/CBT) versus pharmacotherapy versus REBT/CBT plus pharmacotherapy in the treatment of major depressive disorder in youth; a randomized clinical trial. Psychiatry Research, 225(3), 687-694.
Sommers-Flanagan, J., & Sommers-Flanagan, R. (2018). Counseling and psychotherapy theories in context and practice: Skills, strategies, and techniques. John Wiley & Sons.
Wheeler, K. (2013). Psychotherapy for the advanced practice psychiatric nurse: A how-to guide for evidence-based practice. Springer Publishing Company.
