|
Cognitive Therapists assess thoughts, moods, behaviours, biology and environment in understanding the origin of client problems.
The five areas are interconnected with each part influencing the others.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy places particular emphasis on identifying and evaluating thoughts and on behavioural change.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapists do not necessarily believe that thoughts cause all problems. However, thoughts play a powerful role in maintaining dysfunctional moods and behaviours regardless of their origins.
Emotional states, whatever their origin, carry characteristic patterns of thinking.
- Anxiety carries thoughts of Danger and Vulnerability
- Anger carries thoughts of Violation and Unfairness
- Paranoia carries thoughts of Abuse, Intrusion, Persecution and Frustration
Therapeutic change is expedited by identification and evaluation of these thoughts.
While cognitive therapy seeks to relieve distress it does not set out to change the personality completely. Learning how to navigate the squalls of life in our own battered vessel is often a more realistic objective than trying to rebuild it to someone elses specification as an ocean liner.
Aaron Beck (1921-1994) trained as Freudian, gained interest in depression and cognitive
therapy.
Looked at how and what people think and decided that depression is a distortion of the thinking.
People think and then the feelings follow.
The aim of the therapy is to modify faulty or unproductive thinking (distorted cognition)
Outcome survey in 1977 showed better results than drugs.
When people are encouraged to think differently their feelings change.
Reality is tested to see how the conclusions are true.
Limitations
People need to be reasonably intelligent but the therapy sometimes does not appeal to very
intelligent people.
Not useful for deeply disturbed people
Very specific problem orientated therapy. Not useful for personal growth.
Not thought to be useful for people with serious interpersonal or relationship difficulties.
Cognitive Model
Psychological disturbance is seen as a result of some malfunction in interpreting and evaluating experience.
Aim
Overall aim is to teach clients to monitor thought processes and reality test them.
ฉ Dr DJ Nightingale 2008
Mobile: 07810227225 (24 hours and emergency)
Mobile: 07766432634 (Office hours and non emergency)
| 
