Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Approach To Depression

1798 Words8 Pages
(Salkovskis, 2010) explains how cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) combines elements of cognitive and behavioural theories. Whereby the roots of distress are recognised in behaviourist terms ‘learned helplessness’ or ‘lack of positive reinforcement’ (Seligman et al, 1974) in conjunction with (Beck et al., 1976) cognitive theory of emotion. Beck (1976) broadened the scope of CBT to cover not only depression but also a whole range on mental health problems, however this assignment will focus on how it’s used to treat fear and sadness. The CBT approach is based on the idea that how we think, feel and act can affect one another, specifically our thoughts determine our feelings and how we behave. In prioritising meaning over behaviour forms the…show more content…
a negative view of oneself, the world and the future). These issues are seen from a cognitive viewpoint; how events or experiences signified for the person concerned, emerge in the conscious and unconscious mind. Barker (2010) describes how mindfulness originates from Buddhist traditions that have been practiced over thousands of years and can be part of many traditional therapeutic approaches. Mindfulness is about being aware of your thoughts, feelings, and experiences in the present moment, accepting them without judgment. Rather than habitually reacting to stressful situations, unwanted thoughts, or unpleasant feelings, it enables you to be a compassionate, accepting, and non-judgmental observer of them. Awareness and acceptance are two key ingredients that form the foundation of all mindfulness-based approaches. To encourage awareness, you are taught to expand your attention to inner processes and experiences, especially of what they are experiencing in the here and now. The second key ingredient, in addition to expanding awareness of one's present experience, is the ingredient of acceptance. Mindfulness practices teach individuals to learn to observe and accept the flow of thought and experience that run through their…show more content…
But, while the CBT approach is used to alter the content of our automatic interpretations of situations, mindfulness targets the process of automatic thinking, seeking to expel the craving and worrying regarding the past and future, luring us back into the present time. In CBT, the first goal is forming a therapeutic alliance and building rapport with the client. Techniques of responding, listening and summarising empathically are used to rediscover one’s ‘original motivation’ and sets appropriate therapeutic goals. To achieve this a method of reframing a problem the client is experiencing as being a result of a belief or worry (Theory A) rather than a result of a situation or fact (Theory B) is used (Barker, 2010, p.159). Further to this, the client and therapist are counted as ‘two experts in a room’ (Barker, 2010 p.160) who together engage in techniques of information gathering, structured discussion and behavioural experiments. Also the use of exercises can be carried out allowing the client’s experience to be tested, which can enable them to uncover the beliefs and thoughts associated with the issue they wish to be
Open Document