Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Essay Example

Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Origins and Current Applications Introduction: Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is referred to a form of treatment based on psychotherapy that enables patients to understand those thoughts and feelings that are capable of influencing their behavior. Several disorders have been treated by CBT. These include irrational fears, addiction, hopelessness and nervousness. This treatment is based on the belief that behaviors are largely influenced by thoughts and feelings (Cherry, 2013). The aim of cognitive behavior therapy is to tutor patients that although they cannot be in charge of every incidents of the world surrounding them, “they can take control of how they interpret and deal with things in their environment” (Cherry, 2013). The present study focuses on this method of cognitive behavior therapy and discusses on its origins and current applications. Counseling and Psychotherapy: There are several techniques and means of counseling and psychology. It has been observed that such techniques may not be right or wrong in their efforts of treatments. Rather, each of the therapeutic measures has their own benefits for the patients depending on their distinctiveness. Psychotherapy allows understanding of human behavior thoroughly and provides unique propositions for the practice of counseling on the patients. Based on the cognitive behavior therapy, it has been obtained that thinking influences and affects behavior. Thus thinking and feeling are significant measurements while counseling of patients is conducted (Corey, 2012, pp.5-6). Cognitive-behavioral therapy depends on the concept that it is the thoughts of individuals that lead to their feelings and behaviors, and not things that are external to them. CBT is not an unrestricted, unlimited process.  The end of the therapy is a judgment made by the therapist and the client. CBT therapists concentrate on educating balanced self-counseling abilities to the patients. CBT is a mutual endeavor involving the therapist and the client. It is based on characteristics of stoic values and beliefs. Cognitive-behavioral therapists intend to achieve a high-quality understanding of the concerns of their clients. The process focuses on the objectives of their clients. An educational model is followed by the technique and an inductive method is relied upon by the CBT that gives confidence to the humans to see through their thoughts as being suppositions or presumptions that can be doubted and assessed. Homework is highly essential for CBT (Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, 2010). CBT: Origins: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a wide-ranging categorization of psychotherapy. A number of methods concerning CBT are considered within this categorization. These include Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Therapy, Rational Behavior Therapy, Rational Living Therapy, Schema Focused Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy.  These approaches have their own histories of development.  However there is a commonly established explanation of the origins of CBT (History of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, 2009). Rational Emotive Therapy (RET) was the primary distinct, deliberate remedial move toward CBT that was built up. It was invented by Albert Ellis during the 1950s.  The approach was developed by Ellis in response to his aversion of the incompetent and instructional character of psychotherapy. Considering the beliefs of the origins of the RET, the Stoic theorists could be mentioned here who were responsible for the initiation of this approach, together with Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius. In The Enchiridion, it was mentioned by Epictetus that human beings are not troubled not by possessions, but by the outlook which they consider such things (History of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, 2009). Alfred Adler is the contemporary psychotherapist who proved to be the most dominant over the improvement of RET. He had also developed the Individual Psychology. In the words of Adler, “I am convinced that a persons behavior springs from his ideas” (History of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, 2009). Other philosophers who influenced the work of Ellis include John Dollard, Neal Miller, and Joseph Wolpe, and George Kelly (History of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, 2009). The highly popular ABC representation of emotions was also developed by Ellis. It was later modified into the A-B-C-D-E method of psychotherapy. This approach was renamed by Ellis during the 1990s as Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy. The approach named Cognitive Therapy came into existence in the 1960s when Aaron Beck developed it. It proved to be highly effective for treatments of depression. It was during this period of time that the Rational Behavior Therapy was also developed by Maxie C. Maultsby who was a learner under Ellis. Maultsby had several contributions in this field that also included his prominence on client coherent self-counseling abilities and therapeutic training (History of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, 2009). The notion of contemplation of symbolic writing was also given by Maultsby to which different outlooks were associated by him in terms of Rational Emotive Imagery, Rational Self-Analysis, and the Five Criteria for Rational Behavior. There were other authoritative philosophers as well that included Michael Mahoney, Donald Meichenbaum, and David Burns. Of them, the Stress Inoculation Therapy was given by Donald Meichenbaum. Burns gave his book Feeling Good that became highly popular among the readers during the 1980’s. In this book, Burns stressed more on the concept of CBT for his readers. Efforts of Aldo Pucci, Michael Mahoney, Marsha Linehan and Arthur Freeman also focused their studies and views on cognitive behavior therapy (History of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, 2009). The origins of the cognitive behavior therapy can be traced back to the 1940s when empirical psychotherapies were considered by researchers. By this it is meant that the psychological theories were “based on pure scientific research and furthermore the resulting therapeutic strategies are scientifically proven effective” (Brief History of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 2006). It was in the initial years of the 1940s when there was a significant need for effective short term therapy to treat patients suffering from depression and anxiety. These individuals were encountered with emotional adjustments and needed effective psychological treatments. It was this need that eventually led the psychologists to consider effective short term therapy effectively and since then they started their research on the learning of behavior based on emotions (Brief History of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 2006). The first signal of the behavior therapy was initiated following the above mentioned events. It was originally referred as the behavior therapy or behavioral therapy. It was considered as a revolution and challenge in the field of conventional psychotherapy. In the present times, it is referred as the cognitive behavior therapy or cognitive therapy and holds high significance as far as psychotherapy is concerned. This was eventually a second revolution that occurred in the 1960s, where the focus of the psychologists depended on the effects of thinking on human behavior and actions. Considering the present times, the year 2006 has seen 50 years of the cognitive therapy being in place, and new therapies are now tried to be obtained and developed to improve the traditional cognitive behavior therapy (Brief History of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 2006). CBT: Current Applications: The cognitive behavior therapy is a combination of cognitive and behavioral psychological treatments. They are frequently combined for the reason that the manner in which human beings conduct themselves often is a sign of how human beings suppose things in relation to some effects or circumstances. The importance of cognitive or behavioral characteristics of treatment can show discrepancies, based on the state of health being taken care of. For instance, it has been observed that greater emphasis is placed on behavioral treatment when OCD or obsessive-compulsive disorder is being treated. In this case, recurring uncontrollable events are a major setback. Contrary to this, the importance could also be put on the cognitive therapy when depression is being treated (Kenny, 2011). CBT has been observed to assist people with a variety of conditions - both conditions of the mental health as well as bodily state of affairs. For instance: Certain nervousness disorders, counting irrational fears, terror attacks and fright disorder; Depression; Eating disorders; OCD; Body dysmorphic disorder; Anger; Stress disorders resulting from some trauma; Sexual and association problems; Practices such as convulsions of the face; Drug or alcohol abuse; Some sleep problems; Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME); and Chronic pain that is unrelenting, are considered for treatment. It can be mentioned here that with higher specificity of the problem, the CBT would be able assist more in the treatment (Kenny, 2011). This is for the reason that it is a realistic therapy which concentrated on specific problems and intends to conquer them. In certain cases, CBT is conducted single-handedly and occasionally used besides medicine, considering the form and rigorousness of the health state being taken care for (Kenny, 2011). CBT has been found in experimental tests to facilitate signs of relief for a variety of problems related to the physical condition of an individual. It has been obtained through research that lessons of CBT are expected to be successful in treatments of sadness and some forms of nervousness disorders. Enduring benefits may be obtained from the use of CBT, as the methods to fight these troubles can be utilized for the entire life by an individual keeping the symptoms away (Kenny, 2011). CBT is moreover not the same as counseling. The psychotherapy has an organization, and is focused on the problem and is realistic. However, CBT does not go well with everybody and it does not cooperate in all conditions. One needs to be dedicated and determined in dealing with and in improving the condition of one’s health with the assistance of the psychotherapist. One might be needed to be brought out of their zone of comfort when health conditions would be necessary to deal with particularly in cases of nervousness of pain. Nonetheless, a lot of people have significantly gained from the CBT (Kenny, 2011). Conclusion: From the above study it can be realized that the behavior therapy has been into existence in the field of psychotherapy since as early as the 1940s. With the passage of time, it has developed into cognitive behavior therapy and is gradually developing in order to achieve further improvement in the patients, as have been observed in patients considering the associated difficulties and hardness that some patients might encounter while going through the process. References Brief History of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (2006), Suffolkcognitivetherapy, Retrieved on April 3, 2013 from: http://www.suffolkcognitivetherapy.com/cbt-history.htm Cherry, K. (2013). What is Cognitive Behavior Therapy? About, Retrieved on April 2, 2013 from: http://psychology.about.com/od/psychotherapy/a/cbt.htm Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (2010), NACBT, Retrieved on April 2, 2013 from: http://www.nacbt.org/whatiscbt.htm Corey, G. (2012). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy. Connecticut: Cengage Learning. History of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (2009), NACBT, Retrieved on April 3, 2013 from: http://nacbt.org/historyofcbt.htm Kenny, T. (2011). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Patient, Retrieved on April 4, 2013 from: http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Cognitive-Behaviour-Therapy-(CBT).htm Read More