Love Comes Softly Movie - Essay Example

Concept Application John Doe Concept Application Problem This assignment studies relationship problems among three members of a family: husband, wife, and stepdaughter. The characters are picked up from the drama movie by the name “Love Comes Softly.” The three principal characters of the movie are Marty Claridge, Clark Davis, and Missie, Clark’s daughter. Marty Claridge and her husband Aaron Claridge moved from East to the West in search for a perfect place to live and raise a family. Shortly after their arrival, her husband died in an accident. Marty found herself alone in a deserted area, with winter coming, and expecting her late husbands baby. She had no way going home back before the spring. One day, while she was crying next to her husband’s graveyard, a handsome man approached her. This was Clark Davis, who offered her to marry him, so she had a place to stay for the winter. Clark also promised her to provide with the fare for the wagon train for heading back to East in the spring. On the other hand, he requested Marty to take care of his young daughter Missie, who lost her mother. With no other options available, Marty accepted Clark’s offer. Though married, Clark and Marty did not live together; Clark gave her complete privacy in his home. Marty being raised in the city life had difficulties to get used to daily country life. She tried her best and was able to get adapted to her new country life. However, her relation with Missie remained a challenge for her. Missie was rebellious, aggressive and refused to accept Marty as a replacement of her mother. Missie point blank told her that she realized Marty needed a place to stay, but she did not need a mother. The above theme of the movie illustrates a family problem where cognitive behavioral therapy can be used to find a solution. However, the movie continues further and offers its own solution. One day Clark advises Claridge to try to find a key that might generate a lovely relationship with his daughter Missie. Marty came up with a good idea; she cut and sew Missie’s mother dress so Missie could wear. Missie wore her mother’s dress and went to her friends. She was very happy. As the winter season was coming closer, they all started to feel closer to one another. With the birth of the baby boy Aaron, they looked more like a family. Marty and Clark realized they were in love, and Missie has found a new loving mother. This is the story of the movie, and the following presents my evaluation of movie characters. First, Marty, she has a strong personality, patient, and kind. One can notice signs of sadness and depression on her beautiful face. Second, Clark who is very generous, kind, patient, sound, and soft hearted. Finally, Missie; at the beginning she behaved aggressive and exhibited repulsive nature. To understand Missie, you have to enter deep into her world. Once you are successful, you can observe a caring tender heart under the panzer. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy It is a form of psychotherapy that underwent scientific test and clinical evaluation in different disorders (Beck Institute, n.d.). Cognitive therapy focuses on the present and orients to problem solving. The patients learn skills that they can use in their lives. The therapy teaches patients to identify distorted thinking and modify beliefs with respect to other family members and change their behaviors accordingly. The backbone of the theory is the perception of situations that influence emotional side of a human being. The cornerstone of the theory states it is not the situation that directly affects people’s emotion, but rather, their views. People’s minds in distressed condition reflect inaccurate perspective, and their thoughts become unrealistic. The goal of the theory is to teach patients change their distorted thinking; help them think realistically. Thus, cognitive-behavioral family therapy assist patients to obstruct the interaction pattern that is the root of the problem. Through training, it teaches skills required for the formation of behaviors with other family members in order to eliminate their negative thoughts. The development of cognitive behavioral therapy for family problems associated with children are found in Patterson’s (2005) works. He worked as a behavioral trainer for parents; he taught them how to use the principles of social learning theory to modify the aggressive behavior of their children. Richard Stuarts through his work with couples who have matrimonial suffering improved cognitive behavioral therapy (Kansas University Department of Psychology) to cognitive behavioral martial therapy. He developed several therapeutic interventions with regard to marital therapy; many were developed through applied research by other researchers as well. The cognitive-behavioral family therapy is based on the fundamental assumption that behaviors and perceptions are pathological that continue to grow through repeating patterns of interaction, which may include tradition, procedural Alahrat, Stipulation classic, or all of them together. Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Couples and Family Most therapists believe that the cognitive behavioral therapy cannot be used for the treatment of couples because it focuses on treating individuals. I understand that cognitive-behavioral therapy can be used as a primary method of treatment along with the use of other theories for families. The primary approach of the theory is to assist the patient through treatment find their ways to modify negative thoughts to positive. The principal task of the therapist is to teach the patient how can he or she think, in a positive way, to search for positive solutions. In other words, the way of thinking affects solution and behavior searching options. However, some researches indicated continuing crisis in couple counseling that resulted on average forty percent of marriage ending in divorce. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) can be used in improving communication, understanding, closeness, affection, trust, acceptance, and forgiveness factors in couple counseling. In couple counseling, CBT uses the above-mentioned seven areas as variables. Therapist measures the values of the variables to determine the blueprint of the treatment. Therapist divides the treatment in three stages. At the first stage, therapist tends to determine what brought the couple together and how they build their relationship. Both parties in building the relationship expected certain things from the other party, but never expressed it. This can be called items of internal contacts. This becomes known when couple’s relationship is at the verge of breakdown. In the second stage, couples identify problems associated with their relationships; offer five or six items they are going to change in themselves and their partner. These wishes expressed by the both couple form the basis for finding the objectives of the treatment. In the third stage, the therapist draws a marital contract, which reflect every aspect of their lives: finance, household chores, shared child rearing, physical intimacy, time together, time apart, and vacation (The Center for Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, n.d.). Why I Chose Cognitive Behavioral Therapy I read a lot of researches about the cognitive-behavioral therapy. Most of them state that this theory focuses on an individual and not on a family; it has developed outstanding models to develop persons behavior. It helps individuals to understand themselves, figure out the way of thinking, and then understand the problem to solve the sense. Since the theory of cognitive-behavioral therapy focuses on behavior modification so, we can use it in the collective therapy sessions where both couples are present in the same meeting. We can amend the methods of communication between them building a positive dialogue and mutual respect. This is what I will do in the virtual session with clients of this movie. The first session The first meeting lasted about 60 minutes. I met the family members: Clark Davis, his wife Marty, and the little girl Missie. The father stared at me and explained the purpose of their visit. He said, “Marty and my daughter Missie cannot get along with each other and are always fighting without clear reasons. I am here to find a way to solve the problem between Marty and Missie”. Missie interrupted her father, ” I always have reasons to fight with her. She does not understand me, and when I am trying to help her to explain how to do housework such as, cleaning and cooking she does not listen to me”. Marty kept herself quiet and just listened all of us. When I was about to end the session, she asked me if she could talk to me privately. When we met privately she started speaking to me with a sobbing voice, “I rally do not know what is wrong with me. Family members are good to me, but I cannot be adaptive with this my life and with them. My husband died a few months age, and I am very sad about that. I cannot forget him; I am always thinking of him, and I cannot eat or sleep well. Evaluation of First Session Cognitive-behavior therapy is used to change mental images, thoughts, and patterns of thoughts to help patients overcome emotional and behavioral related issues. This therapy is based on the theory that cognitions and cognitive processes develop behaviors and emotions. One can learn to change cognition and cognitive process; that is why, through the cognitive behavioral therapy, one also can change emotions and behavior. The first session evaluated the following behaviors: Clark Davis is helpful and wants to solve the problem. Marty suffers from depression because of the death of her husband. She is entangled in the past; she is still living with her dead husband Aaron. Missie is sad; her sadness is expressed through her aggressive behavior. The death of her mother makes her feel lonely, even though she loves her father a lot. In this case, her loneliness and jealousy has introduced the repulsive behavior towards Marty. She like Marty, still lives with her dead mother The Technique. The technique is aimed to uncover dysfunctional and maladaptive thinking of Marty and Missie. As a therapist, I need to explain both Marty and Missie how and what a person thinks that determines how that person feels. Both for Marty and Missie the intervention is to challenge maladaptive cognitions and recognize they learned their maladaptive behaviors, so they can easily unlearn it. Thus, the technique is a combination of behavioral and cognitive therapy. In this case, it examines how Clark, Marty, and Missie view themselves in their environment (cognition), as well as how they act on their environment (behavior) 1. Explain Marty that she is living in the environment that does not exist. Her husband is a dead person, and she is a living person. A living person cannot live in the dead person’s world. Marty needs to change her cognition and understand that she is living in an environment together with Clark and Missie. 2. Explain Missie that her mother is dead, and she will never be back. Her living environment is her father Clark, and his wife Marty. Marty is not replacing her mother; as a matter of fact no one can replace her mother. Marty is her friend, and she lives with them to help her; her father is not always at home, and he cannot help her at all stages of her life. 3. Appreciate Clark for his effort; also explain that he is the glue between Marty and Missie. Therapy of the first stage is aimed at bringing both Marty’s and Missie’s depression at standard level using behavioral technique, such as breathing, pleasure rating, daily activity schedules, helping each other on house works. I asked each of them to write about their activities of the week; what each of them liked, what disliked, what each of the wanted to see from others and what did not want to see from others. Evaluation of Second Session In this session, I found that the family has done some progress. Missie was not aggressive, and Marty was talking to me. Clark’s face showed relief. The Technique. The goal of this stage is to identify and challenge negative thoughts. I asked each of them to prepare own negative thoughts as well other two partners’ negative thoughts. I analyzed the negative thoughts and discussed them with the clients. Using Socratic questioning, I guided clients to discover negative thoughts, challenge them, and rewrite the negative thoughts in more balanced ways. As a therapist, I focused on changing Marty’s and Missie’s negative thinking patterns and self-defeating behaviors. I explained them that negative thinking and self-defeating behaviors have an effect on a person’s negative emotions. However, if one reverses both negative thinking and self-defeating behavior by 180 degrees then the individual would enjoy positive emotions. At the end following tasks were given to Marty, Missie, and Clark (“Aliceboyees.com”, n.d.). Accomplish most current wish regarding physical activity. Find physical activities that all three of you can do together. Find out the most positive outcome of realizing your wish, as well as events and experiences that associates with this positive outcome. Find out the critical obstacles, as well as events and experiences that you associate with this obstacle Evaluation of the third session I noticed good progress among the members of the family. When I met Clark, Marty, and Missie in the first session, I noticed three individuals are located at three different corners of the globe. Now, I watch and observe that the three individuals live under one roof, share a common goal, and enjoy life together. The Technique. Third stage technique of CBT is called “implementations intentions”. The therapy was developed for each individual paying attention to the following issues (“Aliceboyees.com”, n.d.): When and where does the obstacle occur, and what can be done to overcome or circumvent the obstacle?” When and where does the opportunity occur, and what prevents t it to occur, and what can be done to prevent the circumstances from occurring that prevent opportunity? When and where is a good opportunity for each of the participants to act on wish, and what would this action be? Advantages of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy The CBT are research supported approaches to counseling / psychotherapy with distinct advantages, which are listed below (“National Association for Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists”, n.d.): Cognitive behavioral therapies are instructive Cognitive behavioral therapies are short term Cognitive behavioral therapies emphasize on getting better than feeling better Cognitive behavioral therapies are based on human behaviors Cognitive behavioral therapies are adaptive. Disadvantages of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Though CBT is widely accepted, but it also experiences criticism (“Bravekids”, n.d.; some of them are described below (“NHS Inform”, n.d). It requires considerable level of commitment and involvement of participants. It may not be suitable for people with complex mentalities The therapy only addresses current problems focusing a limited area. It ignores underlying causes. The therapy modifies behavior, replaces negative behavior with positive one. This is a time consuming therapy, although, CBT claims it can be done in a short period of time. Findings Cognitive Therapy techniques teach clients to identify negative thoughts that occur in upsetting situations, examine the validity of the thoughts, replace negative with positive thoughts. The therapists recognize that people with anxiety frequently avoid situations they fear, and it makes things riskier by sustaining anxiety. CBT therapists in such situations help the clients overcome avoidance and help them gradually face what is feared. Behavior therapy techniques include: Intervention techniques to diminish negative thinking and emotionality, Activity scheduling to increase positive emotion. Conclusion This assignment studied how cognitive behavioral therapy as a model to help disturbed families. The assignment used characters of the film “Love Comes Softly” to demonstrate the power of this technique. It may be concluded that cognitive theory therapists can truly help emotionally depressed and disturbed family members by changing cognitive view and behavioral attitude. References Aliceboyes.com. (n.d.). Cognitive behavioral therapy intervention. Retrieved from http://www.aliceboyes.com/cbt-exercise/ Beck Institute. (n.d.). What is CBT. Retrieved from http://www.beckinstitute.org/cognitive-behavioral-therapy/#q-n-a-70 Bravekids (n.d.). What are the drawbacks of behavior therap?. Retrieved from http://www.bravekids.org/health-wellness/treatments-and-therapies/behavioral-therapy/benefits-and-drawbacks-of-behavior-therapy/ National Association for Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists. (2010). Why cognitive behavioral therapy. Retrieved from http://www.nacbt.org/whycbt.htm NHS Inform. (n.d.). Cognitive behavioral therapy. Retrieved from http://www.nhsinform.com/MentalHealth/AccessingHelp/Types-of-Therapy/Cognitive-Behavioural-Therapy/Disadvantages-of-cognitive-behavioural-therapy Kansas University Department of Psychology. (n.d.) Cognitive-behavioral family therapy. Retrieved from http://psych.ku.edu/dennisk/FamilyRx/Cog_Beh_NS.pdf Patterson, T.E. (2005). Cognitive-behavioral couple therapy in Harway, M., Handbook of Couple Therapy. New York: John Wiley & Sons. The Center for Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. (n.d.). Couples counseling. Retrieved from http://www.centreforcbtcounselling.co.uk/couples.php Read More