The
best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your
own. You do not blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the president. You
realize that you control your own destiny. ~ Albert Ellis
- Albert Ellis (1913-2007) – Psychologist that developed an approach to psychotherapy that he called rational therapy and later rational emotive therapy. It is now known as rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT)
- Aaron Temkin Beck (b. 1921) – He holds the position of University Professor (Emeritus) of Psychiatry. He is an innovating figure in cognitive therapy and one of the most influential and validated approaches to psychotherapy. He continues to be active and has published 21 books and more than 450 articles and book chapters.
- Judith S. Beck (b. 1954) – Her and her father, Aaron Temkin Beck, opened the nonprofit Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy. The Institution is devoted to national and international training in cognitive therapy. She is also the Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. She has written nearly a hundred articles and chapters on a variety of CT topics and authored several books on cognitive therapy.
- Donald Meichenbaum (b. 1940) – He is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Clinical Division of the American Psychological Association for his work on suicide prevention. He is also the research director of the Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention. He has published extensively, lectured and consulted internationally, and presents workshops at professional conferences.
Key Concepts
Although
psychological problems can stem from childhood they are bolstered by the way
the client presently thinks. The way a
person believes is the main cause of disorders.
The things that a client says to himself or herself, (“I am worthless.”)
plays a key role in their behavior. Clients
replace misconceptions about self with effective beliefs.
Ø
View
of Human Nature – People are born with rational and irrational thinking. People have predispositions for
self-preservation, happiness, thinking and verbalizing, loving, communion with
others, and growth and self-actualization.
The also have the propensities for self-destruction, avoidance of
thought, procrastination, endless repetition of mistakes, superstition,
intolerance, perfectionism, and self-blame, and avoidance of actualizing growth
potentials.
Ø
View
of Emotional Disturbance - People learn illogical beliefs from significant
people in their childhood. They have a
tendency to recreate these beliefs throughout their life. People reinforce their self-defeating beliefs
through autosuggestion and self-repetition.
Because we behave in the way we believe about ourselves it keeps the
dysfunctional attitudes active and operant within us.
Ø
A-B-C-
Framework – A is the activating event. B
is the belief. C is the emotional and
behavioral consequence. D is the
disputing interventions. E is the
effect. And F is the new feelings. It is not the experience itself that causes
the depressive reaction, but instead the person’s beliefs about the
experience. An emotional disturbance is
fostered by the self-defeating sentences clients continually repeat to
themselves. Cognitive restructuring is
the main technique of cognitive therapy that teaches people how to replace the
illogical beliefs with the logical beliefs.
This involves assisting clients with learning to be aware of self-talk,
identify illogical self-talk, and substitute logical self talk for their
illogical self-talk.
Therapeutic
Goals
Ø
To
show clients how they created the irrational beliefs early in life.
Ø
To
show clients how they are keeping their irrational beliefs and disturbances
active.
Ø
To
assist clients in modifying the way they think and how to minimize their
irrational ideas.
Ø
To
achieve unconditional self-acceptance.
Techniques
Used
Ø
Cognitive
Methods – Disputing irrational beliefs-clients go over a must, should,
or ought until they no longer hold that illogical belief or until it is
diminished. Doing cognitive homework-
Clients make lists of their problems, look for illogical beliefs, and
dispute the beliefs. The REBT Self-Help
Form is often used. When doing this
homework clients are asked to put themselves in situations that will challenge
their self-limiting beliefs. Clients are
asked to take record and think about how their personal beliefs about
themselves contributed to their problems.
Bibliotherapy- An adjunct form of treatment. This is seen as an educational process
because clients are asked to read REBT self-help books. Changing one’s language- “Musts”, “oughts”,
and absolute “should” can be replaces with preferences. Language that reflects helplessness and
self-condemnation can learn to incorporate new statements. Psychoeducational methods- Clients are
introduced to different educational material.
Therapists educate clients about how their problems and treatment will
most likely proceed.
Ø
Emotive
Techniques – Unconditional acceptance, role-playing, modeling, rational emotive
imagery, and shame attacking exercises are used. Clients are taught that putting themselves
down is destructive. The main goal of
this technique is to dispute illogical beliefs about self. Rational emotive imagery- Clients are
asked to imagine one of the most horrible events that could happen to
them. Once the clients imagine
themselves in the situation and the disturbing feelings arise they are shown
how to train themselves to develop healthy emotions in place of unhealthy emotions. Using humor- It is believed that if
people take themselves too seriously that is when illogical thinking comes into
play. A better sense of humor is
fostered and life is put into perspective.
It teaches client’s to laugh. Role
playing- Clients rehearse behaviors so that they can bring to surface their
feelings. Shame attacking exercises- This
helps clients minimize shame and anxiety over acting certain ways. Clients can refuse to be ashamed by telling
self that it is not a big deal if someone thinks that they are foolish. Clients are given homework that puts them in
situations that they will act foolish on purpose. These acts do not involve illegal activities
or behaviors that result in people being harmed.
Ø
Behavioral
Techniques – This includes operant conditioning, self-management principles,
systematic desensitization, relaxation techniques, and modeling. Clients are given homework assignments that
will desensitize and give exposure in real situations.
Check out this video that
can help your child feel confident and brave:
References
Albert Ellis
Quotes. (2012). Retrieved
from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/albert_ellis_2.html
Corey, G. (2012). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (9th
ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Reality Therapy
If you want to
change attitudes, start with a change in behavior. ~ William Glasser
v
William
Glasser (b. 1925) He was initially a chemical engineer. He then turned to psychology (MA, Clinical
Psychology, 1948) and then to psychiatry, attending medical school (MD, 1953)
with the intentions of becoming a psychiatrist.
In 1962 he began to give lectures on “reality psychiatry,” but there
were few psychiatrists in the audience so he changed it to reality therapy.
v
Robert
E. Wubbolding, EdD (b. 1936) He received his doctorate in counseling and is
licensed to counsel as well as a psychologist.
He is the director of the Center for Reality Therapy in Cincinnati and
professor emeritus of Xavier University.
He is an internationally known teacher, author, and practitionaer of
reality therapy. He received the
Gratitude Award (2009) for Initiating Reality Therapy in the United Kingdom and
the Certificate of Reality Therapy Psychotherapist by the Erupean Association
for Psychotherapy (2009).
Key Concepts
Ø
View
of Human Nature – People are born with five genetically encoded needs that
drives them their entire lives: survival, love and belonging, power, freedom,
and fun. Although all people have the
five needs they vary in strength from person to person. The brain acts as a control system. It monitors feelings as to determine how the
person is doing in the pursuit of satisfying these needs. When a person feels bad then one of these
five needs is not being satisfied.
Reality therapists teach clients choice therapy so that the client can
identify and satisfy unmet needs. Wants
are called quality world. This is at the
core of the person’s life. The picture album
is specific wants and how those wants will be satisfied.
Ø
Choice
Theory Explanation of Behavior – All humans do from birth to death is behave,
rarely do they not choose their behavior.
Every total behavior is the pursuit to get what satisfies the need. Total behavior teaches that all behavior is
made up of four distinct components: acting, thinking, feeling, and
physiology. These components accompany
all actions, thoughts, and feelings. Behavior
is on purpose because it fills the gap between the wants and what is perceived
that the person is getting. Because
behaviors come from the inside we choose our destiny.
Ø
Characteristics
of Reality Therapy – Contemporary reality therapy focuses on the lack of or
unsatisfying relationship. This often is
what causes the clients’ problems.
Reality therapy doesn’t allow for the client to blame others for causing
them pain. The reality therapist asks
the client to consider their choices affect their relationships with the
important people in their lives. Emphasize
Choice and Responsibility-What we choose, we must be responsible for that
choice. People are dealt with “as if”
they have choices. Therapists help
clients focus on where they have choice and this helps get them closer to the
people that they need. Reject
Transference- Whatever mistakes have happened in the past, they are not
important in the presence. The past
contributed but it is never the problem.
Reality therapists will allow the client to talk a little about the past
but there is not a lot of time spent on looking back. Early on, therapists will tell clients, “What
has happened is over; it can’t be changed.
The more time we spend looking back, the more we avoid looking
forward.” Avoid Focusing on Symptoms-
The reality therapist spends very little time on symptoms. Symptoms last as long as they are needed in
order to deal with an unsatisfying relationship or the frustration of basic
needs. Going back to the past or
focusing on symptoms causes lengthy therapy.
Therapy can be shortened if present day problems are focused on.
Therapeutic
Goals
Ø
To
help the client get connected or reconnected with the people they have chosen
to put in their quality world.
Ø
To
assist clients in learning a better way of fulfilling their needs. This includes achievement, power, or inner
control, freedom or independence, and fun.
Ø
To
assist clients in making better and more responsible choices when related to
their wants and needs.
Ø
To
get connected with involuntary clients. (i.e. individuals who are violent and
living with addictions)
Techniques
Used
Ø
Creating
the Counseling Environment – a challenging and supportive environment allows
clients to begin making changes in their life.
The client/therapist relationship is the base for the therapy to be
effective. Therapists avoid behaviors
such as arguing, attacking, accusing, demeaning, bossing, criticizing, finding
fault, coercing, encouraging excuses, holding grudges, instilling fear, and
giving up easily. Clients learn how to
create a satisfying environment that leads to successful relationships.
Ø
Procedures
That Lead to Change – Therapists begin by asking what the client wants from
therapy. They take any mystery out of
therapy at the beginning. They ask about
how the client’s relationships are and what choices are they making in
them. The first session the wants are
identified. Then the therapist looks for
unsatisfying relationships. Initially, the
question, “Whose behavior can you control?” is asked often. The therapist encourages the client to look
at their own behavior and to focus on what they can control. Once the client realizes that they can only
control self is when therapy starts. The
remainder of the therapy sessions focus on helping the client learn to make
better choices. When clients make a change
it is their choice. Through reality
therapy clients can obtain and maintain healthy and successful
relationships.
References
Corey, G. (2012). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (9th
ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
William Glasser (2012). Retrieved from: http://www.quotesdaddy.com/quote/276087/william-glasser/if-you-want-to-change-attitudes-start-with-a-change
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