Examine the similarities and differences between CBT and REBT.

Psychotherapy of Individuals Essay

Assignment 1: Cognitive Behavioral Theory Versus Rational Emotive Behavioral Theory

While cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT) have many similarities, they are distinctly different therapeutic approaches. When assessing clients and selecting one of these therapies, you must recognize the importance of not only selecting the one that is best for the client, but also the approach that most aligns to your own skill set. For this Assignment, as you examine the similarities and differences between CBT and REBT, consider which therapeutic approach you might use with your clients. Psychotherapy of Individuals Essay

Learning Objectives

Students will:

Compare cognitive behavioral therapy and rational emotive behavioral therapy

Recommend cognitive behavioral therapies for clients

To prepare:

Review the media in this week’s Learning Resources.

Reflect on the various forms of cognitive behavioral therapy.

The Assignment

In a 1- to 2-page paper, address the following:

Briefly describe how cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT) are similar.

Explain at least three differences between CBT and REBT. Include how these differences might impact your practice as a mental health counselor. Psychotherapy of Individuals Essay

Explain which version of cognitive behavioral therapy you might use with clients and why. Support your approach with evidence-based literature.

Note: The School of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The Sample Paper provided at the Walden Writing Center provides an example of those required elements (available at http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/57.htm). All papers submitted must use this formatting.

Introduction

Psychotherapy is a unique approach mediated by a trained and qualified therapist with the intention of addressing potentially debilitating issues with mental implications. In fact, it entails the application of scientifically validated approach to help people develop more effective and healthier habits that enable them live more productive, healthier and happier lives. Grounded on dialogues, it requires collaboration between the client and therapist. There are a range of psychotherapy approaches that can be applied, with each one drawing on distinctive theoretical perspectives that act as a roadmap for therapists to understand their clients, their issues, and effective solutions. Two examples of these therapies are cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT). CBT is a psychotherapy approach that addresses issues with cognition and destructive behavior patterns through modifying dysfunctional thoughts, behaviors and emotions. REBT is a psychotherapy approaches that empowers the client to identify and address self-defeating feelings and thoughts, and use rational approaches to replace them with healthier feelings and thoughts (Sadock, B., Sadock, V. & Ruiz, 2014). The present paper discusses the similarities and differences between CBT and REBT as distinctive psychotherapy approaches. Psychotherapy of Individuals Essay

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Discussion

Similarities between CBT and REBT

CBT and REBT share distinctive similarities. Firstly, they both present theoretical perspectives that act as roadmap to help therapists in understanding their clients and their issues, as well as developing effective solutions. Secondly, they are applied in addressing distorted cognition (negative emotions) that include inappropriate or extreme anger, and guilt. Finally, they both require collaborative input from the therapist and client(s) who work together to identify the problem and solution (Acton, 2013; Cautin&Lilienfeld, 2015).

Differences between CBT and REBT

There are five distinctive differences between CBT and REBT. Firstly, there is a philosophical difference since CBT is concerned with addressing distorted cognition while REBT addresses both distorted cognition and emotional disturbances. Secondly, they attach different importance to secondary disturbance with CBT ignoring secondary disturbance while REBT highlights secondary disturbance as an important concern. Thirdly, REBT calls for unconditional self-acceptance to include both the negative and positive qualities, while CBT calls for the positive qualities to be reinforced even as the negative qualities are ignored or discarded. Fourthly, REBT distinguishes between helpful and unhelpful negative emotions, while CBT considers all negative emotions as unhelpful and inappropriate. Finally, REBT considers all anger as harmful while CBT views some anger as appropriate and healthy (Cautin&Lilienfeld, 2015; Wheeler, 2014). Psychotherapy of Individuals Essay

Version of CBT to use

Perhaps the most appropriate CBT is Beck’s cognitive therapy that is tailored for depression. This is an approach that seeks to make clients aware of the link between their automatic thought processes, cognitive distortions, and emotional responses. In fact, the approach proposes that the client seeking treatment underwent learning in the process of growth, which facilitated the development of unhelpful/inaccurate core beliefs about the self and others within the same environment (Acton, 2013). The core beliefs are typically dormant since the client has time to think when making decisions. However, there are specific events (particularly traumatic events) that would cause the client to revert to the core beliefs when making decisions. To be more precise, applying the core beliefs cause the client to be susceptible to depression with feelings of incompetence, helplessness, worthlessness and being non-lovable(Cautin&Lilienfeld, 2015). Psychotherapy of Individuals Essay

Through applying Beck’s cognitive therapy, the therapist teaches the client behavioral and cognitive skills to develop helpful and more accurate beliefs that result in helpful emotions and better management of the unhelpful negative emotions. As such, the approach makes the client aware of the link between negative emotions and core beliefs with the intention of enabling deliberate thought that targets the desired emotional response. Besides that, the approach is delivered for between 8 and 16 sessions thus taking a short time to achieve the desired results (Cautin&Lilienfeld, 2015).

Conclusion

One must accept that psychotherapy is intended to help people develop more effective and healthier habits that enable them live more productive, healthier and happier lives. In addition, one must acknowledge that psychotherapy entails different approaches that include CBT and REBT. The two approaches have similarities that include theoretical perspectives, addressing distorted cognition, and requiring collaborative input. The two approaches also have differences that include philosophies, importance attached to secondary disturbance, self-acceptance, awareness of negative emotions, and how anger is perceived. Between the different types of CBT, the most appropriate type is Beck’s cognitive therapy that is targeted at addressing depression through a change in thought process in 8 to 16 sessions. Psychotherapy of Individuals Essay

References

Acton, A. (2013). Major depressive disorders: new insights for the healthcare professional. Atlanta, GA: Scholarly Editions.

Cautin, R. &Lilienfeld, S. (2015). The encyclopedia of clinical psychology, volume II Cli-E. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Sadock, B. J., Sadock, V. A. & Ruiz, P. (2014). Kaplan &Sadock’s synopsis of psychiatry: behavioral sciences/clinical psychiatry (11thed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.

Wheeler, K. (2014). Psychotherapy for the advanced practice psychiatric nurse: a how-to-guide for evidence-based practice (2nded.). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company, LLC. Psychotherapy of Individuals Essay