cognitive behavioral therapy & defense mechanisms

CBT

we are disturbed not by things, but by the views we take of them

can people change?

yes if motivated + behaving in destructive ways

what is our self talk?

it shapes act and what we can do

“the little engine that could”

thoughts + feeling =

behavior

try to recall thought before feeling? why am I feeling this way?

often not aware of the connection between:

thoughts and emotions

seldom question our thoughts

we can’t control what happens to us but we can control how we respond

cognitive theory: aron beck

negative emotion is connected to inaccurate thinking, cognitive distortions (depression)

connect thoughts to upsetting feelings

• appraise the accuracy of these thoughts, realize thoughts aren’t true

POSITIVE THINKING IS NOT AIM - THE PURSUIT OF ACCURATE THINKING (to help us tackle whatever it is)

principles of CBT

mental processes: perceiving, remembering, reasoning, decision making, problem solving

thinking and doing more important that past

change faulty thoughts: replace with thoughts hat promote adaptive behavior

recognize cognitive habits: devise new, adaptive ones

emotional responses dependent on cognitive: distortions (automatic thoughts)

• overgeneraloization

• all or nothing (dichotomous) thinking

• disqualifying the positive

• mind reading

• catastophizing

• minimization

• personalization

• fortune telling

CBT is:

• time limited: 6-10 weeks

• collaborative: people can learn

• skill acquisition: recognize thought patterns and learn new tools

• evidence based: very effective

• goal oritented

• active homework: must practice

techniques used

• look at automatic thoughts

• when something stressful happens, write it down what are thoughts, what are emotions

• what is helpful, what is not

• what is accurate, what is not

• generate alternatives

• examine evidence

• de-catastophize

• turn thoughts around

• choose to let go thoughts hat aren’t working - thought stopping

supportive therapy

• what patient needs at that moment

• stength based: enhance and support patient’s strengths

• reducing distress is aim (not increasing logic behind it, that can increase distress)

• achieve greatest level of functioning, most independence

• used in combination with other approaches

defense mechanisms from Freud and his daughter

automatic coping skills

• they protect from anxiety

• can be used in healthy and unhealthy ways

adaptive use: helps lower anxiety and achieve their goals

maladaptive: one or more are used to excess (drinking)

• typically immature (may lash out)