Psychotherapies Midterm Flashcards

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers the fundamental definitions, professional relationship dynamics, patient/therapist characteristics, phases of treatment, and core Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) concepts from the Psychotherapies lecture notes.

Psychotherapies

A form of treatment for emotional problems in which a trained professional establishes a relationship with a client to remove, modify, or retard existing symptoms, mediate behavior patterns, and promote positive personality development.

Warmth

The means by which psychotherapists provide an atmosphere where patients feel relaxed, safe, and appreciated for who they are, regardless of their personal characteristics or history.

Genuineness

Engaging with patients in a direct personal encounter rooted in honesty and free from artificiality.

Empathy

The ability to assume the perspective of other people and understand their needs and feelings.

Neurotic Difficulties

Psychological issues and conflicts within a therapist that interfere with their ability to respond openly and flexibly to the needs of their patients.

Psychogenic component

Psychological origins of somatic complaints or other concerns presented by a patient to a physician.

Working Formulation

A clinical formulation in the initial phase comprising diagnostic impressions about whether a disorder is psychotic, neurotic, or an adjustment reaction; whether symptoms are psychogenic or somatic; and the severity of the intervention needed.

Productive Talking

The patient's act of elaborating on what they are saying, reporting new feelings and ideas as they arise, and continuing to talk even when it is uncomfortable.

Interpretation

A therapist's deliberate attempt to expand a patient's conscious awareness by identifying aspects of behavior or unconscious determinants of which they were not previously aware.

Resistance

A paradoxical reluctance of patients to participate in the treatment process or a reluctance to give up emotional and behavioral disturbances.

Secondary Gain Resistance

A form of resistance where a patient is reluctant to recover because they receive sympathy, are exempted from responsibilities, or have allowances made for their behavior.

Neurotic Equilibrium Resistance

Resistance based on the anticipation that change will disrupt current patterns of interpersonal relationships or bring new disadvantages.

Resistance to Patienthood

A negative attitude toward being in the patient role, often stemming from the perception that seeking therapy is evidence of being weak, inadequate, or dependent.

Transference

The displacement of feelings, attitudes, or impulses experienced toward previous figures in a person's life onto current figures, such as the therapist.

Counter Transference

Inappropriate or irrational reactions by therapists to a patient's behavior.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

A short-term, goal-oriented therapy developed by Aaron Beck that focuses on changing patterns of thinking or behavior.

Negative Automatic Thoughts (NAT)

Spontaneous negative thoughts that occur in response to triggers and affect a person's mood.

Negative Cognitive Triad

A pattern in depression consisting of a negative view of the Self, a negative perception of the World, and a pessimistic outlook on the Future.

All or Nothing Thinking

A cognitive distortion involving viewing situations in extreme, black-and-white terms, such as 'If I'm not perfect, then I'm a total loser.'

Overgeneralization

Making sweeping conclusions based on a single incident, such as believing 'I always mess things up' because of one event.

Mental Filters

Selectively focusing on negative aspects of a situation while ignoring the positive, such as believing a whole day is ruined by a single small mistake.

Emotional Reasoning

Letting emotions dictate one's perception of reality, summarized by the belief, 'I feel like a failure, so I must be one.'

Should Statements

Imposing rigid, unrealistic rules on oneself or others that foster guilt and frustration when they are not met.

Cognitive Restructuring

The process of identifying Negative Automatic Thoughts and distortions, challenging them, and replacing them with healthier thought patterns.

Double Column Technique

A cognitive restructuring method where a patient lists distorted thoughts in one column and provides objective evidence against them in the second.

Cost-Benefit Analysis

Analyzing the negative impact (costs) versus the positive outcomes (benefits) of holding a specific distorted belief.