Unit 10: Behavioral and Cognitive Theories of Counselling

Introduction to a broad range of counselling theories, and the second movement in psychology: behaviorism

Similarities of all cognitive behavioral and behavioral approaches

they all share basic characteristics and assumptions as traditional behavior therapy  

1. Collaborative relationship between client and therapist 

2. Premise that psychological distress is often maintained by cognitive processes 

3. Focus on changing cognitions to produce desires changes in affect and behavior 

4. Resent-centered time-limited focus 

5. Active and direct stance by the therapist 

6. Educational treatment focusing on specific and structured target problems  

• That beliefs behaviors emotions and physical reactions are all linked

Differences between all cognitive behavioral and behavioral approaches

Behavioral theory: all behavior, including language, was a learned response. A concertation on behavioral processes, 

Cognitive and cognitive-behavioral counselling identifies and changes though patterns that lead to harmful behaviors/outcomes. Focus on mental processes and their influences on health and behavior; how people think determines how they feel and behave/act. 

• Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT): A cognitive behavioral therapy that helps people change irrational beliefs and emotions 

• Reality Therapy (RT): client-centered form of cognitive-behavioral therapy focuses on improving present relationships and circumstances, views persons behaviors as choices, helps people fulfill basic human needs and sense of identity. Views behaviors as choices to satisfy basic needs. 

• Cognitive Therapy (CT): Emotional and behavioral responses are consequences of processing information from the environment. Dysfunctional behavior is caused by dysfunctional thinking; if belief changes, so does the behavior. 

B.F Skinner (1904-1990)

American psychologists/behaviorist; person most responsible for the popularization of behavioral treatment methods. Used operant conditioning, developed behavior analysis, studied how environmental stimuli shape human behavior  

Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936):

Russian physiologist, discovered classical conditioning with dog experiments in late 1890s-1900s. Notable behavioral theorist/ head figure  

John B Watson (1878-)

American psychologist, founded scientific theory of behaviorism and conducted influential experiments on animal and human behavior. Notable behavioral theorist/ head figure 

Albert Bandura (1925-2021)

Canadian American psychologist, that developed social learning theory, social cognitive theory, and self-efficacy. Is contemporary figure of behaviorism

Behavioral theory

all behavior, including language, was a learned response. A concertation on behavioral processes, and belief learning can be effective in changing (maladaptive) behaviors. 

Reinforcers

Are events that, when they follow a behavior, increase the probability of the behavior repeating. Are two types: positive and negative  

1. Positive reinforcer: Onset or application of event that increased probability of behavior being repeated  

2. Negative reinforcer: offset or removal of an event that increases the probability of a behavior being repeated  

Shaping

When behavior is learned in gradually steps through successive approximation, it breaks behavior into units

Generalization

The display of behaviors in an environment(s) outside of where it was originally learned  

Maintenance

Defined as consistent in performing the actions desired without depending on anyone else for support, emphasis on client's self-control and self-management.  

• Self-monitoring: when clients modify their own behaviors. (1) self-observation: person notice behaviors they do, (2) Self-recording: focuses on recoding these behaviors  

Extinction

The elimination of behavior because of the withdrawal of its reinforcer  

Punishment

Involves a stimulus or event that decreases the probability of an occurrence of a behavior, two types: positive punishment, and negative punishment  

1. Positive punishment: Involves application of a stimulus or event that reduces the likelihood of a behavior reoccurring  

2. Negative punishment: Involves removal of a stimulus, which reduces the likelihood of a behavior reoccurring  

Behavioral rehearsal

consists of practicing a desired behavior until it is performed the way the client wishes  

Systematic desensitization

designed to help client get over anxiety in situations (phobias, etc..). Starts with the client explaining the fear and rank situation and related events on a hierarchical scale. Counsellor teaches client how to relax, then work through hierarchy, when get stressed relax with technique(s), to deduce fear by having the client calm before feared stimulus  

Assertiveness training

Client taught counter-conditioning anxiety and reinforcing assertiveness to be able to express their thoughts and feelings without anxiety 

Contingency contracts

These types of contracts spell out the behaviors to be performed, changed, or discontinued, rewards associated with achievement of goals, and conditions under which to gain rewards 

Implosion therapy

Involves desensitizing a client to a situation/stimulus by having them image an anxiety-producing situation, without teaching them to relax first, and may have desire consequences. 

Flooding

less traumatic than implosion therapy, the imagined anxiety-producing scene does not have dire consequences  

Time-out

Mild aversive technique which a client is separated from opportunity to get positive reinforcement, effective when employed over short periods of time  

Overcorrection

Technique in which client first restores environment to natural state and then makes it “better than normal/before”  

Covert sensitization

Technique in which undesired behavior is eliminated by associating it with unpleasantness  

Behavioral therapy view of human nature

• Behavioral processes closely associated with overt behavior 

• Focus on here and now  

• Assumption all behavior is learned  

• Belief that learning can be effcetive in changing maladaptive behavior 

• Focus on setting up well-defined therapy goals with clients 

• Rejection of the idea that the human personality is composed of traits 

• Stress important of obtaining empirical evidence 

Behavioral therapy role of counsellor

role as consultant, teacher, adviser, reinforcer, and facilitator 

• take on various roles depending on client's orientation of goals, client learns, unlearns, relearns specific ways of behaving  

• Effective counselling operates from broad perspective and involves the client in each phase of counselling  

Behavioral therapy goals

help client make good adjustments to life circumstances and achieve personal and professional objectives  

• Goal in modifying to eliminating maladaptive behaviors while helping clients obtain healthy, constructive ways of acting. Eliminate behaviors and replace with productive ways if acting/responding  

• Major step for both counselor and client to reach mutually agreed-upon goals  

Behavioral therapy techniques

General behavioral techniques: reinforcers, schedules of reinforcement, shaping, generalization, maintenance, extinction, punishment, 

• Schedules of reinforcement: when behavior first being learned should be reinforced every time it occurs by continuous reinforcement. Schedules or reinforcement operate according to either: (1) number of responses (ratio) or, (2) length of time (interval) between reinforcers  

• Specific behavioral techniques: behavioral rehearsal, systematic desensitization, assertiveness training, contingency contracts, implosion and flooding, time-out, overcorrection, & covert sensitization  

behavioral therapy two strengths and two limitations

Strengths: (1) approach deals directly with symptoms (assists clients immediately), (2) Focus on here and now (no need to examine the past for help in the present) 

Limitations: (1) Approach does not deal with the total person, just explicit behavior, (2) Approach is sometimes applied mechanically 

Cognitive and cognitive-behavioral counselling

identifies and changes though patterns that lead to harmful behaviors/outcomes. Focus on mental processes and their influences on health and behavior; how people think determines how they feel and behave/act.  

Cognitions

are thoughts, beliefs, and internal images that people have about events in their lives 

Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT)

A cognitive behavioral therapy that helps people change irrational beliefs and emotions 

Albert Ellis (1913-2007)

developed rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) and influenced cognitive-behavioral therapies/theories  

Irrational thinking/ Irrational beliefs (iBs)

Thoughts that distort reality, are illogical, and prevent client from reaching their goals, may include invention of upsetting and disturbing thoughts  

Cognitive disputation

a way of disputing thoughts and beliefs, involves the usage of direct questions, logical reasoning, and persuasion  

Imaginal disputation

a way of disputing thoughts and beliefs, uses client's ability to imagine and employs technique of rational emotive imagery (REI) 

Behavioral disputation

a way of disputing thoughts and beliefs, involves behaving in way is opposite of client's normal way, including role-playing and homework in which client does activities previously thought impossible to do.  

Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) view of human nature

people have both self-interest and social interest. That humans are gullible, highly suggestable, and easily disturbed, yet that they have the means inside to control their thoughts, feelings, and actions, but must first realize what they are telling themselves to gain control of their lives.

Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) role of the counsellor

are active and direct, are instructors that teach and correct the clients' cognitions  

Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) goals

primary goal focus on helping client realize that they can live more rational and productive lives, major goal help them avoid having more of an emotional reaction to situation than is needed, other goal of helping people change self-defeating habits if thought or behavior (through ABCDE model), also encourages clients to be more tolerant of selves and others and urges to achieve personal goals 

• ABCSE: clients learn how to recognize an emotional anatomy (learn how feelings are attached to thoughts)  

Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) Techniques

2 primary techniques: teaching and disputing, others are confrontation and encouragement  

• Teaching: Involves having clients learn the basic ideas of REBT and understand how emotions are linked with behaviors  

• Disputing thoughts and belief take on three forms: cognitive, imaginal, and behavioral, most effective when all are used  

Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) two strengths and two limitations

Strengths: (1) Approach is clear, easy to understand, learn and is effective, (2) Approach can be easily combined with other behavioral techniques to help clients more fully experience what they are learning  

Limitations: (1) Approach cannot be used effectively with people who have mental problems or limitations, (2) Approach may be too closely associated with its founder (Ellis) and his ideas  

Reality Therapy (RT)

client-centered form of cognitive-behavioral therapy focuses on improving present relationships and circumstances, views persons behaviors as choices, helps people fulfill basic human needs and sense of identity. Views behaviors as choices to satisfy basic needs.  

William Glasser (1925-)

An American psychiatrist that developed reality therapy in mid-1960s 

Identity

development of psychologically healthy sense of self, met by being accepted as person by others and associated with meeting the basic physical and (5) psychological needs   

WDEP system

RT uses, way of helping counsellors and clients make progress and employ techniques 

• W stands for wants: counsellor finds out what the client wants and want they have been doing, in turn share their own wants for and perceptions of the client's situation  

• D stands for direction: to explore direction of lives, self-talk is discussed and confronted, basic steps of establishing a relationship and focusing on present behavior  

• E stands for evaluation: Clients helped to evaluate their behaviors and to determine how responsible their personal behaviors are, they must identify behavior as unproductive/ineffective and want to change it . Usage of humor, role-playing, and offering feedback can help 

• P stands for plan: client makes a plan for changing behaviors; stresses the actions they will take not behaviors that they will eliminate, sometimes in form of written contract. 

Reality therapy (RT) View of human nature

Focused view on some important aspects of human life and human nature, not fully comprehensive explanation.  

• Major tenet is its focus on consciousness, (1) humans operate on conscious level; not by unconscious forces or instincts  

• (2) everyone has a health/growth force that is manifested on two levels: Physical (self-sustaining necessitates) and psychological (“new brain” needs: love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun) that are associated with identity  

• That human learning is a life-long process based on choice  

Reality therapy role of counsellor

Serves as a teacher and model 

• Counsellor seeks to build a relationship with client through friendliness, fairness, and firmness 

• Focus on choice, the client must identity and want to change behavior 

• Emphasizes positive, constrictive actions  

Reality therapy goals

1. Help clients become psychologically strong and rational and realize they have choices in the ways they treat themselves and others 

2. Helps clients clarify what they want in life 

3. Help client formulate a realistic plan to achieve personal needs and wishes  

4. Have counsellor become involved with the client in a meaningful relationship 

5. Focus on behavior and the present 

6. Aims to eliminate punishment and excuses form the clients life  

Reality therapy techniques

Uses action-oriented techniques that help clients realize they have choices in how they respond to events and people 

• exposes 7 deadly habits: criticizing, blaming, complaining, nagging, threatening, punishing, and bribing  

• More effective techniques of teaching, employing humor, confronting, role-playing, offering feedback, formulating specific plans, and composing contracts  

• WDEP system as a way of helping counsellors and clients make progress; wants, direction, evaluation, & plan  

Reality therapy two strengths and tow limitations

Strengths: (1) Versatile and able to be applied to many populations, (2) Approach is concrete: can assess how much progress is being made  

Limitations: (1) Approach emphasizes here and now of behavior so much it sometimes ignores other concepts like unconsciousness or personal history, (2) Holds that all forms of mental illness are attempts to deal with external events  

Cognitive Therapy (CT)

Emotional and behavioral responses are consequences of processing information from the environment. Dysfunctional behavior is caused by dysfunctional thinking; if belief changes, so does the behavior. 

Aaron Beck (1921-)

An American psychiatrist, credited as founder of cognitive therapy (CT), work begin same time as that or Ellis, and like him was also trained to be psychanalytic and formed own ideas about CT after conducting research into effectiveness of using psychanalysis theories in depression (inadequate)  

Cognitive therapy view of human nature

Schemas, beliefs, and thoughts are strongly tied to our behavior and, if unhealthy produce distress/dysfunction. Dysfunctial behavior is caused by dysfunctional thinking; if beliefs change, symptoms and behaviors change  

Cognitive therapy role of counsellor

is active during sessions, works with client to make covert thoughts more overt 

Cognitive therapy goals

goals center around (1) examining and modifying unexamined and negative thoughts, and (2) work with clients to overcome their lack of motivation  

Cognitive therapy techniques

challenge the way people process information, counter their mistaken belief systems, and improving communication skills 

• Using self-monitoring exercises designed to stop/prevent negative “automatic thoughts”, increasing positive self-statements and exercise, doing homework  

Cognitive therapy two strengths and two limitations

Strengths: (1) Adapted to treat a wide range of disorders, (2) Applicable in several cultural settings 

Limitations: (1) Structured and requires clients to be active, usually includes homework, (2) Not appropriate for people seeking a more unstructured approach