This week’s post will discuss cognitive therapy, and how it differs from REBT (Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy).
Cognitive therapy, which was invented by Aaron T. Beck and expanded on by his daughter Judith, is based on the assumption that we all have core beliefs and schemas. Using our schemas as a guide, we have automatic thoughts that cause us to behave and feel a certain way. When our automatic thoughts are dysfunctional, so are we.
There are common ways in which people distort their thoughts. A cognitive therapist is aware of these categories, and will look for them as clients are describing their cognitions. Examples of such categories are over-generalization (thinking one isolated incident will be true all of the time) and magnification (making something much more important than it really is). According to cognitive theory, distorted thoughts lead to dysfunctional behavior and emotion.
Goals of Therapy
One of the major goals of cognitive therapy is to make clients aware of their automatic thoughts. Once clients become aware, they can work with the therapist to uncover their schemas and core beliefs. In another words, they can get clarity about the origination of the automatic thoughts.
The goal of cognitive therapy is to change the core beliefs, although interventions can occur at any level. Sometimes awareness of automatic thoughts is sufficient to produce change, however most of the time the therapist must work with the client to uncover the core beliefs.
Cognitive therapy is very similar to REBT. In both types of therapy, the goal is to identify the dysfunctional thoughts and help the client modify it or them. Both types of therapy work with the assumption that people are basically rational and capable of analyzing and changing their thought patterns.
However, REBT and cognitive therapy use slightly different methods. In REBT, the therapist will know immediately what the dysfunctional thought (or to use REBT lingo, the “irrational thought”) is and how to go about assisting the client in changing it. However in cognitive therapy, the therapist doesn’t know what they core, or underlying, belief is. In this case, the therapist must work with the client to uncover the core belief(s). Therefore, cognitive therapy is an inductive process whereas REBT is deductive.
Another major difference is therapist style. REBT therapists are much more directive and confrontational, whereas cognitive therapists are more client-centered and collaborative.
Techniques
In order to assist the client in modifying their core beliefs, the client can be encouraged to “try on” new (more functional) beliefs and see how they feel. Once the client discovers that they feel much better with the “new” belief, they will be encouraged to change it permanently. It is important to note that although cognitive therapy is considered a brief modality, a lot of repetition and practice is required from the client in order to make these changes.
Cognitive therapy can also be supplemented with behavioral techniques, such as assertiveness training (helping the client try on a new behavior), relaxation (helping the client cope with anxiety about the new behavior), role playing (helping the client discover a new behavior), etc.
Yours in the Joy of Knowledge,
Barbara LoFrisco
