COUNSELLING

Comparing the major approaches of Counselling

Comparing the major approaches of Counselling

Introduction

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a cornerstone of mental health therapy in general, but plays a very significant role in addiction counseling. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a very conceptual style of psychotherapy. CBT is a method of thinking where you examine a situation, the emotions and symptoms that result from that situation, and re-examine your thinking to change how you feel or how you react to that same situation in the future. CBT looks to rid your mind of irrational thinking so that you don't make irrational decisions. While it may be rational to accept that you failed at that specific task, it is ultimately irrational to think you are a complete failure at your work for that reason alone. Learning to rationalize those thoughts through CBT methods can lead to a more realistic reaction and hopefully a more positive future.

“Psychodynamic is a general name for therapeutic approaches which try to get the patient to bring to the surface their true feelings, so that they can experience them and understand them” (David Lloyd, 2009).

“Counseling psychology focuses on providing therapeutic treatments to clients who experience a wide variety of symptoms. It is also one of the largest specialty areas within psychology” (Cherry, 2011).

In this paper i will compare CBT, Humanistic, Psychodynamic counselling theory and styles, the major approaches of Counselling and Psychodynamics, reflect on how these may affect the outcome of the therapeutic process. In doing so, the author will reflect on the essential qualities required for establishing and maintaining the counselling relationship and explore the importance of differentiating between the counsellor's and the client's issues.

Discussion

Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT)

The phrase 'cognitive-behavioural' emerged during the 1970s as a result of the convergence of two previously separate approaches or 'schools' in psychology. The theory on which they are based represents a synthesis of concepts from behavioural and cognitive psychology, entitled 'cognitive social learning theory'(Trower, 2010, pp. 52-60).

A cognitive-social-learning approach seeks to understand offending behaviour as a function of learning - of the cumulative experiences to which an individual has been exposed and the environment in which that has taken place. Socialization and other interpersonal processes within families play the most powerful role in individual development, but similar processes also help to explain the profound influence of neighbourhoods and peers (differential association). Alongside behavioural development, cognitive learning occurs in parallel and influences the formation of attitudes, beliefs and habitual patterns of thought. Variability in learning opportunities will affect the pattern of acquisition of skills for effective living, engaging in relationships and solving personal problems. Different permutations of these variables interact with environmental factors (including crime opportunities) and influence the pathways along which individuals travel through successive maturational stages (Salkovskis, 1996, pp. 13-23).

The assessment of thoughts, feelings and behaviour, and of their mutual interactions, generates information that can enable individuals to enact change in their lives. Applying this to entrenched problems (such as persistent offending) entails combining knowledge of underlying processes with a systematic exploration ...