Cognitive and Bevioural Approaches To Couselling

COGNITIVE AND BEHAVIORAL APPROACHES TO COUNSELLING
COGNITIVE APPROACHES TO COUNSELLING
Thes theories use a logical intellectual approach to the solution of client’s problems or difficulties.
Cognitive approach counselors assume the role of teacher – persuader and engage in active directive
teaching so that the client is re- educated to gain insight into his emotional disturbance or problems.
The theories which use the approach include
Rational Emotive Theory
Transactional analysis
Trait factor counselling
Rational Emotive Theory – By Albert Ellis
Characteristics of the theory
View of Human Nature
It is based on assumption that human beings are born with potential for both rational (straight) thinking
and irrational (crooked) thinking.
Human beings strive for growth and self-actualization but sometimes behave in a self-destructive
manner- human beings are dichotomous nature and to live at peace with both sides of that human
nature.
Ellis emphasizes that emotions are products of our thinking e.g., when we think of something pleasant,
we feel good. When we suffer from emotional disturbances, we accept that they are the results of our
irrational / illogical ideas or meanings which we unchallengingly believe.
Ellis formulated the ABC principle of Emotional disturbance.
A is the activating event or the fact.
B is the belief or attitude or attitude or interpretation that the individual adopts about A.
C is the emotional reaction (consequences) of the individual e.g., emotional disturbances or

unhappiness.
Ellis states that A does not cause C (consequences). Instead B (the person’ s beliefs about A) causes C
(The emotional reaction).
Example
If a person experiences depression after losing a job it may not be the loss of job itself that causes
depressive reaction but the person’s beliefs about being a failure, being rejected.
The emotional disturbance is fostered by being fed by illogical sentences that the person continually
repeats to himself e.g. I’m totally to blame for the loss of the job, I am miserable, everything I did was
wrong etc.
It means therefore that an individual has the possibility of changing and controlling his attitude and
behavior in reaction to circumstances. He can change and control his future by thinking logically and
rationally.
Goals of Rational Emotive Therapy
The central purpose is to help the client get free from illogical or irrational ideas or beliefs and replace
and attitudes.
The counselor needs to understand the client’s world as he sees it so that he can show him how his
emotional disturbances is a result of his illogical reasoning. To do this he follows these steps.
1. Step 1 is concerned with developing an awareness in the client that his beliefs are illogical.
- It is done by challenging the self-defeating illusion the client believes are true.
2. The second step aims at showing the client that he is fostering his self- defeating illusions by
continually thinking of all the ‘shoulds’, ‘oughts’, ‘musts’.
-These are responsible for making him unhappy and not the event.
3. The final step involves attempting to get the client to modify his thinking and abandon his
irrational ideas.
RET therefore teaches clients to acquire a reality-based philosophy of life.
Major techniques and Procedures
RET allows the use of selective techniques and procedures.
The counselor can employ any technique that proves successful depending on individual client and his
unique problem(s).
1. Debating
2. Challenging
3. Interpreting
4. Explaining
5. Disputing
6. Active directive teaching
These are methods used to re- evaluate self.
7. Role playing- Client acting out his illogical beliefs.
8. Modelling – e.g. reading about other people’s experiences
9. Shame attacking exercise e.g. the counsellor becomes frank and attacks the self- defeating
behaviors of the client.
10. Use of homework assignments, whereby the clients are made to repeatedly challenge their
irrational beliefs and practice their disputing skills.
BEHAVIORAL APPROACHES TO COUNSELLING
Behavioral counselors focus on the specific behaviors of the client.
Behavioral therapies see counselling as a relearning situation and that the individual’s personality
develops following the laws of learning. These laws include:
(i) Classical conditioning – by Ivan Pavlov
(ii) Operant conditioning – by B.F. Skinner
They are designed to reinforce desired behavior and eliminate undesired behavior.
An example of a theory that uses this approach is the theory of Reality Therapy.
Reality Therapy
The theory was developed by William Glasser. Glasser had become convinced that Psychiatry was based
on mistaken assumption.
He believed that when people behaved in an inappropriate manner (i.e., abnormal behavior) they were
doing so because they were unable to satisfy their needs.
Those who satisfy their needs are said to function normally and are considered responsible people.
Glasser believed that all human behavior is motivated by people striving to meet their basic needs e.g
physiological needs and two basic psychological needs (i) -the need for love and be loved and (ii) the
need to feel that one is worthy of esteem to oneself and to others.
The two psychological needs have been incorporated into one psychological need which Glasser calls
the need for identity.
He considers identity in terms of success identity versus failure identity. According to him, in the
development of one’s identity, other people such as parents and teachers play an important role in
helping one develop as a success or failure.
According to him, people basically want to be content and enjoy success identity or to show responsible
behavior.
An important part of reality therapy is that it emphasizes value judgement, moral standards and right
and wrong behavior. This means that to improve our conduct when it is below standard, we need to
evaluate our own behavior so that we become responsible people with a sense of self worth and a
feeling that we are of some importance to others.
The theory’s focus is on the present behavior and not the past since a person’s past is fixed and cannot
be changed. If the past is discussed in therapy, it is only done so in relation to the present behavior.
The Goal of Reality Therapy
The overall goal of reality Therapy is to help the individual achieve autonomy – a state of maturity i.e.,
the ability to let go of environmental support and substitute internal support.This implies that the client
is able to take responsibility for who he/she is and what she/he wants to become i.e. the basic job of
the therapist is to get the client to face reality by learning more realistic behavior and achieve success.
The therapy is to assist people in defining and clarifying life goals.
It helps clients to discover alternatives in reaching goals although it is the client who ultimately decides
on his/ her goals.
Major Techniques and Procedures used by the counselor.
1. Engaging in role playing with the client.
2. Confronting the client and not allowing any excuses.
3. The counselor serves as role model and teacher.
4. The counselor sets definite limits and structures to the therapy situation.
5. Operant conditioning i.e., reinforcing desired behavior and eliminating undesirable behavior.
6. Systematic de-sensitization – gradually exposing patients to phobic situations until it can be
tolerated (flooding).
7. Relaxation training e.g., meditation.
8. Assertive training.

Cognitive and Bevioural Approaches To Couselling

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Cognitive and Bevioural Approaches To Couselling

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Cognitive and Bevioural Approaches To Couselling

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

COGNITIVE AND BEHAVIORAL APPROACHES TO COUNSELLING

COGNITIVE APPROACHES TO COUNSELLING

The theories which use the approach include

Rational Emotive Theory

Trait factor counselling

Rational Emotive Theory – By Albert Ellis

Characteristics of the theory

View of Human Nature

Ellis formulated the ABC principle of Emotional disturbance.

A is the activating event or the fact.

C is the emotional reaction (consequences) of the individual e.g., emotional disturbances or

Goals of Rational Emotive Therapy

RET therefore teaches clients to acquire a reality-based philosophy of life.

Major techniques and Procedures

RET allows the use of selective techniques and procedures.

You might also like