Cognitive Behaviour
Therapies
CBT is an approach of psychotherapy that draws principles
of behavioural and cognitive psychology. It is based on the
idea that thoughts, beliefs, emotions and behaviour
influence one another and have an impact on quality of
life. Treatment is focused on a collaborative alliance
between client and therapist, and aims to identify the
predisposing and maintaining factors that act as predictors
of psychological and emotional problems. In addition to
that, CBT is a dynamic form of psychotherapy that
emphasises on the role of behaviour change in the service
of supporting clients to live with vitality and
flexibility.
CBT is also known for being focused on present problems, in
the here and now. However, it also takes into account the
developmental history of the factors that have contributed
to the problems clients are presenting in therapy.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
(NICE) recommends CBT in the treatment of depression,
anxiety, phobias, panic attacks, social anxiety,
post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive
disorder, bulimia and schizophrenia.
Recent developments in CBT point out to the efficacy of
acceptance, compassion and mindfulness-based protocols, and
research also suggests that levels of meta-cognition also
play an important role in the treatment of both emotional
and complex disorders.
Amongst the well known therapies in the cognitive and
behavioural tradition, there are the Cognitive Therapy of
Aaron Beck, the Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy of
Albert Ellis, the Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy of
Segal et al., and the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy of
Hayes et al. There seems to be a growing number of new
therapies emerging from this tradition, but most Cognitive
Behaviour Therapists prefer to integrate the various
protocols that exist and treat clients according to a
unique and idiosyncratic understanding of the psychological
factors underlying the client's presenting problems (see
Persons, J. B. 1989). There exists, however, professionals
within the tradition that have preferences on what
particular model to work with, and specialised training can
also mean that some CBT therapists will be more
knowledgeable in certain models than others. It is always
good to check with your CBT therapist what type of CBT they
are able to offer you.
CBT is offered through the NHS (see Improving Access to Psychological Therapy
programme), voluntary organisations
like MIND, and in the private sector as well. In Britain
the BABCP (British Association for
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies) is currently
the leading organisation for CBT.
References
Beck,
A. (1970). Cognitive therapy: Nature and relation to
behavior therapy. Behavior Therapy, 1(2), 184-200.
Ellis, A. (1957). Rational psychotherapy and individual
psychology. Journal of Individual Psychology, 13, 38-44.
Persons, J. B. (1989). Cognitive Therapy in Practice: A
Case Formulation Approach. New York: W. W. Norton.
Salkovskis, P. M. (1999). Understanding and treating
obsessive-compulsive disorder. Behaviour Research and
Therapy, 37, s29-s52.
Teasdale, J.D., Segal, Z.V., Williams, J.M.G., Ridgeway,
V., Lau, M., & Soulsby, J. (2000) Reducing risk of
recurrence of major depression using Mindfulness-based
Cognitive Therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical
Psychology, 68, 615-23.
Hayes, Steven C.; Kirk D. Strosahl, Kelly G. Wilson (2003).
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy : An Experiential
Approach to Behavior Change. The Guilford Press.