What Is Cognitive Behavior Therapy

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In the field of counseling, there are many techniques and approaches that can be used to help both children and adults with behavioral disorders. According to the McGraw-Hill Concise Dictionary of Modern Medicine, a behavioral disorder is a “disorder characterized by displayed behaviors over a long period of time which significantly deviate from socially acceptable norms for a person’s age and situation (Behavioral Disorders p. 14). These approaches have many similarities and differences that allow us to pick and choose the specific approach that correlates with the client’s specific needs. Each therapy does have its strengths and limitations, and these must be assessed in order to ensure the client has the best opportunity to succeed to fix the problem. Some might say that the overall goal of therapy is to enable the client’s own resourcefulness, problem-solving capacities, happiness and so on. I agree with this and would continue on to say that choosing the right approach can do this without a problem. However, many critics questions these global terms. The counseling techniques and approaches that I have chosen to compare, contrast and discuss are behavior therapy, cognitive behavior therapy and Adlerian therapy. I chose these therapies because I feel that they provide the greatest chance for success for both the therapist and clients, who are using them. Another reason why I chose these three approaches is they do not discriminate against people of diverse races, cultures, ethnic backgrounds; nor is their effectiveness restricted by a client’s age, sex or sexual orientation. This means these therapies can be used throughout the behavior therapy world. Adlerian therapy was developed from the ideas and practices of Alfred Adler.... ... middle of paper ... ...f the client’s life in which therapy focuses upon. For instance, behavior therapy focuses on the client’s current behaviors and environments. This differs from Adlerian therapy, which uses the client’s past that includes childhood memories and events, in order to find the root of the client’s behavioral problem. All three therapies also have different limitations and criticisms. Adlerian therapy is indistinct and not accurately defined, and it also does not provide itself to evidence-based practice. Behavior therapy on the other hand, does not deal with wide human problems and it only focuses on relationship issues. When it comes to cognitive behavior therapy does not give a basis for an explanation why a client adheres to those beliefs; it does not apply to clients with restricted intelligence, and does not stress the term and discovery of emotional concerns.

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