Upon exploring multiple modalities for the treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy by far was the most interesting. What intrigued the most about this therapy was that it is directed at decreasing a client’s avoidance strategies when coping with unwanted thoughts and emotions while increasing acceptance of the past events causing anxiety. Normally when clients are experiencing unwanted thoughts and memories of traumatizing events, they avoid behaviors and places that remind them of those memories. However, with the use of ACT these once avoided behaviors can finally be relieved. The main focus of the therapy is not solely focused on symptom reduction; it is mainly used to create a commitment to maintain behavior change in order to sustain a happy life without a disturbance of unwanted memories (Orsillo and Batten, 2005). ACT can provide provide improvement of a client’s quality of life by incorporating strategies to diminish experiential avoidance and increase acceptance of traumatizing events. By providing insight into ACT therapy with empirical based evidence supporting the use of ACT in the treatment for PTSD, I hope to increase awareness of the effectiveness of this therapy in the treatment of PTSD. In addition, provide feedback as to my personal interpretation of the efficacy of this therapy. Brief History The main approach to ACT is to get the client to stop avoiding the problems they are facing and attack it head on, in order to process internal and external cues that are triggered in the body that cause anxiety (Orsillo and Batten, 2005). Internal and external cues refer to objects or thoughts that remind an individual of the traumatizing event that occurred in their life. Bec... ... middle of paper ... ...nd commitment therapy with survivors of adult sexual assault: A case study. Clinical Case Studies, 12(3), 246-259. Orsillo, S. M., & Batten, S. V. (2005). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Behavior Modification, 29(1), 95-129. doi:10.1177/0145445504270876 Thompson, B. L., Luoma, J. B., & LeJeune, J. T. (2013). Using acceptance and commitment therapy to guide exposure-based interventions for posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal Of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 43(3), 133-140. doi:10.1007/s10879-013-9233- Walser, D. L., & Hayes, S. C. (2006). Acceptance and commitment therapy in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: Theoretical and applied issues. In V. M. Follette, & J. I. Ruzek (Eds.), Cognitive-behavioral therapies for trauma (pp. 146−172)., 2nd ed. New York: Guilford Press.Welch, S. S., & Rothbaum, B. O.
Psychotherapy integration is best explained as an attempt to look beyond and across the dimensions of a single therapy approach, to examine what one can learn from other perspectives, and how one’s client’s can benefit from various ways of administering therapy (Corey, 2013). Research has shown that a variety of treatments are equally effective when administered by therapist who believe in them and client’s that accept them (Corey, 2013). Therefore, one of the best aspects of utilizing an integrative approach is that, in most cases, if a therapist understands how and when to incorporate therapeutic interventions, they usually can’t go wrong. While integrating different approaches can be beneficial for the client, it is also important for the
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is defined by our book, Abnormal Psychology, as “an extreme response to a severe stressor, including increased anxiety, avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma, and symptoms of increased arousal.” In the diagnosis of PTSD, a person must have experienced an serious trauma; including “actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violation.” In the DSM-5, symptoms for PTSD are grouped in four categories. First being intrusively reexperiencing the traumatic event. The person may have recurring memories of the event and may be intensely upset by reminders of the event. Secondly, avoidance of stimuli associated with the event, either internally or externally. Third, signs of mood and cognitive change after the trauma. This includes blaming the self or others for the event and feeling detached from others. The last category is symptoms of increased arousal and reactivity. The person may experience self-destructive behavior and sleep disturbance. The person must have 1 symptom from the first category, 1 from the second, at least 2 from the third, and at least 2 from the fourth. The symptoms began or worsened after the trauma(s) and continued for at least one
Hollon, S. D. & Beck, A. T. (2004). Cognitive and cognitive behavioral therapies. Bergin And Garfield’S Handbook Of Psychotherapy And Behavior Change, 5 pp. 447--492.
Combining these IST and attachment, a client can reintegrate affective responses and relational needs through mutual recognition in the therapeutic relationship. Furthermore, both approaches delve into the subjective and embodied processes of both client and therapist, which allows me to integrate interventions like mindfulness, deep breathing, DBT skills, and other behavioral coping skills that work in conjunction with the relational processes to empower clients to stabilize, regulate, and develop new ways to relate interpersonally. The use of these interventions is particularly helpful when working with clients with severe and chronic mental illnesses as it creates a safe, relational holding space for clients to develop necessary coping skills, especially when the therapy is time-limited. The client had developed a dismissive attachment style characterized by two coexisting, but conflicting internal working models.
Although we did not have time for the lecture on Chapter 15, I found myself intrigued with the information I read on solution-focused therapies. The term solution-focused therapy kept coming up in my classes, but I really did not have an understanding of exactly what it entailed. In reviewing this chapter, I not only learned a lot, but also found myself in agreement with much of what I read. While there is no such thing as a one size fits all therapy, Solution-focused therapy has a lot to offer clients.
...ate with their therapists. “A systematic relationship between the therapists' personal reactions to the patient and the quality of their communication, diagnostic impressions, and treatment plans” (Horvath & Greenberg, ). While positive attitudes from the therapists are more likely to result in a successful treatment, negative attitudes will not develop the necessary cooperation from the clients side to successfully reach the goal of the therapy.
The rapport and friendship built throughout this movie is vital to the success of the therapy exhibited here. This is a great example of Gestalt therapeutic approach and helps to identify most of the techniques incorporated. The techniques and ways of gently confronting but pushing a client all the way through are very beneficial to each viewer of this film.
Treatment under this model is one of problem solving and utilizing an individual’s strengths to overcome his or her issues. The goal is to foster empowerment and self-sufficiency in order for the client to return to his or her environment (Woodside & McClam, 2014).
The goal of this therapy is to focus on the past traumatic memories that are contributors of the traumatic problem, disturbing present situations and the necessary skills that could be beneficial to the client for the future (Shapiro, 2014). The focus of this therapy is to provide effective psychotherapy treatment without need to expose the client to detailed description of the traumatic event (Shapiro, 2014). Some of the other goals of this therapy is to strengthen positive beliefs, eradicate negative physical events, and ascertain skills needed for functioning and integrating learning (CEBC, 2015).
Hayes, S. C. & Strosahl, K. D. (2005) (Eds.), A practical guide to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. New York: Springer-Verlag.
DBT is effective when working with clients experiencing anxiety disorder and depression. Individuals in DBT therapy are taught to notice, rather than react to thoughts and behaviors. DBT teaches clients to accept their emotional reactions and learn to tolerate distress while being mindful of their present experiences. DBT has four stages for therapy. In stage one the pre-commitment stage is where the therapist explains what types of treatment the client will receive. In this stage the client must agree to stop all self harm behavior and work toward developing other coping skills. In stage two the goal is to assist the client into controlling her emotions. Stage three and four involve assisting the client to gain the ability to develop self respect (Waltz, 2003).
Schiraldi, G. R. (2009). The post-traumatic stress disorder sourcebook: A guide to healing, recovery, and growth. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Cognitive behavior therapy has been proven to work in many different areas and presenting problems. One area that was not mention above that would significantly improve the outcome of any given therapy is the willingness of the client to accept treatment. The goal of cognitive behavior therapy is to focus on the present and to help the client identify their own strengths, learn new tools or techniques that they can use on their everyday life, and to be able to identify the different thought, emotional, and behavioral patterns that lead to undesirable
Treatments for PTSD cannot erase your memory of those events,” (Tull) and, “That said, it is important to remember that symptoms of PTSD can come back again” (Tull). Even though it cannot be cured, it can be treated effectively with treatment. According to mayoclinc.org, “The primary treatment is psychotherapy, but often includes medication” (None). With the help of psychotherapy and medication, people who suffer from PTSD can begin to regain their life from anxiety and
Psychotherapy has been Around for many years and has a major role in our world today. It has grown over the years and now there are known many hundreds of different theories about. Clients that use therapy are for different reasons as to cope with a change of life experience or a disorder or for personal development. Integrative psychotherapy has been around for over one hundred years but has really only come into the forefront of therapy since the late 1970’s. “Research has indicated that psycho¬therapy is moving toward an integrated approach to therapy” (Norcross, 2005b). The therapy is a mixture of all theories that are tailored by the therapist professional experience to work with the client in a positive way. This assignment will look at the factors needed to enable the therapist to carry out successful therapy. It will highlight and explain what the five principles of integrative therapy are. Also, with the common factors and how they are important and across all therapies. Also,