Separation Anxiety Disorders

Cognitive-Behavioral therapy (CBT) is an empirically supported treatment for a variety of disorder diagnoses. Although pharmacological treatments are the most widely used method of treatment in anxiety disorders in America, research has found that even though patients respond sufficiently to medication treatment initially some are unable

Also, I like it because many studies have shown that CBT treatment is very effective for many disorders such as depression, eating disorders, substance abuse, as well as anxiety disorders (Sheldon 2011). The treatment is very clear because it is based on the patient’s experience, it encourages practice and compliance, and the patients have a sense of control. Not only are the sessions collaborative, it empowers the patient by giving him an active role in the process. The treatment is relatively short too compared to other psychotherapy programs (Goldberg 2012). CBT is goal oriented too. Patients working with their therapists are asked to define goals for each session as well as long -term goals. Anyone with a mild or moderate depression can benefit from CBT.

CBT has a number of strengths; first beginning with its capacity to yield empirical results as to its effectiveness. Countless studies have shown CBT to be the most effective treatment for anxiety and depression (e.g., Oei & McAlinden, 2014; Tolin, 2010); this is likely the result of a number of factors. CBT is a collaborative, educational, time-limited model that demystifies the therapy process; changes are made with clients, not to clients, the strategies learned equip clients to better navigate current and future difficulties, and the setting of goals allows clients to clearly see their progress (Corey, 2013; Skinner & Wrycraft, 2014). An additional strength of CBT for anxiety and depression is its applicability to both individuals and groups; group CBT has a number of auxiliary benefits including, vicarious learning, a sense of cohesiveness that can increase motivation, social interaction and the opportunity to help others (Oei & McAlinden, 2014).

Most parents know and understand the struggle of sending their toddler off to school for the first time. Separation anxiety in children normal and happens often especially in situations such as, being sent off to school. In Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model, one of the important points made was how within the microsystems, communications between where and who the child spends most of their time with is essential. It was stated that, the amount of quality relationships between the places the child spends the most time in is an important factor in development. To apply this to the situation of helping to ease separation anxiety associated with going to pre-school, the parent should establish a relationship with the teacher before school starts.

A couple of researchers at the Anxiety Disorders Research Center in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) examined weaknesses of CBT (Craske et al., 2014). Although CBT has been known for the most effective treatment for social phobia, not all patients show improvements after the treatment. Patients easily drop out during, or at the early stage of the treatment. Even patients who successfully finished the entire session tend to have a hard time continuing to use methods they learned and to maintain low level of anxiety, so the likelihood of reoccurrence exists. Therefore, alternative ways to solve these weaknesses are needed in order to develop the treatment itself and to provide the most matchable treatment method for each patient, according to the article by Craske et al. (2014).

CBT therapists use the first session or two to complete a problem analysis, perform a detailed assessment and create a case formulation with the client. The therapist seeks to identify: 1) the behaviors, emotions, and thoughts which make the situation a problem, 2) predisposing factors, often going back to childhood and adolescents, 3) precipitants, 4) protective factors, 5) triggers, 6) symptoms, and 7) maintenance cycles (O’Connell, 2012). This starts the session out with a very problem-focused discussion encouraging growth of the problem, with goal setting often not starting until the second

The purpose of this paper is to examine different ways of using CBT in treating anxiety disorder. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most used approach in treating anxiety and depression. There are different styles of CBT that are used to treat different subtypes of anxieties. However, the main focus of this paper will be about incorporating different intervention programs to CBT to treat Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).

Today, the exact cause of Separation Anxiety Disorder is unknown (According to an article by Psychology Today). Although the exact cause is unknown, we do know of some risk factors. According to various articles, kids that come from very united families are more likely to develop SAD if separation from a parent occurs or a traumatic event such as, physical assault occurs. Boston Children’s Hospital says that, “…a child can also inherit that parent’s anxiety…” and that “…anxiety may be learned from family members and others who are noticeably stressed or anxious around a child.” Those are only some ways a kid might end up developing SAD. Various articles also suggest that a factor that seems to be common in kids with Separation Anxiety

#*CBT is an intensive therapeutic approach that helps isolate thought patterns that contribute to anxiety. Over the course of therapy, you may learn to identify unhelpful thought patterns and learn techniques to change them.

They involve trauma, dealing with interpersonal problems, and difficulty managing emotions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and the type of CBT that will be used is Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) will be the best therapies with this patient to treat a comorbid diagnosis of PTSD and BPD to help reduce both symptoms and work to reduce the patient’s depression and anxiety. CBT is a “Short term goal-oriented psychotherapy treatment that takes a hand on practical approach to problem-solving” (Psych Central, 2016). According to Psych Central (2016), the goal for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is “To change patterns of thinking or behavior that is behind people’s difficulties and to change the way they feel”. Both therapies are the same, but The National Alliance on Mental Illness (2017) states that DBT differs from CBT because it “Emphasizes validation or accepting uncomfortable thoughts, feeling, and behaviors instead of struggling with

This project is based on the idea that TF-CBT is more beneficial and has a greater outcome for short-term to long-term benefits than regular therapy sessions and interventions alone. Is a psychosocial treatment model designed to treat posttraumatic stress along with other related emotional and behavioral difficulties in children and adolescents, the concept was originally developed to begin to address the psychological trauma associated with child sexual abuse, but it has since been adapted for use with children who have a wide array of traumatic experiences, including community violence, traumatic loss, and the often multiple psychological traumas experienced by children in foster care placement. (Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy,

The main goal of CBT is to help individuals and families cope with their problems by changing their maladaptive thinking and behavior patterns and improve their moods (Blackburn et al, 1981). Intervention is driven by working hypotheses (formulations) developed jointly by patient, his/her family and therapist from the assessment information. Change is brought about by a variety of possible interventions, including the practice of new behaviors, analysis of faulty thinking patterns, and learning more adaptive and rational self-talk skills. (Hawton, Salkovskis, Kirk, and Clark, 1989).

The client’s mother referred her son to the agency because he was suffering from anxiety. He was resisting going to go to school and becoming distressed when his parents tried to leave him at home.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) focuses on changing behavior by changing perception and proposes behavior is learned. When used as a treatment for children, CBT teaches children to challenge thinking by understanding and acknowledging negative feelings and developing a positive attitude that leads to problem-solving and emotional balance. Willing participation of the child is most effective when used with reinforcement and involvement of parents. Counselors must have a clear understanding of the complexities of this treatment from an integrative, contextual, and multicultural perspective since the personal and environmental experiences of the child are the framework for change through knowledge and self-awareness. The greatest change reflects

Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) was developed by psychologists J.A. Cohen and, Mannarino, Knudset and Sharon. TF-CBT has been developed for those who have experienced psychological trauma, often on a great scale of magnitude. It is important to define trauma; “There are two types of trauma — physical and mental........A response could be fear. It could be fear that a loved one will be hurt or killed. It is believed that more direct exposures to traumatic events causes greater harm. For instance, in a school