A. T. Beck's Psychodynamic Theory

From the time of the advent of Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory and therapy until now, psychologists have searched for new and better ways to both understand and treat the human psyche. Many psychologists have spent their lives analyzing the complexities of human thought, behavior, and interactions with societal influences in order to find new ways to guide humans towards a more fulfilling human experience. Throughout time, various theories and models of therapy have emerged, each with their strengths and weaknesses in their efforts to help humanity live more fulfilling lives. Psychoanalytic, Adlerian, existential, person-centered, gestalt, behavior, cognitive, cognitive behavior (CBT), reality, feminist, postmodern, and family systems approaches have all made important contributions towards the evolution of psychological theory and therapy. One of the most widely accepted and practiced forms of theory and therapy in today’s world of psychology is CBT. Cognitive-Behavior Therapy has a rich and storied history, contains more inherent strengths than weaknesses, and provides effective treatment for a variety of psychological conditions.

The next theory is Cognitive Behavioral approach. Cognitive Therapy has grown to become one of the most empirically validated approaches to counseling and psychotherapy. Albert Ellis established the foundations of cognitive therapy, using logic to dispute irrational beliefs. According to Seligman and Reichenberg, cognitive therapy focuses on the meaning that people give

Cognitive therapy was established in the 1960’s. It is one of the therapeutic approaches included in a group of cognitive behavioral therapies. It was established by Aaron Beck who actually changed the name from cognitive therapy to cognitive behavior therapy not too long ago. The therapy reveals distorted or harmful beliefs by applying techniques to analyze and remodel maladaptive thinking and learning or learning to centralize attention from obsessive thinking, while also integrating numerous techniques to bring about successful behavior change. This paper will provide a review of the theoretical orientation of cognitive therapy along with the personal viewpoint of counseling, change, and cognitive therapy from the author’s perspective. Additionally, an overview of depression is explained and how cognitive therapy can be utilized for treatment for depression.

In it's simplest form, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, (or CBT as it will be referred to from here on out), refers to the approach of changing dysfunctional behaviors and thoughts to realistic and healthy ones. CBT encompasses several types of therapy focusing on the impact of an individual's thinking as it relates to expressed behaviors. Such models include rational emotive therapy (RET), rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT), behavior therapy (BT), Rational Behavior Therapy (RBT), Schema Focused Therapy, Cognitive therapy (CT). Most recently a few other variations have been linked to CBT such as acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectic behavioral therapy (DBT), and

Before Dr. Aaron T. Beck developed the idea of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), the world of psychoanalysis was concerned with “invisible psychic forces” (Smith, 2009) that to him, a young graduate of medical school “seemed soft-minded and esoteric, more a faith than a medical discipline” (Smith, 2009). This mystical ability to find a seemingly sound analysis for every condition was alluring to Beck. As he evolved as a practitioner however, he sought empirical evidence to support these evaluations. This search led him to the development of CBT and to push for psychotherapy techniques that could be evaluated based on their ability to make measurable, practical differences in the lives of patients. The development of CBT opened the field of psychoanalysis to empirically supported methods and a more rigorous approach to treating patients.

The key terms of this theory, according to the Beck Institute, are cognitive formulation, conceptualization, cognitive model, and automatic thoughts. Cognitive formulation is defined as “the believes and behavioral strategies that characterize a specific disorder.” Conceptualization is defined as “understanding of individual clients and their specific believes or patterns of behavior.” Cognitive model is defined as “the way that individuals perceive a situation is more closely connected to their reaction than the situation itself.” Automatic thoughts are defined as “an idea that seems to pop up in your head” (“What is Cognitive,” 2016).

Cognitive Behavioral therapy (CBT) is a process by which the counselor actively challenges their client 's cognitive negative mental processes and destructive behaviors. (Gladding, 2000) Within this framework, using Rational Emotive Behavioral therapy will help the client restructure his irrational thought processes. Empirical evidence suggested by Albert Ellis who developed CBT, shows that cognitive restraining added to conventional desensitization procedures appears to be more rapid and durable. (Lazurus, 1974) This meaning, that CBT work in therapy can be resiliently effective for the individual. After initially reviewing Terry’s mutually agreed treatment plan, the counselor will then utilize strategies to work with the client over a number of sessions such as strategies in REBT work. “Clients in REBT may express some negative feelings, but a major goal is to help them avoid more of an emotional response to an event than is warranted. (Gladding, Wienrach, 2001)

Barris, R., Kielhofner, G., & Watts, J. H. (1988). Cognitive approaches to therapy. In G. Kielhofner (Ed.), Bodies of knowledge in psychosocial practice (pp. 89-100). Thorofare, NJ: Slack.

a. In this reaction paper, thought-focused treatment and psychoanalytical /psychodynamic approaches will be examined by comparison; to understand their differences. One thought-focused treatment is called Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). “CBT is certainly the most widely used therapy today, probably because it is based upon well-established learning theory and has concrete, identifiable procedures and goals.” (McCarty & Archer, 2013).

When these psychotherapies are compared, only a few stand out which have really proven effective. One of the most effective short-term therapies in our time has been Cognitive Therapy. Psychiatrist Dr. Aaron T. Beck pioneered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) back in the 1960’s amongst other ground breaking therapists such as Albert Ellis. Dr. Beck originally studied and practiced psychoanalysis and later discovered that CBT had more impact in treating some of the more common mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. This short-term psychotherapy focuses on current problems in the here and now aiming to change unhelpful or negative thinking and behaviours (Westbrook, Kennerley, & Kirk, 2011).

There are many that have contributed to cognitive behavior therapy or CBT throughout the years but we are going to focus on the founders of modern day CBT, Albert Ellis and Aaron Beck. Ellis is responsible for the Rational emotive behavior therapy, the first of the CBT in the 1960’s. The bases of REBT is suggest that a patient’s emotional distressed stems from their thoughts about a traumatic event, and not the event itself. Ellis developed this approach as a means to get over his personal problems growing up, problems such as public speaking and his shyness around women. Beck during the 1970’s developed cognitive therapy, which suggest that a patient behavior is affected by the way they structure the world based on the attitudes and assumptions they encounter on previous experiences. Becks main purpose was to create an evidence-based therapy that addressed depression. Beck based the validity of his theory after he tested it and the constructs with empirical studies while conducting controlled outcome studies to determining how the outcomes would compare with existing psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy treatments for depression.

It is important when working with clients that consideration is given to the methods and approaches used with regards to specific client’s needs and personality as well as consideration regarding presenting issues. Here a case study of Jane is used to argue /evaluate and assess how both a psychodynamic counselor and cognitive behavioral therapist (CBT) would view the case study of Jane from their perspectives. Consideration will be given from both a psychodynamic approach and CBT approach of how a therapist might work with Jane. The main similarities and differences of both the psychodynamic and CBT approaches will be analyzed. This will lead into an evaluation of which is the most appropriate approach in working with Jane by

This excerpt in this book gives you an idea of what cognitive therapy is and how it helps the person learn a different way to cope or respond in a stressful situation. Dr. Aaron Beck is a psychiatrist that first developed it. He was more of a research doctor and has done numerous clinical studies about the effectiveness of cognitive therapy. He later opened a practice with his daughter Dr. Judith Beck in 1994 naming it Beck Institution.

Aaron Beck developed the cognitive therapy concept in the 1960s. Beck was very ill as a child and perceive his mother to be depressed and unpredictable due to losing two children in their infancy due to illness. Beck graduated from Brown University and Yale Medical School. According to Beck’s daughter Judith, cognitive therapy is based on the ideas of the stoic philosophers in Greece and Rome (Seligman et al, 2014, p. 294) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy was founded by Donald Meichenbaum, a distinguished professor emeritus at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. While he was working on his dissertation for his doctoral degree, he noticed that people with schizophrenia who were taught healthy self-talk fared better in other measures than those with schizophrenia who were not talk about healthy self talk.

The father of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is Albert Ellis. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1913, New York became Dr. Ellis’ home since his family move there when he was four years old. Ellis struggled with health problems and physical ailments from childhood until his death in 2007. As a child, Ellis survived on his own as his parents were absent. His father was a traveling business person and his mother was emotionally absent (Albert Ellis Institute, 2012). The foundation of REBT developed when a youthful Ellis utilized a philosophy of viewing life to deal with his physical and family issues (Corey, 2013).