Behavior therapists use a broad spectrum of treatment. Typical therapy involves methods such as operant conditioning techniques, exposure therapy, and behavioral activation therapy. All of these treatments aim to change overt behavior or to alter negative cognitions as a result of changes in behavior. Most behavioral therapies tend to produce positive short-term results, but are not as effective in the long-term after treatment is completed. This influenced behavior therapists to introduce integrated behavioral therapies. Some of the techniques involved in such therapy methods include transitioning from artificial to natural reinforcers in operant-based therapies, and involving family members in the post treatment phase in order to ensure that
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The overall view of cognitive behavioral therapists is that people’s feelings and behaviors can be altered by a change in their cognitions. Beck’s cognitive therapy and Ellis’ rational-emotive behavior therapy (REBT) were the initial building blocks for this field and are still effectively used today. New methods known collectively as the “third wave” of cognitive behavioral therapy have employed techniques based off the basic ideas of their predecessors while also integrating spiritual and emotional components. Treatments like mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (involving techniques that minimize emotional avoidance through meditation) have exploded in the field. Thus, cognitive behavioral therapy is now much more multidimensional than the Beck-Ellis concepts that built …show more content…
The “use whatever works” motto is what justifies such borrowing of ideas. It should be noted that although the concepts originate from other orientations, therapists use them from their own theoretical standpoint. For example, a behavioral therapist using a family therapy technique would do so in order to observe behavioral tendencies rather than benefit family interaction. Theoretical eclecticism involves the mixing of different theories and ideas from different frameworks. What distinguishes this from technical eclecticism is that the therapist is not wholly committed to one theoretical orientation, but believes in certain concepts of more than one orientation. An example of this would be Wachtel’s approach, cyclical psychodynamics, which is based off of both behavioral and psychodynamic views. He acknowledges that fact that childhood relationships most definitely impact adult behaviors and views, while also stating that the best method of treatment for such psychological issues is therapy addressing present cognitions and behaviors. So he emphasizes both the legitimacy of psychoanalytic theories and behavioral
The overall view of cognitive behavioral therapists is that people’s feelings and behaviors can be altered by a change in their cognitions. Beck’s cognitive therapy and Ellis’ rational-emotive behavior therapy (REBT) were the initial building blocks for this field and are still effectively used today. New methods known collectively as the “third wave” of cognitive behavioral therapy have employed techniques based off the basic ideas of their predecessors while also integrating spiritual and emotional components. Treatments like mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (involving techniques that minimize emotional avoidance through meditation) have exploded in the field. Thus, cognitive behavioral therapy is now much more multidimensional than the Beck-Ellis concepts that built …show more content…
The “use whatever works” motto is what justifies such borrowing of ideas. It should be noted that although the concepts originate from other orientations, therapists use them from their own theoretical standpoint. For example, a behavioral therapist using a family therapy technique would do so in order to observe behavioral tendencies rather than benefit family interaction. Theoretical eclecticism involves the mixing of different theories and ideas from different frameworks. What distinguishes this from technical eclecticism is that the therapist is not wholly committed to one theoretical orientation, but believes in certain concepts of more than one orientation. An example of this would be Wachtel’s approach, cyclical psychodynamics, which is based off of both behavioral and psychodynamic views. He acknowledges that fact that childhood relationships most definitely impact adult behaviors and views, while also stating that the best method of treatment for such psychological issues is therapy addressing present cognitions and behaviors. So he emphasizes both the legitimacy of psychoanalytic theories and behavioral