Cognitive Behavior Therapy Theories - Case Study Example

? of affiliation: Theoretical Perspective Conceptualization Describe how (Aaron Beck), Cognitive Behavior Therapy theories conceptualize the client’s (Ms. Client), difficulties. Cognitive behavior therapy according to Aaron Beck can be used in helping people with various mental health problems. This therapy is basically focused on ideology of cognition, emotion and behavior. In simple terms, it focuses on how people think, feel and react to certain phenomenon. In this school of thought, it is believed that a person’s thoughts greatly determine their feelings and behavior (Beck & Greenberg, 2008). Relative to Ms. Client’s situation, the whole idea is related to her situation and the therapy can be used as an appropriate intervention. In addition, according to this therapy, unrealistic and negative thoughts are believed to be the main cause of distress and then later on result into problems. Like Ms. Clients, reaction towards her eight years old sibling is a bit exaggerated. It portrays poor interpretation of the situation and her reactions. This is a clear sign of psychological distress, which makes her interpret certain events in a skewed manner. The results are court charges with two counts. This therapy thus helps people of this kind to be aware when making negative interpretations and note the behavior patterns which strengthens this distorted thinking. Actual core issues The actual core issues in this case were that Ms. Client a 13 year old was brought before court for charges of simple assault (domestic violence – two counts) of which she pled getting involved in one. The court awaits her hearing; in the meantime, she was taken for psychological examination and the psychologist indicated that she was suffering from Post Traumatic stress disorder and a mood disorder. This is probably from the quarrels she picked from her parents who used to quarrel from time to time when she was young before parting ways. The therapy is thus to suggest various ways through which Ms. Client can find intervention for her problems. Identify Ms. Client’s issues as it relates to the Cognitive Behavior Therapy concepts Ms. Client just as the psychologist indicated could probably be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and mood disorders, a situation that makes her over reactive to certain phenomenon hence resulting in troubles. She is charged with two cases of assault, one on her eight year old sister Ethel and on her mother who she punched several times on the face. She is then brought before a court, which is trying to determine the course of her behavior and reactions. A review of her past is then made relative to people around her. According to cognitive behavior therapy concepts, it is believed that an individual’s thoughts greatly determine their behaviors and feelings. Thus, for Ms. Client to react the way she did, there are possibilities of a bitter past behind her, which significantly contributes, to her high levels of distress. Her reactions from fighting with her little sister to punching her mother can be well analyzed through this theory. Theory-Based Description of the Underlying Causes of the Presenting Concerns The cognitive behavior theory can attempt to interpret Ms. Client’s reaction through its concepts in the manner in which a person’s perception can influence their feelings and behavior. For Ms. Client’s case, she has had a past that is quite conflicting; her father used to quarrel with her mother when she was still young and at some point, her father slapped her mom. Later on, they separated when she was eight. This chain of actions could have led to development of unrealistic and the negative thoughts, which could probably have contributed to her distress especially towards her mother (Freeman, 2007). Consequently, her conflicts with the little sibling Ethel could probably result from the love and affection that the mother shows her. She describes Ethel as spoilt, despite getting along together well. Rom the case study it is evident that she never liked the idea of her parents suffering and quarreling all the times. These events made her develop negative perceptions against her mother hence causing her to overreact at instances where she was involved (Beck, 2011). According to general social norms, it is not normal for a child to fight the mother, but in this case, she is seen to attack the mother when she tried separating them. Overreactions of this kind may not be as normal as they may appear. Conclusively, they come as a result of cumulative depression which builds over time and results into over reactions of this kind. Key Issues The key issues in this case is finding a way through which Ms. Client can overcome her distress and cope with the bitter past that she once encountered. Through this therapy, the client is taught how to identify the distorted cognitions by evaluating the situations they are going through. Ms. Client will also be taught how to discriminate between reality and their own thoughts. This therapy aims at helping them manage their own thoughts and equally observe them at all times. During the therapy, Ms. Client will also be given setting homework to do; in this case, they are given tasks that will challenge their personal beliefs hence proving them wrong in their perception. Strengths and Weaknesses This therapy may not be perfect, but it has more accrued strengths as compared to weaknesses. For instance, they are very instructive. This follows the fact that the clients are given systematic procedures for rational counseling (Beck & Alford, 2009). They can thus develop self-counseling skills, which will guide them throughout their therapy skills. Most of these cognitive therapies always take short period. Averagely, most people attend 16 therapy sessions when seeking solution to the various problems they encounter. Others situations may demand more therapy sessions but averagely it is normally 16. Concurrently, this therapy normally lays more emphasis on people getting better instead of feeling better (Perry & Tor, 2008). This concept helps in ensuring long term solution to the problem hence prevention of any possible recurrence in the near future. More so, these therapies are cross cultural, this implies that apply on the universal human behavior. They largely give the client’s goals more priority rather than the therapist goals hence achieving results that are structured to solve the client’s problem. Finally, these theories are adaptive hence and they are structured on the simple principle that our feelings and behaviors are largely controlled by our thoughts. Weaknesses The main weakness of this therapy is that it is subtle in that it follows a given principle in providing solution; thus, cases that fall out of this principle may not be easy to solve by the use of this model. The model also lays much emphasis on thoughts rather than other factors like an individual’s habit and attributes. In addition, this theory is only limited to an individual’s thoughts, behavior and feelings. Why the Theoretical Perspective Fits the Clients The theoretical perspective of this therapy perfectly suites Ms. Clients needs. This is because her problems originate from her perception of issues and the manner in which she perceives the people around her. The therapy will suite her because it helps her challenge her personal beliefs about the people in her environment and to contradict her negative opinions and attitudes towards her environment, people she relates with and her past experiences. Relevant Research Examining Counseling Treatment within Theoretical Approach Cognitive therapy on anger has been practiced for many years. According to Beck and Fernandez (2008) in their article on treatment of cognitive therapy on anger, they emphasize on the use of stress in-occulation training strategy (STI) to efficiently develop the best treatment for anger. The treatment involves a series of steps; these include cognitive reframing, then relaxation training, then imagery modeling and finally role playing to boost their ability to cope with these problems that cause anger. When doing stress in-occulation training strategy, the victims are always exposed to various things that trigger their anger and then immediately control them at the onset (Beck & Fernandez, 2008). Upon identifying the causes of anger within the individual’s environment, they are taught self statements which they rehearse and then help them frame the situation to fit to healthy response by these people. This is in turn helps them adapt to the various things that makes them angry and respond in certain ways. References Beck, A. T. (2011). Schizophrenia: Cognitive theory, research, and therapy. New York: Guilford Press. The journal describes the manner in which a past bitter experience can lead to negative perceptions about an individual and later on cause over reactions in various situations. Beck, A. T., & Alford, B. A. (2009). Depression: Causes and treatment. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. In this article, Beck Aaron describe the manner in which depression can make an individual react in certain manner. Such reactions can be witnessed through aggressive responses like fights and screaming. Beck, A. T., Emery, G., & Greenberg, R. L. (2008). Anxiety disorders and phobias: a cognitive perspective. New York: Basic Books. Anxiety disorder is also known to cause a swing in an individual’s mood. Anxiety could come as a result of past experience which probably traumatized the victim. Beck and Greenberge tend to approach cognitive behavior therapy from this point. Beck, R., & Fernandez, E. (2008). Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy in the Treatment of Anger:A Meta-Analysis. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 22(1), 78-84. In this Journal, Beck and Fernandez tend to analyse the use of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in treatment of anger. The journal presents various procedures through which the therapy can be applied to find solution. Freeman, A. (2007). Cognitive therapy of personality disorders. New York: Guilford Press. This book majorly describes the way the Cognitive behavioral therapy can affect an individuals personality; the attributes mostly affected are the person’s character, perception and general attitude towards their environment and its elements. Perry, L. B., & Tor, G. (2008). Understanding Educational Transfer: Theoretical Perspectives and Conceptual Frameworks. Prospects, 38(4), 509-526. In this journal, Perry and Tor try to explain the various theoretical perspectives in regards to cognitive behavioral therapy and the manner in which these theories can be practically implemented on a prospect. Read More