Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and (REBT)

• what is Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)?

  Therapy that includes challenging irrational thoughts for treating depression
• what did CBT believe?


  Beck's cognitive therapy that depression is a result of distorted thought processes, aims to change these thought processes
• how does CBT identify irrational thoughts?

  1. Therapist works with patient to help them identify irrational thinking and maladaptive thoughts

  2. Client is encouraged to record their automatic negative thoughts and thoughts of how they may challenge these

  3. Asking questions like: What is the evidence for this negative thinking? Are there alternative explanations? How might others respond? How does it affect me to think so negatively? What thinking errors am I making?
• what is the Behavioural element of CBT?

  1. Encouraging patients to identify activities they enjoy and to work to overcome cognitive obstacles in carrying them out

  2. Giving homework to allow the client to try out new ways of thinking, like setting small goals to build a sense of personal effectiveness
• what does REBT (Ellis's rational emotive behavioural therapy) aim to do?

  Aims to change irrational beliefs into rational beliefs so individuals react to events in healthy ways
• what is meant by Mustabatory thinking?

  Irrational beliefs that an individual must think or behave in certain ways, which Ellis aims to help tackle so they can accept themselves and others
• How does REBT change these irrational beliefs?

  1. Using the ABC model extended to include D (dispute) and E (effect)

  2. The dispute refers to having an argument which challenges the irrational thinking with the aim of breaking the link between events and feelings of depression

  3. The vigorous argument involves logical disputing (considering whether the negative thought logically follows from the facts) and pragmatic disputing (emphasising the lack of usefulness of these beliefs)