Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a psychosocial intervention that was pioneered by Ellis in the mid-1950s and is the most extensively utilized evidence-based approach for treating mental disorders and substance abuse (Ellis & Bernard, 2006). Cognitive behavioral therapy is based on the idea that our ideas, emotions, and behavior all work together. REBT is a type of cognitive behavior therapy that focuses on healing emotional and behavioral issues and disturbances in order to help people live happier and more meaningful lives (Ellis & Bernard, 2006). Both treatments include an examination method to assist clients in identifying unreasonable ideas and behavior. As a result, changing one's thinking results in emotional and behavioral changes (Edelstein, 2017). This paper seeks to provide an overview of Cognitive behavioral theory treatment and Rational Emotive behavior therapy treatment, while highlighting their similarities and differences.
Differences Between Cognitive Behavioral Theory and Rational Emotive Behavioral Theory.
While many of the interventions in REBT and CBT are similar , it could be argued that REBT is a top down philosophy of psychotherapy and couples counseling grounded in unconditional self-acceptance, whereas CBT is a bottom-up, exploratory method using Socratic dialogue in service of empiricism (Vernon, 2012). CBT does not address the philosophical issue of human worth, which is foundation of REBT - that each human being is worth despite our feasibility (Vernon, 2012).
Cognitive behavioral theory and rational emotive behavioral theory also disagree in the degree of irrational or exaggerated thoughts that is first disputed (Vernon, 2012). A good illustration is when individuals have irrational thoughts (cognitive distortion) such as, "I will never make it in life or I will end up alone," Cognitive behavioral therapists tend to focus on exploring and illuminating the origin of these inferences, which are called automatic thoughts (Vernon, 2012).
Cognitive Therapy
Many therapists prefer to practice their own style of therapy and their own integration of models. Independence and innovation are laudable but they should take second place to starting the patient with empirically supported treatments (Leahy, 2017). The purpose of therapy is to change the irrational thoughts and negative thoughts that keep alive the indication of mental and emotional disorders. Cognitive therapy teaches clients to identify symptoms such as, behavior change and irrational thoughts. This is reached upon b challenging the clients to be more self-aware and their surroundings. Treatment, therefore, is directed primarily at changing distorted or maladaptive thoughts and related behavioral dysfunction. Cognitive restructuring is the general term given to the process of changing the client's thought patterns (Leahy, 2017).
Case Example
Whenever a client has difficulty changing a perception, the therapist can give him homework to test the truth of his cognitions. If, for example, a client insists that his boss hates him, the therapist can ask him to verify this with an assignment: "Ask your coworkers if your boss treats them the same way he treats you (Leahy, 2017).
References
Ellis, A., & Bernard, M. E. (2006). Rational emotive behavioral approaches to childhood disorders: Theory, practice and research. New York: Springer.
Knaus, W., (2006). The cognitive behavioral workbook for depression: A step-by-step program. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.
Leahy, R. L., (2017). Cognitive therapy techniques: A practitioner's guide. Place of publication not identified: Guilford.
Sapp, M., (2004). Cognitive-behavioral theories of counseling: Traditional and nontraditional approaches. Springfield, Ill: C.C. Thomas.
Vernon, A., (2012). Cognitive and rational-emotive behavior therapy with couples: Theory and practice. New York, NY: Springer.
