Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive-Behavioral Psychotherapy consists of a series of experimental psychological methods with the help of which behavioral deviations (or psychological problems) can be reduced or eliminated. Both the interpretation of the creation and maintenance of problematic behavior and the methods of intervention are mainly based on the Psychology of Learning and Cognitive Psychology, but at the same time new data from the research of human behavior, which is carried out by many and different scientific fields (interdisciplinary approach), are taken into account.

The basic core of Cognitive-Behavioral Psychotherapy consists of three basic principles:

Both from the definition of Cognitive-Behavioral Psychotherapy and from the reference to the basic principles it has become clear how differently normal behavior and its deviation are interpreted and treated today, in relation to the technocratic and empiricist point of view of the first Behaviorists.

The general characteristics of Cognitive-Behavioral Psychotherapy can be summarized as follows:

The therapist is asked to understand how the client structures the world within him and how this may affect him emotionally or have effects on his behavior. With the recognition of process errors in the client’s way of thinking, the process of intervention begins. It goes without saying that the more limited the customer’s capabilities, e.g., client with mental retardation or the very young child, the more the directive action of the therapist increases.

The collaboration between therapist and client is governed by the principle “you and I will work together to solve your problem” rather than “I will cure you”.

The choice of therapeutic goals is made jointly (therapist and client). Particular emphasis is placed on how the client thinks, behaves and feels outside the space of the therapeutic sessions and all relate to the developmental dimension of the processes at each level. The methods and techniques used in Cognitive-Behavioral Psychotherapy can take various forms. May be: a classical behavioral method with limited active participation of the client, such as systematic reinforcement of a positive change, a combination of behavioral technique and cognitive with role playing from a scenario – based on a difficult situation for the client – where self-advice (specific phrases) are also used, or a per se cognitive method where the systematic questioning of process errors in the client’s way of thinking – using the abcde column, leads to the cognitive reconstruction resulting in a new way of thinking and acting of the client.

The methods and techniques used in Cognitive-Behavioral Psychotherapy can take various forms.

May be:

a classical behavioral method with limited active participation of the client, such as systematic reinforcement of a positive change,
a combination of behavioral technique and cognitive with role playing from a scenario – based on a difficult situation for the client – where self-advice (specific phrases) are also used,
or a per se cognitive method where the systematic questioning of process errors in the client’s way of thinking – using the abcde column, leads to the cognitive reconstruction resulting in a new way of thinking and acting of the client.