Cognitive-Behavioral Couples Therapy (CBCT)
The reflection paper will reflect on the background and influences of Cognitive-Behavioral Couples Therapy (CBCT). It will also reflect on the certain interventions that support couples in their troubled relationship. Lastly, the paper will briefly discuss the role of a CBCT therapist.
CBCT is developed from Behavioral Couple Therapy (BCT), Cognitive Therapy (CT), and cognitive psychology research based information. The principles of CBCT emphasize on events of life that trigger an emotional and behavioral response. CBCT gives attention to and evaluates dysfunctional emotional and behavioral responses between partners. The objective of CBCT is to help couples develop awareness about their own automatic negative thoughts, distorted assumptions,
and help them become active observers in their relationship (Gurman, Lebow, & Snyder, 2015).
The CBCT interventions are classified into two categories- guided behavior change and skills-based interventions. Guided behavior change interventions focus on behavior change through developing an agreement and deciding on decreasing an excess negative behavior. It also involves therapist demonstrating few positive behaviors. Skill-based interventions provided couples with instructions, either reading or videos, to communicate with each other. Other CBCT interventions also focus on cognitions through Socratic questioning and guided discovery. CBCT interventions aims for helping couples compartmentalize and normalize their emotions (Gurman, Lebow, & Snyder, 2015).
The CBCT therapist has various roles, such as, director, educator, facilitator, collaborator, and advocate. The therapist tries to balance the roles of being directive and the collaborator. Therapist in order to provide structure to couples tries to stay on task, and sometimes goals of the sessions also need to be monitored. Therefore, therapist must control the therapy with an air of confidence and credibility (Gurman, Lebow, & Snyder, 2015).
To conclude CBCT is a model of providing support and treatment to couples in distress. The interventions are helpful and provide an efficacious treatment. The relationship between couples is fostered through communication; CBCT provides effective communication tools to couples. The treatment through CBCT helps establishing a collaborative alliance between the therapist and a couple. Therefore, a constructive pattern of guidelines helps couples achieve harmony in their relationship.
CBCT is developed from Behavioral Couple Therapy (BCT), Cognitive Therapy (CT), and cognitive psychology research based information. The principles of CBCT emphasize on events of life that trigger an emotional and behavioral response. CBCT gives attention to and evaluates dysfunctional emotional and behavioral responses between partners. The objective of CBCT is to help couples develop awareness about their own automatic negative thoughts, distorted assumptions,
and help them become active observers in their relationship (Gurman, Lebow, & Snyder, 2015).
The CBCT interventions are classified into two categories- guided behavior change and skills-based interventions. Guided behavior change interventions focus on behavior change through developing an agreement and deciding on decreasing an excess negative behavior. It also involves therapist demonstrating few positive behaviors. Skill-based interventions provided couples with instructions, either reading or videos, to communicate with each other. Other CBCT interventions also focus on cognitions through Socratic questioning and guided discovery. CBCT interventions aims for helping couples compartmentalize and normalize their emotions (Gurman, Lebow, & Snyder, 2015).
The CBCT therapist has various roles, such as, director, educator, facilitator, collaborator, and advocate. The therapist tries to balance the roles of being directive and the collaborator. Therapist in order to provide structure to couples tries to stay on task, and sometimes goals of the sessions also need to be monitored. Therefore, therapist must control the therapy with an air of confidence and credibility (Gurman, Lebow, & Snyder, 2015).
To conclude CBCT is a model of providing support and treatment to couples in distress. The interventions are helpful and provide an efficacious treatment. The relationship between couples is fostered through communication; CBCT provides effective communication tools to couples. The treatment through CBCT helps establishing a collaborative alliance between the therapist and a couple. Therefore, a constructive pattern of guidelines helps couples achieve harmony in their relationship.