Cognitive-behavioural therapists hold that beliefs play the central role in our behaviours and feelings. These therapies share three core assumptions such as; (1) cognitions are identifiable as well as measureable. (2) cognitions are the key players in a healthy and unhealthy psychological functioning and (3) irrational beliefs or catastrophic thinking such as “I will never succeed at anything or “I’m worthless” can be replaced with more rational and adaptive cognitions. A prime example of a cognitive behavioural approach is the REBT ( rational emotive behavioral therapy, pioneered by therapist Albert Ellis) its cognitive in its emphasis on changing how we may think as well as focusing on changing how we act. …show more content…
Humanistic therapists emphasize the development of human potential and the belief that human nature is basically positive.
Humanistic therapists reject the interpretive techniques of psychoanalysis, they strive to understand the client's’ inner conscious world through empathy and, focus on the present moment thoughts and feelings. Humanistic therapists share a desire to help people overcome alienation within our culture, to develop their emotional awareness and to express themselves and their creativity to help clients become loving, responsible and, authentic. Humanistic therapists feel there is a great importance of assuming the responsibility for decisions, not attributing to their problems in the past, but living fully and finding meaning in the
present.
Behavioural therapists focus on specific problem behaviors and on current variable that maintain problematic thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Behaviour therapists assumes that behavioural change results from the operation of basic principles of learning, especially classical conditioning, operant conditioning and observational learning. Behavioural therapists use a variety of behavioural assessments techniques to pinpoint environmental causes to a person’s problems, establishing specific and measurable treatments, devise therapeutic procedures and goals. There is an emphasis on current, rather than past, behaviours and on specific behaviours rather than broad traits. Behavioural therapists use direct observations on behaviour, verbal descriptions of nature and the dimensions of problems, standardized interviews and physiological measures to plan treatment and monitor its progress. A complete assessment involves taking in clients gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation and culture as well as their interpersonal relationships and drug use.