Question

How would cognitive therapists approach the treatment of depression? How might they criticize humanistic therapies?

(INCLUDE INTEXT CITATION AND WORK CITED)

Answer 1

Answer.

Cognitive therapists help clients identify and change the negative thoughts and errors in logic that cause them to feel depressed.

Aron Beck’s Cognitive model has been most widely used in cases of depression. Cognitive therapists like Beck focus on guiding, and confronting the clients to question and challenge their dysfunctional thoughts, try out new interpretations, and ultimately apply alternative or more adaptive ways of thinking in their daily lives. Beck (1967) identified three mechanisms that were found to be responsible for depression:

1. The cognitive triad or negative automatic thinking about the self, the world and the future which creates false beliefs about one such own ability to change circumstances and crates hopelessness.
2. Negative self schemas or thoughts of worthlessness, anxiety, lack of ability, etc.
3. Errors in Logic (i.e. faulty information processing)

As these three components interact, they can impair perception, memory and problem solving with the person becoming obsessed with negative thoughts. Cognitive therapists take a confrontational and direct approach in handling their client’s. In this regard, they are critical of the humanistic approach to therapy where the focus is in supporting the client’s thoughts and feelings to communicate empathy and unconditional positive regard. Cognitive therapists are critical of the humanistic practice and they argue that a positive change in the patient or client’s life is possible only by confronting and challenging the client’s way of thinking and leading them to change rate rates than take a passive more accepting standpoint. While both humanistic and cognitive therpaists may focus on building a collaborative and mutual relationship with their client’s, cognitive therpaists emphasise on taking A more proactive role and often give directions and guidelines to patients in the form of homework about trying New way she of thinking and behaving.