Basic Counseling Skills
  • Home
  • A. TECHNIQUES
  • Pattern of Sessions
  • Active Listening
  • Body Language
  • Asking Questions
  • Paraphrasing/Tone
  • Summary
  • Note Taking
  • Homework
  • Goodie Bag/Fun Stuff
  • Technique References
  • B. THEORIES
  • Client Centered
  • Holistic/Biopsychosocial
  • Strengths Based
  • Cognitive/Behavioral
  • Solution Focused
  • Existential Therapy
  • Letting Go
  • Theory References
  • C. SAMPLE SESSIONS
  • 1. Client Centered Counseling
  • 2.&3. No Show/Cancellation
  • 4. Strengths Based
  • 5. Cognitive Beh. Counseling
  • 6. Holistic Health Counseling
  • 7. Solution Focused
  • 8. Existential Counseling
  • 9. Becoming Unnecessary
  • D. SELF HELP
  • Journaling
  • Mood Mapping
  • Whole Health Check In
  • Community Resources
  • Ten Things I Like About Me
  • Common Lies We Tell
  • Goal-Setting
  • A Why to Bear a How
  • Happy People
  • Self-Help References
  • E. CONTINUING EDUCATION
  • F. SITE MAP
  • G. CONTACT ME!
  • H. READERS' CONTRIBUTIONS
    • Addiction and Sleep - Jessica S
    • Alcohol Counseling - Carol G.
    • Depression and Addiction Rehab - Katherine C
    • Quit Smoking and Alcohol Rehab
    • Reducing Stigma - Patricia S.
    • Suicidal Thoughts and Alcohol Abuse - Julia W
    • Recovery Village - William B.
    • Bereavement Counseling - Sally W
    • 3 Solutions to Worst Fears - Paige M
    • 30 Min Reduce Anxiety - Paige M
    • Restorative Power of Arts & Crafts - Sally W
    • Career Options - Sally W
    • School Counselor ToolKit - Serena K.
    • Psychology Degrees - Lindsay F
    • Depression and Addiction Rehab - Katherine C
    • Diagnosing Depression - Melissa M
    • PostPartum Depression - Tracey F
    • Assisted Living Options for People with Disabilities
    • Wheelchair Home Safety - Michael M
    • Cerebral Palsy Resources
    • Counseling and Persistent Pain - Sally W
    • Mesothelioma Guide - Corine F.
    • Mesothelioma Resources
    • Finding Start Up Success - Eva B
    • Cleaning House for Better Health - Cheryl C.
    • Destress/Clean Home - Cheryl C
    • Financial Stress - Sally W.
    • Financial Debt - Sally W
    • Be Happy - Hazel G.
    • Counseling the Impoverished - Sally W
    • Conquering Interviews - Eva B
    • Daily Journal Routine - Paige M
    • Drug Dangers - Rebecca P.
    • Recall Report - Laura P.
    • Living Mindfully - Mollie Wilson
    • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Sally W.
    • Couns. Resources - Tim C.
    • Retirement Career Change - Sally W
    • Managing Phobias - Sally W
    • Geriatric Counseling - Sally W
    • Senior Resources - Claire S.
    • Addiction and Sleep - Jessica S
    • Better Sleep - Better Health - Cheryl C
    • Treating Insomnia - Sally W
    • Tuck Sleep - Kellen S
    • De-Fogging Brain - Sally W
    • Improving Mental Clarity - Sally W
    • Stress on Health - Sally W.
    • Stress Management - Sally W
    • Suicidal Thoughts and Alcohol Abuse - Julia W
    • Summer Side Gigs for Teachers - Joyce W
    • Tobacco in 2017 - Mary G.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (ABC Model)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (ABC Model) could be described as “as I think, so I feel (and do)!” (The link is to Learning cognitive-behavior therapy: an illustrated guide By Jesse H. Wright, Monica Ramirez Basco, Michael E. Thase.) Understanding it is as simple as A B C.

Activating Event – the actual event and the client’s immediate interpretations of the event

Beliefs about the event – this evaluation can be rational or irrational

Consequences – how you feel and what you do or other thoughts
Picture
In the charts above and below (from counselingresource.com) you can see how that when a negative event happens, one can interpret it positively or negatively. How one interprets it affects how one feels, thinks and behaves.
Picture

Picture
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“Founder”: Aaron T Beck (1921 - )

"The stronger person is not the one making the most noise but the one who can quietly direct the conversation toward defining and solving problems."


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Examples

Picture
Situation One – Negative Perspective

A - Mary is walking down the street, and her friend Sarah walks right on by.

B – Mary thinks, “Oh Sarah is such a jerk.”

C – Next time, Mary ignores Sarah.

The “B” may or may not be true. Here is another possibility.

Situation Two – Positive Perspective

A - Mary is walking down the street, and her friend Sarah walks right on by. B – Mary thinks, “Oh that Sarah, always distracted.”

C – Mary calls out, Sarah apologizes for missing her, and they go for coffee!

As you can see, the role of the counselor in cognitive behavioral therapy is to challenge false beliefs – what I call ...



The Lies We Tell Ourselves

These distortions in our thinking including:

1. Black-and-White - Thinking or either / or thinking.

2. Making Unfair Comparisons – usually in the negative

3. Filtering – honing in on the negative, forgetting the positive.

4. Personalizing - The Self-Blame Game

5. Mind-Reading – thinking we know what others think (negatively)

6. Catastrophising – imagining the worst case scenario

7. Overgeneralising – “I always mess up…”

8. Confusing Fact with Feeling – “If I think or feel this way then my thoughts/feelings must be correct'.

9. Labelling – I’m a loser vs. I made a mistake.

10. 'Can't Standitis' – being unnecessarily intolerant

Sample Session

In Sample Session Five, counselor Joan took a more direct approach with client Mary. Joan has the luxury of being able to confront Mary – to "take the gloves off" regarding Mary’s treatment of her own self – and know that if the client doesn’t agree, she can vote with her feet. Friends and partners can’t do that.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or any kind of professional and/or compassionate counseling is not about pretending problems don't exist. Rather, it’s about being more accurate about strengths and resources and enlisting these to make the changes necessary to live a good life on a number of levels.

Further Reading and Video

Books

"The Cognitive Theory of Depression" by Aaron T. Beck, Guilford Press, 1979

"The Feeling Good Handbook" by David D. Burns, Avon Books, 1999

Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new things and move forward with your life. Remember that fear always lurks behind perfectionism. Confronting your fears and allowing yourself the right to be human can, paradoxically, make yourself a happier and more productive person.

– David Burns

Video on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqW8p9WPweQ



One of the most striking differences between a cat and a lie [especially the lies we tell ourselves] is that a cat has only nine lives. - Mark Twain
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