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Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

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History
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is an umbrella term for many different therapeutic techniques, of which include Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), Cognitive Therapy, Rational Living Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy just to name a few, with each approach to therapy containing its own developmental history.
The history of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is split into three waves, with each wave containing major changes which led to the development of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy as it is today.
This therapy is said to have philosophical roots. The school of thought that errors in judgement were caused by irrational assumptions is said to be traced back to the stoic philosophers. Aaron T. Beck’s original treatment manual for …show more content…

In the 1950’s, Albert Ellis developed one of the earliest cognitive-based psychotherapies, which he called Rational Emotive Therapy. Ellis developed his theory after growing frustrated with the inefficient and indirect nature of psychoanalysis, Ellis was a student of the school of thought. Aaron Beck was developing his Cognitive Therapy during the same time and published his work in the 1960’s. Beck being a student of psychoanalysis as well, became disillusioned with the psychoanalytic approach of looking into the …show more content…

It also lends itself to testing, the methods of the therapy can be tested and assessed as to how effective the techniques are and can therefore also be improved upon if found lacking. This therapy has been very successful in treating depression and moderately successful in treating anxiety problems.
However some do argue that Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is too narrow in scope and that it needs to focus more on other areas of human functioning as well, and not just thought and action. The therapy does also hold ethical concerns, as it can at times be forceful in its directive approach, such as the one employed by Ellis when practicing Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy was however designed to help individuals, whether in a group setting or during individual counselling, to untangle their thoughts, feelings, and behavior, and in that respect it has been effective and reliable. Due to its reliability it is still largely practiced in present

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