Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Case Studies

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is guided by the notion that dysfunctional thinking and unrealistic cognitive appraisals of situations or life events has the ability to negatively impact individual feelings and behaviour. The rationale of the therapy is founded on 3 core fundamentals; the belief that cognition affects behaviour, cognition can be monitored and altered as need be and changes in behaviour is mediated through cognitive change to replace distorted thinking with more realistic and adaptive cognitive processes.

To begin this session, we will have a discussion with Vinh about how he is feeling undertaking CBT as a part of his anxiety and depression self-management. We want Vinh to feel comfortable and in control of his health

Maladaptive automatic thoughts are first identified and then we begin to teach Vinh how to respond to them in a constructive way. Intermediate and core beliefs will also be addressed by, firstly, their identification and subsequent modification. We believe that through this identification and modification process, Vinh’s personal causation will increase and so will his motivation to re-engage in life. A very effective means of such thought revision is through the use of thought records (Kielhofner,

A reversal activity is an activity that Vinh could engage in with the aim of reversing the maladaptive mood, behavioural or physiological consequences of the thought. An example of an activity Vinh could engage in is a task he find pleasurable or gratifying, such as gardening. Although Vinh is currently finding it difficult to engage in, we believe that the self-management techniques he has been undertaking will increase his volition and motivation to reengage in his previously enjoyable hobbies. In adherence to the mourning rituals associated with Vietnamese culture, the fact that the mourning period generally extends two years (Hoang, 2000), we will encourage Vinh to create a section of his garden in honour of his late wife. This would allow Vinh to mourn his wife in adherence to his culture, and encourage him to enjoy his hobby once more by combining some of his values and interests, a goal of which is coherent with the process involved in the WRAP program. This idea would also be highly congruent with the practice within Vietnamese culture to observe the anniversary of their loved one's