Beck (1976) mentions that cognitive interventions are intended to reduce emotional stress and corresponding maladaptive behavioral patterns by altering errors in thoughts, perceptions and belief. The overall goal of behavioral interventions is to help clients develop adaptive and encouraging behavior to situations. According to Beck (1976) the goal of systemic interventions is to change the individual's social environment or system, thus changing the patterns of that resulted in the problems.
Personal counseling is a slow and gradual progression that intends to motivate human behavior through different stages involved in the counseling process. The first step involves developing a connection with clients. In this part of the process, the counselor and the client develop a connection, which would determine the success of the whole therapy in the due course (Cormier & Hackney 1993).
Early Phase of Cognitive Intervention
In the early phase, the client tends to be defensive and requires assurance. A relationship of trust has to evolve in order to help the therapist fully understand the client. The counselor must show empathy to the client and at the same time, it is important to help him understand that the issues need to be resolved as soon as possible.
Problem Solving Stage in Cognitive Intervention
Once the defensive wall has been broken, the therapist can use cognitive behavioral techniques to discuss and solve the problems of the patient. Problem solving techniques involve creating a behavioral plan that's intended to restrict irrational behavior before the patient’s problems are resolved. The client develops an understanding of the difference between perception and reality; faulty beliefs of the client begin to change and action to help the client understand situations in a precise way initiates (Cormier & Hackney 1993).
Another approach is to face each problem individually, discussing the implications separately. This method helps the client rationalize behavior through discussing his past behavior, his regrets and his achievements.
Creating a Balance between Conflicting Goals
The third step is to resolve an underlying dichotomy. In many cases, clients have conflicting goals in life that need a harmonized balance.
For example, an individual suffering from abuse from a stepparent might want to keep his family intact because she loves her original parent and at the same time, she wants to avoid the abuse. In such instances, the individual could go through excessive emotional shocks, as she cannot make a clear decision about how to tackle the situation.
To resolve this situation the individual would have to be motivated to confront the issue directly instead of continuing to suffer the abuse (Cormier & Hackney 1993).
The Integration of Phases of Cognitive Intervention
These opposing perspectives need integration into a single one, in order to resolve the issues. Gestalt therapy aims to resolve such issues through integration of the problems.However, it is not usually possible to create harmony between conflicting goals and as the issues addressed by the therapy at not always concrete. Once integration of conflicting goals becomes possible, the therapist can return to the preceding stage of the process and address problem solution.
Complete Cognitive Intervention
At this stage of the process, the client is ready to undergo more technical and complete therapy. Intense cognitive therapies apply once basic issues and dichotomies have been resolved. During the final stage of the therapeutic treatment, the client is may be invited to sessions including more than one person. This also helps the therapist conclude the results of therapy (Cormier & Hackney 1993).
Sources
Beck, A. T. (1976) Cognitive therapy and the emotional disorders. International Universities Press.
Cormier, L. S., & Hackney, H. (1993). The professional counselor: A process guide to helping (2nd ed.). Needham Heights Publishers.
Muhammad Humayun - I am Muhammad, and I enjoy academic writing and research work. I strive to excel in life through hard work and dedication. I finished ...
Join the Conversation