Welcome to CombatCounselor Chronicle, an E-zine dedicated to giving you the most current, pertinent information on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based CBT available.
Chris Sorrentino, a.k.a CombatCounselor, is a leader and expert in cognitive behavioral therapy. He combines 30 years of experience in psychology with the discipline from having served as a U.S. Air Force officer for 20 years, 4 of those in combat zones, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 2005.
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Showing posts with label cognitive behavioral therapy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cognitive behavioral therapy. Show all posts
It depends on who is defining “neobehaviorism” and when “behaviorism” became “neobehaviorism”.
Behaviorism evolved from the time of Watson, Pavlov and Thorndike (et al) to what many call “radical behaviorism” or “operant conditioning” as proposed by the late, great B.F. Skinner (Harvard University).
Early behaviorists, including Skinner, saw things in terms of stimulus and response in one form or another. It was not until Albert Ellis, Aaron Beck, Don Meichenbaum and others came along, proposing that thought (language) also played a large role in determining human behavior.
More recently, Marsha Linehan, Steven Hayes and others have taken behaviorism to the next level (sometimes referred to as the “Third Wave” of behaviorism), introducing mindfulness (meditation) and the ability to separate out thoughts from our behaviors as is the case in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as developed by Dr. Steven Hayes.
That is the short version and my opinion regarding the evolution of behaviorism and/or neobehaviorism, however one wants to define them. It would take several books to cover the topic succinctly, so take my version for what it is worth.
CombatCounselor
The Leader In Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Follow Me To Mental Health ... Subscribe to the CombatCounselor Chronicle - Over 130,000 Visitors Subscribe to my popular YouTube Channel - 1,200+ Subscribers and 1,000,000 Visitors Follow Me On Twitter - 2,300 Followers And Growing Like My Facebook Page - 89 Followers Title: What is the difference between Behaviorism and Neo Behaviorism?
I receive many calls from people looking specifically for a therapist specializing in CBT. Because I rarely have any openings, I make a lot of referrals. Unfortunately, there ARE FEW TRUE COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPISTS, at least in my area.
When I say "TRUE COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPIST", I mean somebody who is an expert in CBT (which requires advanced knowledge of learning theory; e.g. classical and operant conditioning, relational frame theory, etc.) and practices using "primarily" cognitive and/or behavioral techniques. Easier said than done!
Many therapists call themselves "COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL" even though they may know little, if anything, about CBT. Why? Because most therapists (licensed professional counselors, clinical social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists) depend on health insurance as reimbursement for their services AND insurance companies ONLY reimburse for empirically supported treatments (EST), with CBT being the primary (sometimes only) EST for the vast majority of anxiety and mood disorders (which make up the vast majority of disorders being treated).
Many of my clinical colleagues will probably not be happy with what I'm telling you and to them, as the character Gilly on Saturday Night Live would say: "uh huh"..."sorry!". We ALL owe it to our clients to be honest and provide the MOST EFFECTIVE TREATMENT available for our client's particular condition, which in many cases means CBT (the most researched and scientifically proven treatments available for many, not all, conditions).
When looking for a cognitive behavioral therapist, I suggest doing an advanced search on Psychology Today's Therapist Finder, screening for therapists in your zip code specializing in CBT for YOUR CONDITION. Once you have narrowed the list, start calling them and ask the following questions:
1. Are you a cognitive behavioral therapist and, if so, what technique(s) do you use for people with my kind of problem?
Answer: Yes. Answers could include exposure, exposure and response prevention (OCD), prolonged exposure (PTSD), activity scheduling (depression), cognitive restructuring, behavioral activation or rehearsal, and contingency management among others. Exposure, in vivo, imaginal, and prolonged, just to name a few is the treatment of choice for most anxiety-based disorders (e.g. generalized anxiety disorder, OCD, PTSD, agoraphobia, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, simple phobias)
2. Which CBT therapy do you adhere to and who is the person (theorist) influencing your practice the most?
3. Estimate the percentage of techniques you use in therapy that are STRICTLY cognitive behavioral.
Answer: AT LEAST 60 - 70% is acceptable, preferably more.
4. Can you tell me the difference between positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement and punishment?
Answer: Positive reinforcement involves increasing the likelihood of a behavior occurring in the future by rewarding the organism immediately following the desired behavior. Negative reinforcement involves increasing the likelihood of a behavior occurring in the future by removing an aversive stimulus immediately following the desired behavior. Punishment involves introducing an aversive stimulus immediately following a behavior you are trying to eliminate and may work for a short time, but research indicates that it is ineffective in the long-term for changing behavior.
If they cannot answer this question, they know little if anything about the most important aspects of CBT and should probably be eliminated).
5. Do you offer FREE initial consultations (preferably in person, over the phone by exception)?
Answer: Yes. In-office consultations are preferred. If a therapist wants to charge you, keep looking unless they are obviously VERY SKILLED in CBT and you have no alternatives.
6. Are you licensed in your state (LPC, LCSW, licensed psychologist/psychiatrist, etc) AND certified (by whom)? What is your license/certification number?
Answer: Yes. Not all licensed therapists are also certified by a recognized national certifying body (requires passing a national exam and paying annual dues), but those who are indicates additional credibility and professionalism. Ask for the certifying body and certification number, then look up the licensing and certifying organizations on the internet and check to see if they actually exist, are current, and free of complaints or violations.
Unfortunately, there are many unqualified, unlicensed people out there calling themselves therapists, life/executive coaches, spiritual healers, etc. and probably do not have the necessary education, experience, licensing, and certification required to help you solve problems of the mind. Read my post "Client Beware" for more details about therapist credentials and picking a therapist.
In conclusion, CBT is one of the most researched, proven, effective, time-limited and cost effective (many problems can be treated effectively in 3 months or less - one one-hour session per week) therapies available today and the treatment of choice for many psychological problems. So if you are looking specifically for a therapist specializing in CBT, as many educated consumers are, the preceding information should be helpful.
With that said, there are many reasons why CBT may not be appropriate for you or your particular problems. There are many good therapies and therapists available, so I recommend you do some research and know what you are looking for when selecting a therapist. In any event, to reinforce the importance of my earlier point, MAKE SURE THEY ARE LICENSED (PSYCHOTHERAPIST) IN YOUR STATE if nothing else.
Many of us have suffer from anxiety or depression, yet are still looking for a solution. Whatever you have been doing must not be working or you would not still be looking for answers.
Maybe you have been looking in the wrong places! Maybe you have been focusing on changing the "content" of your life (words, thoughts, emotions) instead of the "context", the part you actually have control over when it comes to internal problems (e.g. cognition...your thoughts).
In my upcoming book, "Get Off Your Buts And Live A Value-Driven Life ... That's A Freakin' Order!", I explain my proprietary approach to psychotherapy, integrating traditional cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with mindfulness-based CBT, called Body-Mind-Behavior Therapy (BMBT).
In BMBT, we focus first on what your BODY is telling us in terms of proper exercise, diet, and sleep as well as those internal sensations that "set-off" your anxiety or depression. Next, we focus on the MIND, teaching you how to be mindful in the present moment, accepting thoughts and emotions, and changing the "context" of how you relate to your thoughts rather than changing the thoughts themselves. Finally, BEHAVIOR becomes the target by clarifying your values, setting achievable goals, and making a commitment to taking action toward achieving those goals.
The result of BMBT is not another "quick fix", but a new way of life where you are mindful of the moment and ACT based on your values, rather than avoiding the things that you fear or make you sad.
Visit and SUBSCRIBE to my POPULAR YouTube channel, The CombatCounselor Channel, and send me a message, telling me about your problem, what you have tried to do to fix it, and what result you would like to achieve:
