Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Group Settings Versus Family Settings – Week 8 Discussion Sample Essays POST 4

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Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based practice for therapy. CBT can be used in individual, group, or family therapy. The use of CBT in the family setting grew from the Thibaut and Kelley’s theory of social exchange (Nichols, 2014). The theory of social exchange states that people will endeavor to increase rewards and decrease sacrifice in a relationship. Thibaut and Kelly express that this behavior has the goal of maintaining homeostasis in the relationship which they call behavior exchange theory(Nichols, 2014). CBT postulates that one person’s behavior affects how another person will react to them. CBT use in group therapy has a similar premise the difference between group CBT and family CBT is schemas (Wheeler, 2014). Schemas are a persons core beliefs, and these underlying beliefs shape the way a person responds even if it is unconsciously done. One challenge in the group setting is group members may attempt to bring the family schemas they possess into the group(Wheeler, 2014). Another challenge in the group setting with CBT is keeping group members focused on the here and now; even if the factors leading to the behavior was in the past (Wheeler, 2014). I have seen this in my practicum experience in the group therapy the therapist has to work hard on keeping members in the here and now and reinforcing the goal of change. In the family therapy sessions, I have seen more struggles over how to blend two family schemas into one where everyone can be happy. Creating new schemas is generally especially difficult for the families I have seen because they have autistic children which changes how families must react to behaviors. Bjornsson, Bidwell, and Brosse at el report that CBT in the group may be less effective because the concentration on restructuring activities, prevents the formation of group dynamics that is crucial in group therapy (2011). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Group Settings Versus Family Settings – Week 8 Discussion Sample Essays

References

Bjornsson, A. S., Bidwell, C., Brosse, A. L., Carey, G., Hauser, M., Mackiewicz, K. L., … Craighead, W. E. (2011). Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy Versus Group Psychotherapy For Social Anxiety Disorder Among College Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Depression and Anxiety, 28(11), 1034-1042. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/da.20877

Nichols, M. (2014). The essential of family therapy (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Wheeler, K. (2014). Psychotherapy for the Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Group Settings Versus Family Settings – Week 8 Discussion Sample Essays