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Introduction

Compare and contrast the person-centered approach and cognitive-behavioural approaches to understanding and working with fear and sadness. Which of these two approaches do you feel more drawn to and why? -------------------------------------------------------- In this essay I will look[KHB1] at the key features of the cognitive behavioural approach and the person centered approach, I will look at the differences and similarities of the two approaches and explain why I am drawn to the person centered approach. The overall purpose of cognitive behavioural therapy is to increase self awareness, introduce better understanding, and improve self control by developing more appropriate responses to negative feelings. The goals of the person-centered therapy are to increase ones self-esteem, to have a greater openness to experience and to find out where you belong in life and be content with it. Both therapies help individuals to experience and express feelings at the moment they occur, rather than dwell on them at a later date. I will first look at the Cognitive behavioural therapy which was founded by Beck (1976), he believed that "the emotional and behavioural difficulties that people experience in their lives are not caused directly by events, but by the way they interpret and make sense of these events "as sited in Introduction to counselling p143. ...read more.

Middle

Congruence; unconditional positive regard; and empathy are three very important attitudes that a person centered therapist must poses. [KHB6]They have to be open and genuine and be willing to relate to clients, they need to have all their feelings available to them in therapy sessions and may share significant emotional reactions with their clients. The therapist must accept the client totally for who they are without evaluating, censoring, or disapproving of particular feelings, actions, or characteristics. They must communicate this attitude to the client by a willingness to listen without interrupting, judging, or giving advice. [KHB7] Empathy is an attitude needed by the therapist in order to appreciate the client's situation from the client's point of view, this will show an emotional understanding of sensitivity to the client's feelings throughout the therapy session. A good way of showing this empathy is by active listening which shows careful and perceptive attention to what the client is saying. In addition to standard techniques, such as eye contact, that are common to any good listener, person-centered therapists employ a special method called reflection, which consists of paraphrasing and/or summarizing what a client has just said. This technique shows that the therapist is listening carefully and accurately, and gives clients an added opportunity to examine their own thoughts and feelings as they hear them repeated by another person. ...read more.

Conclusion

D240 Counselling: exploring fear and sadness DVDs and Audio cds Milton Keynes the Open University. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs 14.07.2010 Self reflection I found this assignment interesting as I enjoy all aspects of counselling and thinking about differences between the therapies was fascinating. I found the introduction and conclusion difficult as I always find the setting out of the essay hard to follow and I am still unsure of the referencing. Word count 50 . [KHB1]A more academic style would be "This essay will look at". Try to avoid using "I" except where it is indicated in the assessment handbook (for example the last section of this assignment). [KHB2]Good, you have understood the connection between thoughts, feelings and behaviours. [KHB3]You need to reference where you found this information? Which source did it come from? [KHB4]Again, you need to cite a reference. [KHB5]Good. [KHB6]Good - I would call them the "core conditions" here. [KHB7]Brilliant description, showing excellent understanding of the course materials. [KHB8]Family therapy is slightly different to person-centred therapy. Block 3 covers family therapy in more detail. [KHB9]Good point. [KHB10]Excellent. [KHB11]Do you have a reference or any evidence for this? [KHB12]Again, you need some evidence to support this point. [KHB13]i.e. CBT is aiming to provide a solution, whilst person-centred therapy helps the client to find their own solution. [KHB14]Do you have evidence or a reference? [KHB15]Good point. [KHB16]So does CBT! [KHB17]An interesting reflection. ...read more.

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