Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Person Centered therapy

Comparing Counseling Approaches
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This paper focuses on two different counseling approaches; cognitive behavioral therapy and person-centered therapy. By definition, cognitive behavioral therapy is an approach that focuses on how an individual’s feelings are affected by their thoughts and how they perceive the different aspects of their lives (Dobson, & Dobson, 2018). On the other hand, person-centered therapy tends to focus more on the perception that all human beings are born with the ability to facilitate their psychological growth (Rogers, 2013). Both approaches ideally deal with a theoretical positivity that it is human nature to be able to determine what one is feeling, however, the differences between the two are manifested in the approaches and conversations that are held in the therapy sessions as will be demonstrated in the paragraphs below.
While the cognitive behavioral approach aims to change a person’s thinking by focusing and identifying the negative patterns of thought that have led to their current issues the person-centered approach applies more of the empathetic an understanding manner of dealing with the client’s issues. In cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), behavioral and mood tendencies are changed through the modification of thought patterns (Kimberly, 2016). While in CBT the therapist works with the client in the process, personal-centered therapy has the therapist support the client throughout the whole process without interruptions.

Therefore, when a therapist uses the former approach, he focuses on the past negative thought patterns while the latter hopes to help the client by providing an indirect, optimistic and congruent way of talking (Apodaca et al., 2016).
It then occurs that these two approaches use different formats of dealing with clients. The cognitive behavioral approach works because it does not solely focus on the client-therapist relationship as does the person-centered therapy (Leahy, 2017). As much as a sound and harmonious relationship between the client and therapist is relevant, it is not enough to lead the client to full recovery (Cory, 2014).
After the therapy sessions are over, the individual has to face the outside world, outside the safety offered by a therapist’s space (Johnsen & Fribourg, 2015). Cognitive behavioral approach equips one with actual and practical plans of action that can be used every day by the client whereas the counterpart approach is overly simplistic and barely realistic since the world is not always as positive as the sessions lead one to believe (Seligman, 2006). The clients who are treated through the cognitive approach have a better chance at not relapsing than those who use the person-centered approach.In conclusion, these two approaches will be appropriate for different types of people. This means that if one feels free and open when talking to someone without inhibition, then the right approach will be the person-centered approach (Turner, 2017). In contrast, the cognitive approach will suit perfectly people who need more diverse means of dealing with their emotions, especially if recovery requires a short time (Beck, Davis & Freeman, 2015). Human beings are inherently imperfect and need to be understood especially by therapists who need to assess the suitable approach to use on a client.

References
Apodaca, T. R., Jackson, K. M., Borsari, B., Magill, M., Longabaugh, R., Mastroleo, N. R., & Barnett, N. P. (2016). Which individual therapist behaviors elicit client change talk and sustain talk in motivational interviewing? Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment.
Beck, A. T., Davis, D. D., & Freeman, A. (Eds.). (2015). Cognitive therapy of personality disorders. Guilford Publications.
Cory F. Newman, 2014 “Being a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist Not Just about ‘Techniques’” Retrieved from https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/being-a-cognitive-behavioral-therapist-not-just-about-techniques-0430145 Dobson, D., & Dobson, K. S. (2018). Evidence-based practice of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Guilford Publications.
Johnsen, T. J., & Fribourg, O. (2015). The effects of cognitive behavioral therapy as an anti-depressive treatment is falling: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin.
Kimberly Holland, 2016 “Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Depression” retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/cognitive-behavioral-therapyLeahy, R. L. (2017). Cognitive therapy techniques: A practitioner’s guide. Guilford Publications.
Rogers, C. R. (2013). A Theory of Therapy and Personality Change: As Developed in the Client-Centered Framework”. Perspectives in Abnormal Behavior: Pergamon General Psychology Series
Seligman, L. (2006) Theories of counseling and psychotherapy: systems, strategies, and skills (2nd ed.) Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education ltd
Turner, F. J. (2017). Social work treatment: Interlocking theoretical approaches. Oxford University Press.