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Counseling Orientation

Cognitive- Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive- Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a goal oriented therapeutic approach that focuses on how our thinking influences our behavior.  A counselor working with an individual with this approach, will work to identify and challenge that individuals maladaptive thinking and then the behaviors that contribute to the problem/s.  Homework is common with this type of therapeutic approach.  Homework will be tailored towards the goals the individual is working on in- session and will be completed in- between sessions. Counseling sessions are oftentimes structured to so that the client is able to make incremental progress towards the goals they are working on.​

Cognitive- Behavioral Theory emphasizes the cognitions or thoughts that a person has as an explanation as to how people develop and how they may then get a mental disorder.  Those working under this theory generally believe in the role of social learning in childhood development, and the ideas of modeling and reinforcement. From these experiences, personalities are formed in which critical learning, identification of appropriate (and inappropriate) thoughts and feelings, and imitation of these behaviors, thoughts, and feelings.  If parents act a certain way while a child is growing up, that child will then most likely grow up to act much of the same way.  If an individual’s drives aren’t properly reinforced and developed through healthy and proper social interactions, they may then learn unhealthy ways of coping with stress and life problems; this is where the term dysfunction stems from and is a natural offshoot of this theory.​

Cognitive- Behavioral Therapy is tailored to work with an individual’s irrational and faulty thinking patterns and  behaviors, by educating them and reinforcing the positive experiences that will lead to fundamental changes in the way that person copes.  This approach is generally more directive and therapists may mimic that of teachers at times.  Therapy is typically short- term (3-9 months, or around 10-35 sessions).   Different techniques may be used and is dependent upon each client and their presenting problem. 

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Integrative Theories

Integrative Theories can also be known as an eclectic approach.  Some may argue that this really isn’t a theoretical orientation at all.  This theory was laid out as a way to provide various aspects of many orientations with the assumption that the resulting theory would highlight the most effective approaches of its parts.  There was a wide array of orientations being released into the therapeutic world, competitiveness among clinicians, and ineffectiveness of any one theory to treat a variety of individuals.  This approach allows for the clinician to use a mix of theories that may be most effective for each individual client. 

Integrative Psychotherapy incorporates convenient and evidence- based treatments from a range of approaches with respect to which approaches are effective for specific disorders.  The goal is to holistically enhance an individual’s functioning while underlining a client’s inherent value in all areas of life.​

Holistic and integrative therapy involves the merging of many elements of several theories into practice.  In addition to traditional talk therapy, holistic therapy may involve nontraditional therapies such as hypnotherapy or guided imagery.  Again, the goal is to use a technique that is best suited for each individual client and the problem they present with.