CBT Exam 1
The most important aspect of therapy with client? - Answer-The most important aspect of therapy with
client is the client-therapist relationship
why is homework important in CBT? - Answer-- helps clients build confidence and competence (and this
reduces relapse)
- clients less likely to depend on therapist as the agent of change in their lives
- allows the client to become their own therapists or problem-solvers
should you start homework assignments right away in therapy? - Answer-Be hesitant to start homework
right away... develop a relationship first and then build in that so you know what to assign so it won't
overwhelm them
guessing about what the client is feeling... (good or bad and why?) - Answer-BAD obviously
In therapy, don't make guesses about how client's are feeling... the light bulbs needs to go off with the
client and they need to figure it out themselves... that's how the real change happens. If you find
yourself doing more work than the clients, that's a huge red flag.
what should you do instead of guessing? - Answer-You want to take what the client says and amplify it a
bit but not creating a completely different thought
clients who are blunt and use profanity... (good or bad?) - Answer-GOOD!
,You want to verbally praise clients for being blunt and using profanity.. You want to know the harsh
truth
what does it mean if the client is using resistance? - Answer-If the client doesn't want to work with you
and is using resistance, they're not ready for therapy
how do clients learn about ethical boundaries in therapy? - Answer-It is your responsibility to teach
ethical boundaries to your clients
as a therapist, how can you sell treatment better to the client? - Answer-Try techniques on yourself and
see if it works so that way you're better able to sell it to the client; if you don't believe in something your
client definitely won't
- you'll come up with ways to describe the process and obstacles that you never would've figured out if
you didn't practice on yourself
where does the majority of change take place in CBT? - Answer-the majority of the change that's going
to take place is IN BETWEEN SESSIONS
* this is why homework is so important!!
what is the most effective CBT strategy for depression and what does it involve? - Answer-BEHAVIORAL
ACTIVATION
you would have clients come up with small activities even if it's just showering to experience the reward
of feeling better and more positive
- note: flexibility is important so you're able to individualize these approaches to clients bc everyone's
different and moves at different paces
what is behavioral activation? what is the premise? - Answer-- aims to alleviate depressive symptoms
and prevent relapse by focusing specifically on BEHAVIOR CHANGE
, - premise of BA is that problems in vulnerable individuals' lives and their behavioral responses to these
problems reduce their ability to experience positive reward from their environment
- the goal of this treatment is to help clients experience more contact with sources of reward in their
lives and to solve life problems
what do BA treatment procedures focus on? - Answer-focuses on activation and processes that inhibit
activation (i.e. escape and avoidance behaviors, rumination)
~this helps to increase experiences that are pleasurable or productive and improve quality of life
in BA, what is guided activation? - Answer-- this is the use of a series of behavior change strategies
developed by the therapist and client together to carefully examine what activities will be reinforcing for
the client and help disrupt the relationships that are maintaining the depression
should you be enthusiastic if the client is doing better? why or why not? - Answer-Even if client is doing
better, you need to be really neutral in your enthusiasm because they won't want to let you down so
they won't tell you the truth when you're not doing well
when first interviewing client, what are the 3 things you want to know about symptoms? - Answer-
INTENSITY, FREQUENCY, AND DURATION
- you want exact times, exact numbers, exact definitions
- be careful about filling in the blanks!
~ for example, use the SUDS scale (subjective units of distress scale) so lay out a scale like 1-10 and have
them rate it so this way you have a baseline to compare future weeks with (i.e. where are you on your
suds scale)
what is GAD? why do these people usually have depressive symptoms? - Answer-difficulty controlling
excessive worry which is why you see people with anxiety have depression or depressive symptoms bc
THEY FEEL LIKE THE CANNOT CONTROL IT
The most important aspect of therapy with client? - Answer-The most important aspect of therapy with
client is the client-therapist relationship
why is homework important in CBT? - Answer-- helps clients build confidence and competence (and this
reduces relapse)
- clients less likely to depend on therapist as the agent of change in their lives
- allows the client to become their own therapists or problem-solvers
should you start homework assignments right away in therapy? - Answer-Be hesitant to start homework
right away... develop a relationship first and then build in that so you know what to assign so it won't
overwhelm them
guessing about what the client is feeling... (good or bad and why?) - Answer-BAD obviously
In therapy, don't make guesses about how client's are feeling... the light bulbs needs to go off with the
client and they need to figure it out themselves... that's how the real change happens. If you find
yourself doing more work than the clients, that's a huge red flag.
what should you do instead of guessing? - Answer-You want to take what the client says and amplify it a
bit but not creating a completely different thought
clients who are blunt and use profanity... (good or bad?) - Answer-GOOD!
,You want to verbally praise clients for being blunt and using profanity.. You want to know the harsh
truth
what does it mean if the client is using resistance? - Answer-If the client doesn't want to work with you
and is using resistance, they're not ready for therapy
how do clients learn about ethical boundaries in therapy? - Answer-It is your responsibility to teach
ethical boundaries to your clients
as a therapist, how can you sell treatment better to the client? - Answer-Try techniques on yourself and
see if it works so that way you're better able to sell it to the client; if you don't believe in something your
client definitely won't
- you'll come up with ways to describe the process and obstacles that you never would've figured out if
you didn't practice on yourself
where does the majority of change take place in CBT? - Answer-the majority of the change that's going
to take place is IN BETWEEN SESSIONS
* this is why homework is so important!!
what is the most effective CBT strategy for depression and what does it involve? - Answer-BEHAVIORAL
ACTIVATION
you would have clients come up with small activities even if it's just showering to experience the reward
of feeling better and more positive
- note: flexibility is important so you're able to individualize these approaches to clients bc everyone's
different and moves at different paces
what is behavioral activation? what is the premise? - Answer-- aims to alleviate depressive symptoms
and prevent relapse by focusing specifically on BEHAVIOR CHANGE
, - premise of BA is that problems in vulnerable individuals' lives and their behavioral responses to these
problems reduce their ability to experience positive reward from their environment
- the goal of this treatment is to help clients experience more contact with sources of reward in their
lives and to solve life problems
what do BA treatment procedures focus on? - Answer-focuses on activation and processes that inhibit
activation (i.e. escape and avoidance behaviors, rumination)
~this helps to increase experiences that are pleasurable or productive and improve quality of life
in BA, what is guided activation? - Answer-- this is the use of a series of behavior change strategies
developed by the therapist and client together to carefully examine what activities will be reinforcing for
the client and help disrupt the relationships that are maintaining the depression
should you be enthusiastic if the client is doing better? why or why not? - Answer-Even if client is doing
better, you need to be really neutral in your enthusiasm because they won't want to let you down so
they won't tell you the truth when you're not doing well
when first interviewing client, what are the 3 things you want to know about symptoms? - Answer-
INTENSITY, FREQUENCY, AND DURATION
- you want exact times, exact numbers, exact definitions
- be careful about filling in the blanks!
~ for example, use the SUDS scale (subjective units of distress scale) so lay out a scale like 1-10 and have
them rate it so this way you have a baseline to compare future weeks with (i.e. where are you on your
suds scale)
what is GAD? why do these people usually have depressive symptoms? - Answer-difficulty controlling
excessive worry which is why you see people with anxiety have depression or depressive symptoms bc
THEY FEEL LIKE THE CANNOT CONTROL IT
