| Verified Questions and Answers –
Walden University Psychotherapy with
Multiple Modalities| Updated 2025/2026.
Stages of Learning model - A framework describing the progression of a learner from
unconscious incompetency to unconscious competency.
Unconscious incompetency - A stage where a person is unaware of their lack of skill or
knowledge.
Conscious incompetency - A stage where a person is aware of their lack of skill or
knowledge.
Conscious competency - A stage where a person is aware of their skill or knowledge
and can perform it.
Unconscious competency - A stage where a person can perform a skill or knowledge
without conscious thought.
Freud's tasks of learning independence and control - Associated with problematic traits
such as excessive dependency.
Standards of care - Legally binding guidelines that dictate the minimum acceptable
level of care.
Practice guidelines - Recommendations that are not legally binding and can be more
flexible.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) - A system of psychotherapy that focuses on how
an individual's thoughts influence their feelings and behaviors.
Primary thinking - Recognizes indeterminate, negative, and irrational thinking as part
of human action.
Secondary thinking - Recognizes the indeterminate, negative, and irrational thinking as
foremost.
Imitative behavior - A therapeutic benefit that allows individuals to experiment with new
behaviors.
, Psychoanalytic psychotherapy - Not ideal for patients with primarily primitive defenses.
Dynamic supportive therapy - A strategy where the nurse assists the patient with
reality testing, problem-solving, and interpersonal awareness.
Therapeutic alliance - The relationship between therapist and patient that is essential
for effective therapy.
Cognitive triad - A concept in CBT that includes maladaptive thoughts rooted in
irrational assumptions.
Universality - A therapeutic factor where a group member realizes others share similar
feelings of incompetency.
Reality testing - A process in dynamic supportive therapy that helps patients
distinguish between their perceptions and reality.
Psychic determinism - The concept that every thought and behavior has a cause.
Supportive psychodynamic psychotherapy - Focuses on feelings, defenses, life
stresses, and problem-solving.
Direct advice - A strategy in imparting information that can elucidate interpersonal
pathology.
Solution focused therapy - A therapy approach that focuses on potential solutions
rather than the etiology of the problem.
Clinical practice guidelines - Recommendations for the use of psychodynamic therapy
for various psychiatric disorders.
Panic-focused psychodynamic psychotherapy - Recommended as an initial treatment
for Panic Disorder.
First-line treatment - The preferred initial treatment option for a specific disorder.
Major Depressive Disorder - A condition for which psychodynamic therapy is
considered a therapeutic treatment option.
Directive approach - Learning to be directive to help the patient feel better.
Psychotherapeutic process - Letting the psychotherapeutic process unfold over time.
Main goal of psychotherapy - Helping the patient feel better is the main goal of
psychotherapy.