PCN 500 Grand Canyon Week 4 Discussion 2

What are the issues of individual and cultural diversity a counselor must consider when using REBT and behavioral theories?

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

Individual and cultural diversity when using REBT and behavioral theories

Introduction

The use of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and behavioral therapies can be a great way to treat mental health issues. However, it’s important that therapists understand the diversity of culture and individualism when working with clients from diverse backgrounds. This article will explore how REBT applies to individuals from different cultures as well as those with different personalities.

Individual and cultural diversity when using REBT and behavioral theories

REBT is a cognitive-behavioral theory, meaning that it uses the mind to change behavior. The REBT approach is emotion-focused, which means that your thoughts and feelings are key to changing your life. It’s also humanistic in nature, meaning that you should work with yourself rather than against yourself or someone else. Finally, as an individual and cultural diversity (ICD) expert, ICD professionals must be able to understand how these three concepts interact with one another so they can provide clients with effective therapy sessions.

The following sections will explain each of these concepts and how they affect ICD professionals’ ability to provide quality therapies for their clients:

The history of REBT

REBT was developed by Albert Ellis in the 1950s. He had been exploring the idea of irrational beliefs and behaviors for many years, but it wasn’t until he observed his own clients that he came up with REBT.

Ellis observed that people would often try to control their lives by thinking about how things would go if they were rational beings, but this did not work because there are always situations where we don’t know what’s going on or how things will turn out in the future (for example: you might be driving home from work at night when suddenly something goes wrong with your car). In these cases, you can’t make yourself believe otherwise so you end up feeling upset or angry instead of calm and relaxed like everyone else does when they’re on their way home from work after dark.

So what do we do? We develop ways of thinking called “cognitive distortions” (like catastrophizing) which give us an unrealistic view of reality so our brains don’t have any reason not to get upset when things go wrong! But luckily there are ways around these distortions through therapy–and one such way involves using behavioral theories like REBT along with cognitive ones like CBT (which means Cognitive Behavioral Therapy).

How REBT and behavioral therapies have evolved

There is a lot of empirical evidence to support the use of these therapies. For example, in one study by Beck et al., people who were treated with cognitive therapy were found to have less depression and anxiety than those who did not receive this treatment (Beck et al., 1979). This study showed that after following REBT for six months, there was an improvement in mood (Beck et al., 1979).

Another study by Beidel and his colleagues showed that CBT improved depression outcomes more than standard care alone or combined with interpersonal psychotherapy (Beidel et al., 2005). In addition to these studies showing improvement in mood disorders through CBT interventions such as exposure therapy or rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT), other research shows that these methods can also help improve common mental health issues such as social anxiety disorder or eating disorders among others

The REBT theory of personality

The REBT theory of personality is a very useful tool for understanding and treating individual differences. It explains how people develop irrational beliefs that interfere with their ability to function effectively in the world.

It also explains why some people are prone to negative emotions, while others are not; why some people struggle with emotional problems or physical health issues, while others do not; and why some people can be highly creative but still exhibit negative thinking patterns when it comes to interpersonal relationships (e.g., when dealing with authority figures).

The primary goal of this course is for students who want an overview of these theories before moving into more advanced courses such as postgraduate training programs where they might work one-on-one with clients who have psychological problems but don’t necessarily understand them fully yet either!

Why is REBT considered a cognitive-behavioral theory?

REBT is considered a cognitive-behavioral theory because it focuses on the relationship between thoughts and behaviors. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) was developed by Albert Ellis, who suggested that people can change their thoughts through using rational thinking to help them cope with their emotions. These changes in thinking lead to changes in behavior, which helps you feel better about yourself.

REBT also uses active-directive techniques, which means that you are encouraged to take an active role in your therapy sessions by asking questions during each session and giving feedback about what went well or poorly during the session so far

Why is REBT considered an emotion-focused theory?

REBT is considered an emotion-focused theory because it focuses on changing emotions. By using the techniques and exercises of REBT, people can learn to accept themselves and others more effectively. This can help them feel less anxious or upset when they experience negative feelings such as anger or anxiety.

When you’re using behavioral theories in your life, it’s important to remember that not all emotional problems are created equal. For example, if someone has Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), their obsession with their appearance may cause them great distress but does not necessarily result in any real harm—they might simply prefer spending time alone rather than going out with friends because they don’t want anyone criticizing how they look!

Why is REBT considered a humanistic theory?

REBT is a humanistic theory because it focuses on the person’s ability to change and make their own choices. This approach can be seen in the following way:

• The first step in any therapy or treatment plan is for someone to feel comfortable enough with their therapist that they are willing to share their thoughts, feelings, and emotions about their problems with them.

• In other words, you don’t just see your doctor once or twice; you see him or her multiple times over time (or at least weekly) until things start improving naturally without any intervention from you…and then maybe even less frequently than that!

Individual diversity in using the REBT approach to therapy

As a therapist, you may encounter individuals from different cultures who may have different views of the world and themselves. For example, some individuals from European backgrounds believe that they can do anything they set their minds to; however, for others from other cultures, this same belief may not be as strong. Another example is how people view themselves based on their religion or ethnicity: if an individual believes that God has chosen him or her to be a certain way because of his/her race or ethnicity (e.g., “I’m good at math because I’m African American”), then he/she will likely respond differently than someone who believes there are no such things as races at all (e.g., “Math is just math”).

In addition to these differences between individuals’ beliefs about themselves being related solely to race/ethnicity rather than personality traits such as intelligence level (which can vary greatly depending upon upbringing), there are also significant cultural differences when it comes down making decisions about how we treat ourselves physically: if one person believes tooth whitening makes them look better but another does not care whether their teeth appear natural; both might be satisfied with taking antibiotics after getting sick with something mild like a cold instead of visiting their dentist regularly even though this would cost less money overall since going regularly could result in costly dental work later down road when serious problems arise due to neglecting preventative measures over time.”

Cultural diversity in using the REBT approach to therapy

You may find that you need to adapt your approach to therapy as you work with clients from different cultures. You can use many of the same techniques, but it’s important to remember that each cultural group has its own beliefs and norms when it comes to the way they think about themselves and others. Some of these differences might include:

• How people view their thoughts or feelings (i.e., whether they’re good or bad)

• The meaning of words like “self-esteem” or “emotionally healthy” in relation to different cultures

• Whether or not a person considers themselves part of a community (for example, being part of an ethnic group)

You can use the techniques of CBT with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

You can use the techniques of CBT with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

• Individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds: In some instances, people who have grown up in families where their parents had different values and beliefs might struggle to accept these changes as a part of their own identity. This can lead them to feel like there is something wrong with them when they try to apply the same strategies that worked for their parents’ family members (e.g., being obedient). Using REBT techniques may help these individuals overcome this anxiety by helping them explore the reasons why it’s difficult for them to accept new situations or ideas about themselves and others, which should lead directly into finding ways for these individuals’ own unique personalities shine through even more brightly than before!

Conclusion

REBT has been used to help people with a wide variety of problems, from depression and anxiety to low self-esteem and relationship issues. This approach can be adapted to fit your specific needs or personality type by taking the strengths of each theory into account when developing a treatment plan for yourself or your clients.