Cognitive behavioral psychology focuses on how thoughts affect behavior and perception. Practitioners work with individuals or groups to change thinking and behavior patterns, often using self-guided techniques. Research is important to develop new techniques, and some practitioners teach psychology to other psychologists.
Cognitive behavioral psychology is a branch of psychological practice and research that focuses on how inner thoughts affect behavior and perception. Through research, clinical work, and education, a cognitive behavioral psychologist attempts to improve mental and psychological treatment by addressing issues with the hypothesis that individuals, in general, create their own actions and reactions. A cognitive behavioral psychologist can do many different jobs, such as teaching others about the field, working directly with patients, or doing research on new techniques and publishing results in academic journals.
In clinical practice, a cognitive behavioral psychologist may work with individuals, families, or larger groups of patients facing similar issues. Much of cognitive-behavioral therapy is treated at least partially in an individual setting, because it is important for a therapist to establish a rapport with the patient and help the patient with individual problems of thinking and perception. Most techniques of this type of therapy are based on teaching patients to provide self-guided help, usually teaching them to rationalize their perceptions. For example, if a patient says “People think I’m stupid,” a cognitive-behavioral therapist might try to get the patient to test the rationality of that statement by asking questions such as “How do I know people think that?” ” or “Why do I assume people think that?”
The cognitive behavioral psychologist may choose to work with groups of patients suffering from mental health related issues such as eating disorders, depression, addiction or anxiety issues. Proponents of the theory suggest that virtually any problem can be tackled with this form of therapy as it focuses on changing the individual’s thinking and behavior patterns. A cognitive-behavioral therapist may work with an eating disorder support group, a drug rehabilitation center, or a mental health facility to help groups of patients learn self-assessment skills to help combat their problems.
Research is very important to the continued development of cognitive-behavioral psychology. Some psychologists help evolve the field by conducting studies to see how the founding theories of cognitive behaviorism work with different types of disorders or to test the effectiveness of new techniques based on psychological principles. Researchers may receive funding from a variety of sources to conduct ongoing reviews of therapeutic techniques, including government grants and private commercial funding.
A cognitive behavioral psychologist who has been practicing for some time may find joy and a new career in teaching psychology to other psychologists. Some cognitive behaviorists are employed by universities and trade schools to deliver classes and seminars on the theory’s tools, tactics, and philosophical underpinnings. This can be a great way to put career experience to work, and it can allow a psychologist more time for research and school activities than a private practice provides.
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