Page 73 - Part A

Counselling Skills

The counsellor will give the client ‘homework’ – tasks that they must work on before
the next session. CBT is widely used in the health service to treat problems such as
depression, anxiety, phobias, panic attacks, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
and eating disorders.

CBT practice aims to challenge negative thoughts and assumptions the person might
have developed during the years. Techniques used include the following:

• To monitor the negative thoughts

• To recognise the connection between thoughts, feelings and behaviours

• To examine the evidence for/against the distorted thoughts

• To explore more positive thoughts

• To learn to identify irrational beliefs which led the person to distort his or
her experiences.

Behavioural techniques are used not only to change behaviours, but also to challenge
wrong thinking related to specific behaviours. This might include:

• A weekly activity schedule in which the person can log in his or her
daily activities

• A mastery and pleasure schedule in which the person rates the activities
listed in a log

• A graded task assignment in which the person undertakes some tasks to
reach a goal which they consider difficult.

Key Fact

Counselling theory underpins the general counselling skills such
as listening and responding that counsellors use to help people to
change and progress. In addition, different theories about the cause
of problems give rise to different types of counselling practice.

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