Rebt Cognitive Theory Case Study Essay Example

Chris dealt with depression and anxiety due to strict parenting that discouraged social interaction and limited participation in extracurricular activities.

Additionally, Chris faced challenges in establishing friendships both at his home and at his friends' homes because of his mother's strictness. His mother consistently stressed the importance of his academic performance and being an exemplary son, while his sister received all the attention from their family. Chris and his sister spent a significant amount of time together, engaging in activities such as playing with her toys, hanging out with her friends, and participating in her preferred hobbies. Gradually, he started to believe that girls were considered superior within their family and began aspiring to emulate his sister. When he entered high school, Chris became aware of how he differed from other male students.

Chris concealed his emotions and was unsure of their nature. Nevertheless, he assured himself that he would eventually settle down and have a family while attempting to avoid causing any disturbance. He believed that by disregarding his feelings, they would eventually disappear. After completing high school, Chris got married after a few years but found no joy in the marriage, ultimately leading to its termination in later years. Chris yearned to embrace his genuine identity and live as a homosexual; however, he knew that neither his family nor those around him would acknowledge this truth. As a result, he suppressed these desires which resulted in both internal and external challenges. Finally, Chris realized the necessity for guidance on dealing with individuals who struggled to accept him and his lifestyle.

Chris, a 27 year old Caucasian man from the Midwest, was raised in a close-knit family.

Growing up in a conservative region of the United States has greatly influenced his beliefs. Despite being gay, Chris is aware that his lifestyle may not always be accepted.

Chris's heightened perception of people's wishes and emotions, along with his vulnerability to external influences, likely contribute to his discomfort in his surroundings. Beck's concept of maladaptive cognitions can be applied here as it appears that Chris's ability to discern implicit desires often turns into a compulsion to fulfill them, creating a validating environment. Additionally, Chris has experienced both the life he desired and the life he felt forced into - being married and openly homosexual - yet neither lifestyle has brought him happiness. Given the significant impact of his environment on him, it is plausible that his sexual desires in both cases have conflicted with his longing for an approving atmosphere.

Chris has experienced two different scenarios in his life, both related to his sexuality. He has tried to suppress his feelings and also come out as gay. However, in both cases, he has felt uncomfortable. The reason for his discomfort within his marriage could be that it did not fulfill his sexual needs. One potential irrational belief he held was that his marriage would provide a sense of security for him and his family in their conservative community, even though he felt little guilt as a homosexual. Another possible irrational belief is based on Ellis' Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), which suggests that individuals develop belief systems based on past experiences.

Based on this information, Chris's previous personal experience was limited to growing up in a nuclear family. As a virgin, he had no prior involvement with

either genders. Consequently, he was drawn towards pursuing heterosexual relationships, as that was the type of relationship he had some knowledge of. However, this inclination stemmed from an irrational belief that heterosexuality was suitable for him simply because it worked for his parents and other adults in his community. Chris likely feared that deviating from societal norms would have negative consequences.

The irrational beliefs held by Chris were disproven when he could not find fulfillment in his marriage. The goals for counseling in his treatment plan, according to the REBT scheme, would involve making Chris understand the true and clear effects of his actions, leading to a conflict of unreasonable beliefs. It is crucial for Chris to fully comprehend himself and not try to prove his worth to others, which is practically impossible. Due to the reasons stated above, the nuclear family he formed was unable to satisfy him. As a result, Chris's current discomfort with his "outed" lifestyle shows another maladaptive cognition or irrational belief that the societal disapproval towards homosexuality should impact his life. While his parents may not disapprove, the way society perceives them creates tension that likely affects Chris's ability to feel at ease in his new situation.

Chris's cognitive therapy should therefore focus on his deep reflection of the true consequences of his feared conditions. In his initial activation event, which was the decision to marry, Chris's thought process can be summarized as follows: "If I choose a homosexual lifestyle instead of getting married, my family and I will face ridicule from conservative community members. This will cause significant discomfort and prevent us from having a normal life." To address these beliefs

using the ABCs of the REBT method, Chris would be asked the following questions: 1) What evidence is there that choosing homosexuality would result in community ridicule? 2) If ridicule does occur, how can it make Chris and his family uncomfortable unless Chris chooses to pay attention to it? 3) What evidence does Chris have that choosing a heterosexual lifestyle would make him less uncomfortable? 4) What is Chris's desired way of living? The intervention would involve one-on-one therapy with a cognitive therapy professional, as well as involving his family and providing homework and group work to broaden the therapy's scope. To address Chris's current discomfort with his homosexual life, a cognitive therapy treatment would include administering Beck's Anxiety and Depression Inventories.The purpose of utilizing this would be to assess the individual's initial condition and subsequently compare it with their progress throughout the treatment, employing the technique at various intervals.

The therapy for Chris would involve presenting him with challenging questions about his lifestyle, such as the evidence of societal disapproval, alternative perspectives, the potential consequences of conforming, and the negative impact of conforming to irrational beliefs. Additionally, educating Chris about how past ideas and beliefs can affect present thinking would be part of the treatment. It is expected that by understanding the role of schema in decision-making and thought processes, Chris would be encouraged to ask himself difficult questions that challenge maladaptive cognitions and irrational beliefs. The counselor and Chris would work together to establish a trusting relationship, prioritize problems or issues, and address Chris's immediate concern of his homosexuality in the therapy process.

There is immediate support available to address indicators and encourage thorough treatment

to alleviate the complaint. The alleviation of symptoms related to Chris's homosexuality will give him hope that change is possible. This approach deals with problems promptly and realistically. In the cognitive method, I acknowledge that Chris seeks a healing relationship to modify his confused and misguided thought patterns. These patterns may include unrealistic perspectives, impractical expectations, dwelling on the past or future excessively, and generalizing too much.

These behaviors cause uncertainty, frustration, and ongoing dissatisfaction for Chris. This therapeutic approach highlights the importance of adopting a realistic, reasonable, and optimistic worldview. This worldview considers Chris as the problem-solver, allowing him to have options in life and believing that he always has many choices. It also acknowledges that Chris has options and has to address various issues, including past mistakes. However, Chris can now look positively towards his future. In contrast, insight therapies focus on Chris's ability to understand his problems based on his inner conflicts, motives, and fears. Coaching Chris on the step-by-step process of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a crucial component.

Chris is being informed about the patterns of his thinking and the mistakes that these thoughts have led to in his attitudes and behavior. It is important for him to reorganize his ideas and values because they are interconnected with his behavior. When this reorganization happens, his behavior will automatically change (Rubinstein et al., 2007). Insight Albert Ellis created Rational-Emotive Therapy, which views human behavior as a person's thinking process rather than separate aspects. Furthermore, it emphasizes that many of a person's thoughts, ideas, or intentions actually interrelate with each other.

From a holistic standpoint, it is recognized that the thoughts of an individual seldom exist

in isolation. In the case of Chris, his contemplation of various aspects or circumstances often leads to flawed deductions or "solutions" regarding ongoing situations. Consequently, irrational thinking patterns can profoundly influence him, resulting in disruptions and instability, ultimately leading to the emergence of mental disorders and/or emotional challenges. Essentially, when Chris harbors excessively elevated and unfeasible convictions, it initiates complications that may prove arduous to navigate in his future endeavors.

Chris is heavily affected by low-tolerance, overgeneralizations, and criticism from others, resulting in a dark world for him. During his treatment, a counselor assists him by challenging and questioning these irrational thoughts that hinder his progress and lead to false beliefs or deception (Ellis, p. 57, 2001). In conclusion, Beck's Cognitive therapy is widely accepted and extensively studied in the counseling field today. It is favored by counselors as it focuses on understanding the impact of biology, emotions, and environment on an individual and strives to bring about changes in these aspects (Padesky and Mooney, 1990). There are different versions or adaptations of this therapy available today, making it a top choice in mental health institutions.

References

1. Beck, J. S. (1995). Cognitive therapy basics and beyond. New York [u. a. ] Guilford Press. Corey, Gerald, 2004.
2. Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy. Thomson Learning, USA. Corey, Gerald. 2001.
3. The Art of Integrative Counseling.Article 29: “Designing an Integrative Approach to Counseling Practice” Retrieved September 28, 2011, http://counselingoutfitters.

com Ellis, Albert 2001. Overcoming destructive beliefs, feelings, and behaviors: new directions for rational emotive behavior therapy.

A. , & Mooney, K. A. Presenting the cognitive model to clients, International Cognitive Therapy Newsletter, 6, 13-14, 1990.

Rubinstein, Noah et al., 2007. Good Therapy. Retrieved September 27, 2011, http://www.goodtherapy.

org