Clinical 3: Third Wave Therapies – Flashcards

traditional behavior therapy in 1950's, 1960's

cognitive therapy and CBT in 1970's and beyond

emerged in the 1990's Incorporates non-traditional techniques, with many concepts borrowed from Eastern philosophy: Acceptance Mindfulness Cognitive defusion Dialectics Values work Spirituality Metacognition

content of a client's thoughts

Monitor client's thoughts Identify cognitive bias or inaccuracy Then change the content of the thought

Context of a client's thoughts

There's no need to change the thought itself Instead, change the client's relationship to the thought Help the client develop a detached, nonjudgmental acceptance of all their thoughts and emotions, both positive and negative Football analogy

Third wave therapies love analogies Think of your thoughts and feelings Home team 0 thoughts you want Away team + thoughts you don't want Spectators always pull for the home team, and sometime the away team is more powerful and skilled Each play represents a battle in which eather team can win The away team never gives up, works harder and harder Sometiems goes into overtime and just never ends Even when home team wins, its still just temporary

As something to "get rid of" Symptoms (emotions/thoughts) = distress = suffering Ease distress by removing or reducing the symptoms

Distress by itself is not suffering Trying to avoid the distress is what leads to suffering

Heightened attention/awareness of the present moment - one's subjective, here-and-now experience - in an open and nonjudgmental way. As a therapeutic tool, mindfulness helps clients to recognize and let go of their distressing thoughts and emotions

Teaching the client to step back ("distancing" or "defusing") from cognitive content. Goal is to see thoughts and feelings as simply "thoughts", not literal truths about world or self Not: "I'm going to make a fool out of myself" Instead: "That's interesting. I notice I'm having a thought that I'll make a fool out of myself."

"A willingness to experience psychological events (thoughts, feelings, memories) without having to avoid them or let them unduly influence behavior" (Butler and Ciarrochi, 2007) This represents a move from avoidance to participation

opposing forces that create a whole or a synthesis.

finding a balance in opposing forces.

designed to counter the patient's feelings of invalidation (about self or from others).

learning more adaptive ways of dealing with thoughts, emotions and interpersonal relationships.

Refers to the evolution from strict behaviorism (first wave) to cognitive therapy (second wave) to these newer therapies.

"refers to being able to pay attention in the present moment to whatever arises internally or externally without becoming entangled or hooked by judging or wishing things were otherwise. Awareness of present experience with acceptance.

Mindfulness based therapies prefer to change people's relationships to their thoughts rather than the change the thoughts themselves.

Allowing internal experiences to run their course without fighting against them.

The C refers to a commitment to one's own personal values. The T refers to taking action consistent with one's own personal values.

Dialectics refer to exchanges between client and therapist intended to resolve simultaneous, contradictory feelings held by the client and arrive at the truth of their emotions. They must balance respect and confrontation.

Emotion regulation (which involves identifying, describing, and accepting rather than avoiding negative emotions), distress tolerance (emphasizes the development of self-soothing techniques and impulse control to help clients with BPD minimize such behaviors as suicide attempts, self-harm, and drug abuse. Interpersonal effectiveness (helps clients determine appropriately assertive social skills in order to preserve relationships that might otherwise be damaged by extreme emotional outbursts) and mindfulness skills (encourage clients to engage fully in their present lives, including their internal experiences, such as feelings, thoughts, and sensations, without avoidance or evaluation.