NRNP 6645 Week 5 Discussion – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Comparing Group, Family, and Individual Settings Example Comparing Group, Family, and Individual Settings

 

Thoughts are important because individuals greatly influence behavior. They are influenced greatly by the interplay between environmental factors and the human response to these factors. An imbalance causes derailed thoughts, which often translates to derailed behavior. Addressing the disabling thought processes streamlines the behavior patterns, hence the basis of cognitive behavioral therapy. The care providers determine the disabling co-belief and help the patient address this co-belief, hence the change in thoughts and behavior. Cognitive behavioral therapy is an important intervention in managing mental health issues presenting with unhealthy thoughts and behaviors. As discussed in this essay, cognitive behavioral therapy differs when applied to individuals, groups, and families.

Cognitive behavioral therapy relies on the psychiatrist’s knowledge, and choosing the best setting significantly influences positive patient outcomes (Blackwell & Heidenreich, 2021). CBT in the family setting can differ from group therapy because it considers the perspectives and interpretations of others’ actions (Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy, 2018). CBT in couple therapy cannot utilize group communication activities because one of the major goals is to increase positive interactions between the couples, unlike group therapy, where the goal is to support each other through experiences and goals. The interpretation of each partner’s thoughts and behaviors regarding the spouse’s actions is significant, unlike group settings where the group members’ perspectives may not be so significant to each patient (Nicholas & Davis, 2020).

CBT in group settings requires the psychiatrist to simultaneously identify and help individuals identify and address their disabling thought behaviors, thus eliminating disabling thoughts and behavior, unlike individual settings where the focus is on one person. CBT in group therapy is highly structured and interactive as the psychiatrist strives to ensure group members learn from each other.

In group settings, individuals also learn the importance of positive peer modeling, social support, and reinforcement. Members can share problems and experiences, providing exceptional support which may be unavailable in individual settings. In group settings, the psychiatrist focuses on many individuals; hence, it is time-consuming and demands prior planning, unlike individual therapy, which focuses on the individual throughout the session (Layton et al., 2020).

CBT in individual settings may face various problems. Heidenreich et al. (2021) note that CBT limitations in individual settings include client behaviors that obstruct implementation (difficult and disruptive clients). Some clients find it difficult to identify emotions and thoughts. Group and family therapy sessions can help trigger an understanding of these emotions. In group sessions, it is difficult to form therapeutic relationships that are significant to health, which may be difficult to achieve.

Personal differences can impede group CBT settings, making achieving the desired results difficult. In family settings, all family members affected by the problem must attend, which is difficult to achieve, especially for warring families (Stewart et al., 2020). In addition, family CBT is intricate, and all basic needs must be met before joining family therapy, which is often not the case. Addressing these limitations can help increase CBT effectiveness in these various settings.  

The sources used in this work are all peer-reviewed and relevant to the topic of discussion. They also contribute to current knowledge and the body of research, hence their significance to this study. In addition, they were also published by reputable journals and sources in reputable databases. The resources used are also current and published within the last five years. Understanding these limitations helps the psychiatrist beforehand and implement corrective interventions. Preparing is significant to execution and greatly influences the success of CBT in various settings. Understanding the differences helps the psychiatrist tune the sessions to optimize the benefits.

References

Stewart, K. E., Sumantry, D., & Malivoire, B. L. (2020). Family and couple integrated cognitive-behavioral therapy for adults with OCD: a meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 277, 159-168.