Psychotherapy theories provide a framework for therapists and counselors to interpret a client’s behavior, thoughts, and feelings and help them navigate a client’s journey from diagnosis to post-treatment. Theoretical approaches are an understandably integral part of the therapeutic process. But with so many different methods out there, how do you know which counseling approach works best for you? Whether you’re a student learning about counseling theories or a client looking for the right therapist, the following detailed descriptions will give you a deeper understanding of each counseling method. These theories are integrated throughout the curriculum of Counseling@Northwestern and are built into a foundation grounded in the psychodynamic perspective.
Psychoanalysis/Psychodynamic Theory
Psychoanalysis or psychodynamic theory, also known as the “historical perspective,” has its roots with Sigmund Freud, who believed there were unconscious forces that drive behavior. The techniques he developed, such as free association (freely talking to the therapist about whatever comes up without censoring), dream analysis (examining dreams for important information about the unconscious), and transference (redirecting feelings about certain people in one’s life onto the therapist) are still used by psychoanalysts today.
Counseling@Northwestern uses this theory to train counselors, and it is embedded throughout the counselor training process. In general, psychotherapists and counselors who use this approach direct much of their focus and energy on analyzing past relationships and, in particular, traumatic childhood experiences in relation to an individual’s current life. The belief is that by revealing and bringing these issues to the surface, treatment and healing can occur. This theory is highly researched, and as the field of neuroscience advances, counselors are finding how psychodynamic theory can actually positively affect a client’s brain. Psychodynamic theory can be more time intensive in comparison to some short-term theories because it involves changing deeply ingrained behaviors and requires significant work on understanding one’s self.
Behavioral Theory
Behavioral theory is based on the belief that behavior is learned. Classic conditioning is one type of behavioral therapy that stems from early theorist Ivan Pavlov’s research. Pavlov executed a famous study using dogs, which focused on the effects of a learned response (e.g., a dog salivating when hearing a bell) through a stimulus (e.g., pairing the sound of a bell with food).
B. F. Skinner developed another behavioral therapy approach, called operant conditioning. He believed in the power of rewards to increase the likelihood of a behavior and punishments to decrease the occurrence of a behavior. Behavioral therapists work on changing unwanted and destructive behaviors through behavior modification techniques such as positive or negative reinforcement.
Cognitive Theory
In the 1960s, psychotherapist Aaron Beck developed cognitive theory. This counseling theory focuses on how people’s thinking can change feelings and behaviors. Unlike psychodynamic theory, therapy based on cognitive theory is brief in nature and oriented toward problem solving. Cognitive therapists focus more on their client’s present situation and distorted thinking than on their past. Cognitive and behavioral therapy are often combined as one form of theory practiced by counselors and therapists. Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, has been found in research to help with a number of mental illnesses including anxiety, personality, eating, and substance abuse disorders.
Humanistic Approach
Humanistic therapists care most about the present and helping their clients achieve their highest potential. Instead of energy spent on the past or on negative behaviors, humanists believe in the goodness of all people and emphasize a person’s self-growth and self-actualization.
Humanistic theories include client-centered, gestalt, and existential therapies. Carl Rogers developed client-centered therapy, which focuses on the belief that clients control their own destinies. He believed that all therapists need to do is show their genuine care and interest. Gestalt therapists’ work focuses more on what’s going on in the moment versus what is being said in therapy. Existential therapists help clients find meaning in their lives by focusing on free will, self-determination, and responsibility.
Holistic/Integrative Therapy
Holistic and integrative therapy involves integrating various elements of different theories to the practice. In addition to traditional talk therapy, holistic therapy may include nontraditional therapies such as hypnotherapy or guided imagery. The key is to use the techniques and psychotherapy tools best suited for a particular client and problem.
There are various therapies that counselors can choose to study, but the type of theory matters less than the success of the relationship between client and therapist. In the Counseling@Northwestern online Master of Arts in Counseling Program, students are prepared to become self-reflective practitioners and learn to examine the factors that influence the client-therapist relationship to become successful counselors.
Request Information
Request More Information
Complete the form to receive information about the online graduate counseling and therapy programs offered by the Family Institute at Northwestern University.
Jump to:
Cognitive therapy is based on the principle that thoughts and perceptions can impact our feelings and behaviour, and looks at ways to reassess negative thoughts so individuals can learn more flexible, positive ways of thinking that will subsequently influence behaviours.
While for many these processes will tick over naturally without causing any issues, for others negative patterns of thinking will develop – which if left to manifest can trigger or fuel certain health problems.
This process involves ideas, mental images, values and attitudes that come together to form subconscious and conscious thoughts that define our path.
From a carefully considered decision to end a relationship through to making a choice between jam or peanut butter on your morning toast – behind every action we take, big or small, life changing or seemingly trivial – is a complex cognitive process.
What is cognitive therapy?
Cognitive therapy (CT) is a therapeutic approach that sits within a larger group of cognitive and behavioural therapies. Origins of the approach lie in the restructuring therapy, rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT), which was developed by Albert Ellis in 1955. The core principles behind cognitive therapy however tend to be most synonymous with the works of 20th century American psychiatrist, Aaron Beck. Beck identified that what usually held his clients back most were negative thoughts and beliefs.
According to Beck, thoughts, feelings and behaviours are interconnected and by identifying and changing inaccurate thinking, problematic behaviour and distressing emotional responses, individuals can work towards overcoming their difficulties and meeting their goals.
Cognitive therapy involves therapists working collaboratively with clients to develop skills for identifying and replacing distorted thoughts and beliefs, ultimately changing the associated habitual behaviour towards them. It is usually focused on the present and is a problem-solving orientated treatment.
When individuals are in distress they often can’t recognise that their thoughts are inaccurate, so cognitive therapy helps them to identify these thoughts and re-evaluate them.
For example, if an individual makes a minor mistake they may think “I’m useless, I can’t do anything right”. This negative thought pattern may then trigger a cycle, whereby the activity where a mistake was made is avoided and this act in itself works to further cement the negative behaviour.
Addressing and reassessing this negative thought pattern however, paves the way for more flexible ways of thinking, increased positivity and a willingness to take on activities that will challenge negative beliefs.
Cognitive therapy also takes on a skill-building approach, meaning that the therapist will help the client to learn and practice these skills independently so that they can continue to reap the benefits long after their one-to-one sessions have ended.
Cognitive theory
Aaron Beck is considered the founding father of cognitive therapy and his theory and model continue to form the foundations of many cognitive and behavioural therapy approaches used today.
When working with patients suffering from depression, Beck found that they commonly experienced a deluge of negative thoughts that presented themselves spontaneously. He dubbed these cognitions “automatic thoughts”, and discovered that their content fell into three categories:
- Negative ideas about themselves.
- Negative thoughts about the world.
- Negative thoughts about the future.
From his studies Beck concluded that time spent reflecting on these cognitions would generally lead to patients treating them as valid. In response, he began to help clients to re-evaluate these thoughts and think more realistically, leading to improvements in emotional and behavioural functionality.
According to Beck, successful interventions educate a person to recognise and be aware of their distorted thinking and will challenge its effects.
Today, cognitive therapy is more commonly known as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), due to it being almost exclusively practiced in tandem with behavioural principles – though some therapists do still offer cognitive therapy as a standalone.
This type of therapy is most commonly used for the treatment of anxiety disorders and depression, though it may be suitable in some other situations where negative patterns of thinking have developed.
Rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT)
Albert Ellis is another therapist who reached similar conclusions to Beck regarding negative beliefs and their tendency to lead to self-defeating/self-sabotaging behaviours. In response to his research, Ellis developed a form of cognitive therapy known as rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT) – an action-oriented approach to managing irrational beliefs and behaviours.
REBT employs a simple ABC framework that outlines the relationship between events, beliefs and consequences:
A) Activating event
The event and our perception of the event, for example: An individual is passed on the street by a friend who does not acknowledge him – this is perceived by the individual as being ignored and/or disliked.
B) Beliefs
Our evaluation of the event and our rational or irrational belief relating to the event, for example:
- I could end up with no friends
- to feel happy, people must like me
- I’m a terrible friend so I must be worthless as a person.
C) Consequences
The emotions, behaviours and thoughts stirred by the event, for example:
- Emotions - Depressed and lonely.
- Behaviours - Avoiding/ignoring people.
REBT uses the framework above to help individuals address unhealthy emotions and behaviours such as those outlined, working to identify personal beliefs that frequently lead to emotional distress so that they can be reformulated.
REBT can be effective for the treatment of a range of psychological disorders, including anxiety disorders and phobias as well as specific behaviours such as shyness or a constant need for approval.
While approach will differ from therapist to therapist, REBT often involves the counsellor adopting a directive role, challenging a client’s irrational beliefs and often issuing assignments which could help individuals overcome negative thoughts.
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) was developed with the aim of reducing relapse and recurrence of depression in those who are vulnerable to episodes. The technique employs traditional cognitive therapy methods and uses them in tandem with newer psychological strategies such as mindfulness and meditation.
The former will help to educate individuals about depression, while mindfulness and meditation will focus on raising awareness of feelings and thoughts and accepting them, but not reacting or attaching to them.
The therapy was originally developed by John Teasdale, Zindel Segal and Mark Williams and is based on Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction programme. Generally speaking, MBCT commonly takes the form of eight weekly classes and a one day-long class after the fifth week.
