Kennerley, H., Kirk, J., & Westbrook, D. (2017). An introduction to cognitive behaviour therapy Skills and applications (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.
The cognitive principle
The behavioural principle
The continuum principle
The here-and-now principle
The interacting systems principle
The empirical principle
The interpersonal principle
Post 1
The foundational principles of CBT align well with my perspectives of counselling, as they seem
to be rooted in logical and empirical values, which I believe counselling should try to embody
(Kennerley & Westbrook, 2017). I agree with the conceptualization that individuals are
influenced by the intersection between their thoughts, emotions, behaviour, physiology, and the
environment. This reminds me of the biopsychosocial approach that we learned in our first
course.
An advantage that Kennerley & Westbrook (2017) mention with CBT is that it can be brief,
lasting between six and 20 sessions, which can be beneficial for clients who have less
resources available. The authors also note the structured approach of CBT, that is, adhering to
the set agenda, can also provide a large benefit for clients and therapists.
A possible disadvantage of CBT is the possible reduced efficacy when working with non-western
populations (Kennerley & Westbrook, 2017). Although there is not much research about this,
there is growing evidence on how increasing therapist cultural competency and making
adaptations to the CBT approach can increase its effectiveness with culturally diverse
individuals.
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applications (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.
Reflect on the basic principles of CBT as outlined in Chapter One of your text.
Do they make sense to you?
Are there any principles that do not fit with your understanding of how the therapeutic process
works (i.e. limitations)?
What might be some advantages, disadvantages of CBT towards achieving clients’ therapeutic
goals and outcomes?
Post 2
A disadvantage that I discovered with CBT is its possible lack of efficacy at achieving a client’s
therapeutic goals within a group therapy context (Gryesten et al., 2024). As I reflect on the basic
principles of CBT, they seem to be well suited from an individual therapy context, allowing for
personalization and adaption when needed (Kennerley & Westbrook, 2017). Although there is
evidence that CBT works effectively in a group context, Gryesten et al. (2024) argue that
personalizing treatment for an individual in a standardized CBT group context is challenging as
it may conflict with the needs and preferences of other group members.
Indeed, the lack of flexibility within the CBT group setting led to client’s feeling like CBT was illsuited to meet their needs. Many groups were diagnosis-specific, meaning that treatment
specifically targeted disorders that did not reflect the client’s perceived issues. It was also
difficult for the therapist to conduct routine outcome monitoring, which would allow for insights
and adjustments to the treatment as needed. Thus, Gryesten et al. (2024) suggest continuous
dialogue between the therapist and the group members is necessary to regularly assess the
effectiveness of treatment, ensure that each member feels supported, and provide individual
interventions that cannot be conducted in a group context.
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Kennerley, H., Kirk, J., & Westbrook, D. (2017). An introduction to cognitive behaviour therapy Skills and applications (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.
Gryesten, J. R., Poulsen, S., Moltu, C., Biering, E. B., Møller, K., & Arnfred, S. M. (2024).
Patients’ and Therapists’ Experiences of Standardized Group Cognitive Behavioral
Therapy: Needs for a Personalized Approach. Administration and Policy in Mental Health
and Mental Health Services Research, 51(5), 617–633. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488023-01301-x