Learning Activities
The report will rely on the use of cognitive and relational procedures as part of cognitive behavioral therapy with the two clients. A cognitive process that can be provided to the two clients as a learning activity is heuristics which act as mental shortcuts enabling people to solve real-life problems by making judgments in a quick and efficient manner. Heuristics is aimed at minimizing decision making time while also allowing people to function without having to stop to think about their next course of action. However it is necessary to be careful when using heuristics as a learning activity for the two clients since it can easily lead to cognitive bias.
Another cognitive process that can be used with the two clients is logical reasoning. This learning activity requires an individual to determine what would follow from stated premises if they have some truth in it (Bronkhorst et al., 2019). Logical reasoning involves a set of rules that define how conclusions can be derived. It allows a person to select and interpret information provided from a specific context, make connections and draw conclusions. A relational procedure that can be used as part of cognitive behavioral therapy is interpretation. Interpretation requires interaction between two parties to identify truth about someone. In this case a client can engage in meaningful interaction with the therapist for them to understand themselves.
Population Served
One of the clients to be served in formulation of the report is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. The client has been hospitalized at a Memorial Hospital Child and Adolescent Inpatient unit after portraying extreme aggression and threatening to kill her mother. She has also been hospitalized severally after several instances of self-harmful behavior. The client’s at-risk behaviors are sexual promiscuity, elopement, physical aggression and suicidal ideations.
The second client is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, intermittent explosive disorder and insomnia resulting from a mental disorder. The client has had several domestic disputes with her mother at times requiring law enforcement interventions. Sarah has also portrayed several outbursts while in the school setting characterized by verbal aggression, threatening behavior, defiance and lack of respect. The client has also disclosed that she has suicidal ideations and has also threatened her foster siblings.
Learning Goal
The main goal for the report is to implement two cognitive behavioral therapy sessions for two adolescent clients experiencing mood disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of therapy that allows clients to manage their physical and mental health problems by changing the manner in which they think and behave. According to Halder & Mahato (2019) adolescents who undergo cognitive behavioral therapy when undergoing life problems are more likely to showcase positive outcomes compared to younger children. This indicates that cognitive behavioral therapy will be useful for the two adolescents who are experiencing mood disorders.
Effectiveness in cognitive behavioral therapy requires therapists to foster a therapeutic alliance with clients. The therapeutic process promoted by cognitive behavioral therapy is focused on identifying emotions, discriminatory thoughts, feelings and behaviors that have a negative impact on a client (Okamoto et al., 2019). Therapy promotes guided discovery enabling young clients to identify the various disturbing factors. In this case cognitive behavioral therapy helps to address the actual problem a client is facing. CBT helps to promote both behavioral and cognitive change to promote positive outcomes in clients.
References
Bronkhorst, H., Roorda, G., Suhre, C., & Goedhart, M. (2020). Logical reasoning in formal and everyday reasoning tasks. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 18(8), 1673-1694. Web.
Halder, S., Mahato A., K. (2019). Cognitive behavior therapy for children and adolescents: Challenges and gaps in practice. Indian J Psychol Med. 41(3):279-283. Web.
Okamoto, A., Dattilio, F. M., Dobson, K. S., & Kazantzis, N. (2019). The therapeutic relationship in cognitive–behavioral therapy: Essential features and common challenges. Practice Innovations, 4(2), 112. Web.