Developmental psychology.pdf

462 Integration of Behavior
Over the past tour decades this method of counseling has evolved into a statement
about all human relationships. Today, the person-centered approach is used in
marriage and family therapy, various educational procedures, and even in business and
industry.
Cognitive Therapy
In recent years several therapies have followed a more cognitive approach, meaning
that the focus is upon the person's thinking, especially the logic used in describing and
analyzing the problem. A rational examination is made of the adjustment difficulty,
an approach that provides a sharp contrast with the previous therapies. The basic
premise is opposite to that of psychoanalysis, and the basic method is contrary to that
of person-centered therapy.
Regarding the premise, both psychoanalysis and cognitive therapy recognize
the interaction between thoughts and feelings. Thinking can influence the way we feel,
and feelings can influence our thoughts. However, psychoanalysis fundamentally begins
with feelings, attempting to uncover early emotional experiences that disrupt
thoughts and behavior in adult life. Cognitive therapy, in contrast, begins with illogical
adult thinking, which causes us to feel upset and to behave emotionally. Both therapies
are concerned with both aspects of human functioning, but each has a somewhat different
starting point. In one cognitive approach, for example, called rational-emotive
therapy, it is emphasized that irrational thinking causes emotional disruption, and the
solution to this disturbance lies in learning to think rationally and logically about our
world.
Suppose that G. is alone on his lunch hour and hears the footsteps of someone
entering the room. He begins to perspire and finally decides to speak to his visitor.
Turning around, he discovers that the sounds have been made by a small boy who has
lost his way. With this observation would G. remain anxious? Probably not. His reaction
instead might turn to relief, embarrassment, or a desire to help the boy.
Logical Analysis According to rational-emotive therapy, our emotions are determined
by the way we think about the circumstances. We feel as we think, and the role
of the therapist is to induce us to think differently about our problems. A young man
rather like G. came to cognitive therapy complaining that he was unhappy because
other people did not like him. But the therapist insisted that there was another reason
for his unhappiness:
P (Patient): "Well, why was I unhappy then?"
T (Therapist): "It's very simple—simple as А, В, С I might say, A, in this
case, is the fact that these men didn't like you. Let's assume that you
observed their attitude correctly and were not merely imagining they
didn't like you."
P: "I assure you that they didn't. I could see that very clearly."
T: "Very well, let's assume they didn't like you and call that A. Now С is
your unhappiness—which we'll definitely have to assume is a fact, since
you felt it."
P: "Damn right I did!"
T: "All right then: A is the fact that the men didn't like you, С is your
unhappiness. You see A and С and you assume that A, their not liking
you, caused your unhappiness, С But it didn't."
P: "It didn't? What did, then?"
T: "B did."
P: "What's B?"
T: "B is what you said to yourself while you were . . . with those men."
P: "What I said to myself? But I didn't say anything."