Rule #1 - Functional Analytic Psychotherapy | FAP

Functional Analytic 

Psychotherapy: 

The Basics (Part 1) 

Robert J. Kohlenberg, Mavis Tsai, Reo W. 

Newring, Christeine M. Terry, Mary D. Plummer, 

Madelon Y. Bolling, Chauncey Parker 

© University of Washington, 2005

FAP is… 

• A treatment built from a handful of 

basic behavior analytic principles 

• Almost pure process; very few 

tricks or specific techniques 

• How to implement your techniques 

more powerfully 

• An extension of what many good 

therapists do naturally 


Behavior Analysis: 

Stimulus Functions 

Therapists influence behavior via 

three stimulus functions: 

1. Elicit client behavior 

2. Evoke client behavior 

3. Consequate client behavior 

These functions will have their 

strongest effects on in-session 

client behavior. 


Behavior Analysis: 

The time-space relationship 

Reinforcement is MORE EFFECTIVE if 

the reinforcer is delivered closer in 

time and space to the behavior 

Example: Reinforcing a client 

for disclosure immediately 

after it occurs vs. reinforcing 

a client for disclosure 2 

sessions later 


Behavior Analysis: (cont.) 

Client Problems Can Be Observed and 

Reinforced Directly by the Therapist 

• Reinforcement occurs whether 

or not we are aware of it. 

• Therapists and clients inevitably 

and naturally shape each other’s 

behavior. 

• This usually occurs outside of 

awareness 


Therapists & Clients 

Naturally Shape Each Other 

I’m still pretty 

upset. Can we 

spend a few 

more minutes 

CLIENT 

Ya, 

I’m 

I don’t 

sorry. 

mind 

going 

vee are 

a little 

out 

over 

off 

zee 

time 

time 

vor 

if 

vee 

today. 

need to. 


Behavior Analysis: (cont.) 

Shaping client behaviors 

• Match expectations to your client’s 

current behavioral repertoire 

– If your client is seeking help for her 

inability to trust others in 

relationships, do not expect her to 

offer disclosures readily 

• Modeling 

• Functional Analysis 


Match expectations with client's 

current repertoire 

That’s it, Dr. Linehan, I’m quitting 

therapy because you can’t spend 

enough time with me. 

THERAPIST 

CLIENT 

Well That’s I’m the certainly first time not 

going you ever to spend told me more the 

feelings time with that you make if you you 

think keep about treating quitting, me like so 

let’s talk this! about our 

time arrangements. 

NOT MATCHING 


Functional Analysis 

Function vs. Form (topography) of 

behaviors 

• How does the client’s behavior 

serve him/her 


Thinking Operantly 

(Video clip removed) 

• What operants might be occurring 

• How might the operants be relevant 

to client’s daily life problems 

• From an operant standpoint, what 

therapist activities are therapeutic 

Countertherapeutic 


Basic Principles 

CRB: Clinically Relevant Behavior 

Let’s define target behaviors (i.e. operants). 

• Functional classes 

• Idiographic 

• Based on treatment goals and identified 

problems 

What behaviors, relevant to the client’s 

treatment goals & identified problems, will 

be elicited, evoked and reinforced during the 

session 


Basic Principles 

CRB: Clinically Relevant Behavior 

CRB’s occur in session and can be 

addressed on the spot 

• CRB-1: Client problems occurring in session 

• CRB-2: Client improvements that occur in session 

Identify these to maximize therapeutic change 

(Video clips removed) 


FAP: Mechanism of Change 

The therapist’s natural, 

contingent responding to 

decrease CRB-1s and increase 

CRB-2s 

This applies to workshops & 

supervision as well 


Five Rules of FAP 

FAP comprises a set of simple rules for 

observing, evoking, responding to, and 

talking about CRBs. 

Concrete ways to bring more connection 

and intensity into your work!! 



#1 


Rule #1: Watch for CRBs 

If nothing else, do Rule 1 

(unobtrusively). 

The rest will follow naturally, if 

a) The behaviors are naturally in 

your repertoire. 

b) You have your clients’ best 

interests at heart. 


Rule #1: Watch for CRBs (cont.) 

• Use case conceptualization as a 

guide 

• Assess for CRB-1s and CRB-2s: 

• Use Typical, Beginning, Middle and 

End of Therapy Questions to Assess 

CRBs 

• Therapeutic Opportunity Scale 

(TOS) 



CLIENT 

How come so many 

people don’t like me! 

And how will talking to 

a %@^#*! JERK like 

you help 

THERAPIST 

CRB-1 

(Cranky Albert) 



Will you call 

my doctor 

and ask him 

to renew my 

Xanax 

prescription 

Therapist 

CRB-1 

OR 

CRB-2 

Client 



#2 


Rule #2: Evoke CRB’s 

• Treatment content will naturally 

evoke CRB’s 

– Free association, Agenda 

setting, Hypnosis, Homework 

assignments 

•Prompt CRB-2s 

• Do not change your behavior to 

evoke CRB’s 

(Video clip removed) 



#3 


The clinical application of natural 

vs. arbitrary reinforcement: 

Arbitrary reinforcer Serves to please 

therapist. In future, client values therapists 

approval. 

Natural reinforcer Related 

consequences that are available in client’s 

daily-life environment. More likely to 

generalize. 


Arbitrary reinforcement 

CLIENT 

Why must you always dissect my 

homework and evaluate my thinking 

It seems like some of my thoughts are 

valid and it’s kind of a put down to 

analyze them. 

Ben Stein 

(the epitome of 

non-emotive) 

It is so terrific that 

you are telling me 

how you feel! 

Good Job! 

What 

This 

might 

might 

be 

be 

a 

countertherapeutic… 

more NATURALLY 

REINFORCING response to the client’s 

emotional expression 

© University of Washington, 2005 

THERAPIST


#4 


Rule 4: 

Notice your effect on the client 

(Video clips removed) 

If a client is “stuck” and doesn’t seem 

to improve... 



#5 


Rule #5: Provide functional 

interpretations of client behavior 

How does behavior serve the client 

Help the client understand how their behavior 

functions 

It seems like after a difficult 

homework assignment, you come in 

here with a bunch of other crises to 

talk about. This makes it so that we 

never get to discuss those difficult 

assignments. Was the homework too 

hard Did it bring up some stuff for 

you Is this what you do when things 

get tough 

© University of Washington, 2005 

THERAPIST

FAP Case Conceptualization 

Relevant History 

Daily Life 

Problems 

Psychotherapy 

Daily Life 

Goals 

IN SESSION 

CRB-1s 

CRB-2s 

Watch 

RULE 

for 

and evoke 

CRBs 

Identify reinforcers 

and reinforce 

CRB-2s 

Provide rules & 

generalization 

strategies 

1 & 2 RULE 3 & 4 RULE 5

FAP Case 

Conceptualization 

Relevant 

History 

DL Problems 

IV Problems 

(CRB1s) 

IV 

Improvement 

s (CRB2s) 

Conceptualization is an 

ongoing process of assessing 

and revising hypotheses 

DL Goals 


Some FAP Materials 

• Therapy Questions Handouts: 

Typical, Beginning, Middle, End 

– What do you think I’m thinking about 

you/that/what you did/said 

– I note these similarities and differences 

between my usual style of beginning and how I 

am beginning this relationship… 

– What regrets do you have about the therapy or 

what would you like to have gone differently 


Some FAP Materials (cont.) 

• End of Therapy Letter to Client 

…“In working with you, I have grown 

tremendously as a therapist and a person. I am 

proud to have been a part of your life in the last 

two months, to have been a part of the great 

changes that you have gone through. I admire 

your courage, your determination, and your 

strength; and I have learned to be silent, and 

encouraging, and centered in order to keep up 

with you. I am learning what it means to sit 

with someone who sits with pain, an invaluable 

lesson. You have enriched my life, and I am a 

better person for having had these eight 

sessions with you.” 



• Therapeutic Opportunity Scale 

(TOS) 

– Time structure 

– Therapist vacation 

– Termination 

– Fees 

– Therapist mistakes 



• Providing the Rationale 

–FAP: 

• “The therapy relationship provides 

opportunities to learn how to express 

yourself fully and create better relationships. 

It will be helpful for us to focus on our 

interaction if you have issues or difficulties 

that come up with me which also come up 

with other people in your life (such as coworkers, 

acquaintances, supervisors, 

friends, partner or spouse). In this situation, 

you can learn new ways of being with another 

person, i.e., me, and then take that learning 

with you out into your other relationships.” 

–FECT 



• FAP Case Conceptualization 

– Exercise: completing a FAP case 

conceptualization for either a client, 

or for yourself. 


THE END

Rule #1 - Functional Analytic Psychotherapy | FAP

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