PSYCHOLOGY 2: CBT Formulation Report - Client Information

This report provides an in-depth analysis of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) formulation, focusing on the crucial measures required to gather comprehensive information from clients. It explores techniques for creating a comfortable environment where clients can openly express their thoughts and feelings, recognizing and addressing potential barriers like shame, privacy concerns, and discomfort. The report emphasizes the importance of a psychologist's qualities, such as patience, active listening, and empathy, in building rapport and fostering client disclosure. It outlines specific strategies for encouraging clients to share their problems and provides examples of how to overcome reluctance. The report further discusses the significance of identifying cognitive errors and developing effective formulations to improve the mental health of individuals. Finally, it emphasizes the importance of confidentiality and building a strong therapeutic relationship for successful outcomes.

CognitivE behavioural
STUDENT DETAILS
STUDENT DETAILS

PSYCHOLOGY 1
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Part 1..........................................................................................................................................3
Measures to obtain information from client for constructing a sound formulation...............3
Discuss about the potential barriers that are stopping them in expressing their feeling........5
Primarily focus elements in producing a formulation............................................................9
Part 2........................................................................................................................................11
Part 3........................................................................................................................................15
Conclusion................................................................................................................................19
References................................................................................................................................20

PSYCHOLOGY 2
Introduction
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a psycho-social intervention method that
fundamentally aims at improving the mental health of the person. CBT incorporates the focus
on treating cognitive distortions and behaviours in order to improve the emotional health of
the person. Apart from this, CBT also help a person for guiding them with various ways
through which they can easily manage their stress, anxiety, depression and other mental
disorders (Arad, Abend, Pine & Bar‐Haim, 2019). CBT not only treat the mental disorders
patterns but, in many cases, CBT can also be used to treat problems which are at the
physiology level such as chronic pain, tinnitus and rheumatism. It can be said that CBT alone
is 50% to 75% effective because it helps person to outperform their mental disorders. As per
the psychologists, the rest effectiveness of 25% to 50 % drives by taking suggested medicines
(Arnold, Cooper, Robertson, Burnes & Patterson, 2016). Thus, it is always guided that take
CBT with medication in order to get completely overcoming mental illness. In this report,
there will be discussion about the measures that are important to obtain from the clients in
order to construct a sound and helpful formulation. This formulation will be depending upon
the 3 levels CBT therapy.

PSYCHOLOGY 3
Part 1
Measures to obtain information from client for constructing a sound formulation
In this section, there will be discussion about the effective measures through which a
psychologist can drive answers from their clients. All these kinds of questions are meant to be
asked by a psychologist, the reason behind asking so many things is that it helps a
psychologist or counsellor to understand the mental condition of their client. These kind of
questions helps a counsellor to form a constructive and sound method that can help their
clients to outperform mental disorders (Bekhet, 2017).
 About their past life.
 What kind of thoughts they interceded daily?
 Their perspective about the life.
 What they usually think?
 What brings you here?
 What is your specific reason for seeking a therapy now?
 How you are coping with the problem at your level?
 Do you ever thought of harming yourself by ending your life?
 Do you feel alone?
 Why you become angry every time for no specific reason?
 Identifying cognitive errors such as jumping to conclusions, black or white thinking,
exaggerating, filtering, discounting, catastrophising, etc.
 Did they take any measures themselves for outperforming their mental issues?
In general, even while attending a personal session with a psychologist client often feels
uncomfortable to share their actual thought feelings. It is been noticed that clients fail to
express their emotions, thoughts, feeling, etc in depth manner to their counsellor. However,

PSYCHOLOGY 4
all the essence or roots of their problems is entirely depending upon the analysis of their in-
depth feelings. Thus, it is extremely important to know their in-depth feelings in order to
construct a soundful formulation. Here, the challenge for a counsellor arises that to figure out
effective way through which they can make their clients comfortable. Apart from this, it is
also noticed that in the initial 1-2 sessions clients do not express their emotions and they even
lie with their counsellor because clients do not agree with themselves to express their
confidential emotions (Chisholm, et. al., 2016). From the viewpoint of the psychology,
people who suffers from the mental disorders, after some time they easily convenience
themselves to seek an advice or help from any counsellor but while attending the session they
fail to express themselves completely (Chouhan & Tripathi, 2018).
Below are the steps that a counsellor should follow in order to obtain information from
the client to construct a soundful formulation. These measures will effectively and efficiently
help a psychologist to construct effective advice for their clients. Apart from this, while
construction a sound formulation, it is duty of the counsellor to make this formulation in such
way that client can easily adopt while dealing with their mental disorders. Thus, the
foundation of the formulation should be easy to understand instead of complex because in
majority of the cases clients will not able to apply complex formulation because of their
ongoing mental conditions. Through below measures a counsellor will be able to obtain
information from their client to construct a soundful formulation (Cuijpers, Cristea,
Karyotaki, Reijnders & Huibers, 2016).
Create an atmosphere through which client itself feels that it is better to express
ourselves in front of the counsellor, start conversation with this paragraph
Dear client, I know that you are suffering a lot with this problem and you also tried to
figure out the alternative solutions for this specific problem but you failed. Now, I want to tell

PSYCHOLOGY 5
you that it is great that you have finally convinced yourself to seek out the professional help
instead of utilizing hit and try methods. Before proceeding further, I want to tell you that you
are here because you think that this session will help you and you will be able to outperform
your mental illness. Although, I want to tell you that you are thinking absolutely correct that
you can completely outperform your mental illness session with the help of this ongoing
session but in order to make this session effective, I need your coordination with me.
We both are sitting in this session and our prime objective is to bring positive results
in your life. The fundamental aspects of this session are based on the system that you will tell
me about your problem and I will tell you about the effective remedy that will help you to
outperform this illness. For giving you a soundful formulation or solution I need to
completely analyse your problem. I require to know about your in-depth feeling such as your
thoughts when you are alone, your imaginations or fantasies, what you know about your
demons behaviour, etc. I need to know all of these important aspects in order to reach at the
conclusion. Only you can tell me about this all and I require your corporation in doing the
same.
Discuss about the potential barriers that are stopping them in expressing their feeling
In this point, talk about the potential barriers that are stopping a client in expressing
their feeling. In majority of the cases, two fundamental barriers always create hindrance in
client’s mind while sharing information (Gershkovich, Herbert, Forman, Schumacher &
Fischer, 2017).
Fundamental barrier:
First, client may feel shameful or awkward in sharing their thoughts pattern. This is
the primary reason that victims of mental health disorders always stay away in sharing their
personal information with anyone (Goodwin, Yiend & Hirsch, 2017).

PSYCHOLOGY 6
Fundamental barrier:
Second, clients do not share in-depth information with their counsellor because they
fear that their sensitive information may be mis-used. In short, they concern about their
privacy of information (Granat, Gadassi, Gilboa-Schechtman & Feldman, 2017).
As per the study, it can be concluded that it creates more difficult situation for the
client to convenience them on the first fundamental aspects then the second fundamental
aspects. Thus, in order to overcome first fundamental aspect below solution should be
followed by the counsellor (Haar, 2017).
Solution: First fundamental barrier
It is generic and universal that everyone will feel awkward in sharing their in-depth
feeling with anyone. However, from the counsellor’s point of view it is extremely important
to obtain in-depth feeling in order to proceed further. Thus, it is suggested that counsellor
should first share any of their (real or hypothetical) awful thought or feeling with client. For
example: for removing hesitation of the client, counsellor can tell him “do not worry I am
with you. I want to tell you that every one has various awful movements in their life, which
people usually do not share even with their dearest one. As, when I was 11yeards old I stole
$100 from my mom’s purse. After conducting conversation in this way, it is expected that
client will feel comfortable and may be possible that they will reveal their in-depth feelings
(Hallion, Tolin & Diefenbach, 2019).
Solution: Second fundamental barrier
Counsellor should ensure about keeping the feelings of the clients private and
counsellor should say that here we treat various patience daily, thus we always ensure that

PSYCHOLOGY 7
client’s information and they feelings should be keep private (Haugtvedt, Herr & Kardes,
2018).
Required characteristics of the counsellor for making a client comfortable
Counsellor should process below qualities in order to create comfortable atmosphere for
the clients. Following these basic personality traits will help a counsellor to empower their
clients so that clients will able to explain and express things more clearly (Hofmann & Otto,
2017).
 Patience: Counsellor need to be patient and they should also notice the behaviour of
the clients with their words (Hoge, et. al., 2018).
 Good listeners: Counsellor need to be a good listener and when client express their
feeling then they should not interrupt in between, instead counsellor should pay
attention and listen patiently.
 Observant: It is required that counsellor should be very observant and he/she should
be able to interpret nonverbal communication tactics of the clients. For example: hand
gestures, expressions, etc (Imber & Booth, 2017).
 Should establish empathy with their client: This states that it is better when a
counsellor learns to establish empathy with their client because it helps them to
understand client’s problem from their perspective. Establishing empathy allows
counsellor to put themselves in client’s position to understand their emotions in
effective and efficient way possible.
 Confidentiality: Although, this is the most important personality trait that a counsellor
should process. Before attending the sessions or while attending the session, a client
should become completely convenience that their counsellor will effectively maintain
the confidentiality of the information. When client achieved a degree of satisfaction in

PSYCHOLOGY 8
their mind that their counsellor is not going to hamper his/her confidentiality they
client started expressing themselves completely (Liem, et. al., 2017).
It is extremely important that clients should become friendly with the counsellor so that
they clients can express their feelings in effective and efficient manner. Here, it can be argued
that it is enough to make friendly relations with the clients in order to analyse in-depth
information about the clients? No, only making a friendly relation is not enough but
establishing a friendly relation will help the counsellor to take their particular clients at that
level in which client started feeling comfortable and they itself express their desire. For
example: while taking a session when counsellor create a friendly atmosphere for the client,
this atmosphere will help a client to assume that they can truly express their feeling with their
counsellor because it is possible that he/she(counsellor) will understand them completely.
Thus, it can be said that these characteristics of the counsellor will help an important role in
obtaining information from the clients (Mapatwana, Tomita, Burns & Robertson, 2019).
Encourage clients by telling them that it is the perfect time to share all of your problems
Clients who deals with depression, anxiety, mental disorders, etc. do not share their
feeling with anyone because they think that they will be judged by another person and it will
create an awful situation for them. This is the primarily reason behind through which clients
do not share their feelings with anyone, even with the counsellor. Here, counsellor should
convey to their client that this is perfect time to share all your in-depth feeling. Counsellor
should also give 3 to 5 reasons behind saying that this is the perfect time for sharing in-depth
feeling (Matel-Anderson, Bekhet & Garnier-Villarreal, 2019). For example:
Reason 1: Till now you had never shared your negative thoughts, internal feelings,
movements that create anger in you, etc. with anyone. You had often listening to this already
in movies and through your knowns that it is always better to express our true feeling with

PSYCHOLOGY 9
anyone because it makes us feel better. Now, it is time to experience sharing feelings makes
us feel comfortable and light (McMahon, et. al., 2017).
Reason 2: As, you are aware that I am a counsellor and I interact with many people like you
daily. Thus, it become my duty to keep the conversation private between me and my clients.
So, all of our conversation from you will stay private (Meyer, et. al., 2016).
Reason 3: You need to understand one thing that I can understand your state better and in
effective way than anyone (Mikocka-Walus, Knowles, Keefer & Graff, 2016).
Reason 4: When you will tell me all for your problems honestly then I will construct a plan
for you through which you can get effective results in your life (Pathak & Joshi, 2017).
Primarily focus elements in producing a formulation
This section will include details about the elements that should be primarily focused
while producing a formulation plan for the clients. Few elements are suggested below, these
elements should be effectively followed while making a formulation plan for the client:
 Include a brief session in which make client aware about the adverse effects of
thinking negative thoughts.
 Set weekly targets for them. For example: tell them to think for only positive thoughts
till next 1 week.
 While creating a formulation, tell them it is not good if you think for negative
outcomes because it is natural but you need to understand one think that in a day
majority of the thoughts should be positive than negative.
 Include deep breathing and meditation exercise in their formulation. As deep
breathing and mediation will help them to stay relax.
 Analyse since when they are incorporates mental disorder pattern.

PSYCHOLOGY 10
 Tell client that they strictly need to follow these suggested activities and they should
not skip doing these activities. For example: tell them that if you do not get the time
then you are allowed to skip your bath but you are not allowed to skip these activities.
Bath is necessary for hygiene of your outer body but meditations is necessary for deep
cleansing of your mental state.

PSYCHOLOGY 11
Part 2
In this section, a hypothetical discussion will be done with Biyu. For this section, a
case study will be considered about Biyu. She is a 32 years old woman who work at the
position of a shop assistant on part time basis. In the mean time she prepares for her study as
well. Currently, she has the problem of high blood pressure and other health problems which
are related to the stress. Below is the discussion between Biyu and counsellor (hypothetical)
Discussion starts at
12th Feb: 8:00 AM
Counsellor (C): Hello Biyu.
Biyu (B): Hello Sir.
C: How are you?
B: To being honest, life is not going well that’s why I am here to seek your guidance.
C: Sure, my child but before proceeding further I want that you talk with me like your friend.
From now, we both will talk each other like friends and you can call me by my name
“Stephen”.
B: It is good to hear that you also believe in making friendly relations instead of formal
relations.
S: Thank You Biyu! Let’s start with your brief introduction.
B: I work as a shop assistant on part time basis. In the meantime, I prepare for my studies as
well. I live near by my workplace and I am preparing for the master’s degree.
S: That’s great because you are focusing on your studies with your work as well. I want to
salute your ethics and I always appreciate all those students who focuses on their studies as
well on their work.
B: Thank you so much. I am feeling good after listening. (Biyu is blushing).
S: So now, tell me what brings you here my friend?
B: To be honest, I am feeling stress in my life and I am suffering from high blood pressure.
S: Did you consult with any doctor for the same?
B: Yes, I go for a routine check up for my high blood pressure issue. Moreover, with the
problem of high blood pressure, I am suffering from other mental health issues that arises due
to the stress problem.