University Applied Counselling: CBT Reflection and Analysis Report

This report presents a reflection on the application of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in a counseling context, drawing upon a provided case study. The student analyzes the core principles of CBT, including the interconnectedness of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and the role of rationality in therapeutic interventions. The report explores various CBT techniques, such as the ABCDE framework, cognitive restructuring, and activity scheduling, and their relevance to the client's situation, who is experiencing depression and alcohol abuse due to job dissatisfaction. The student also incorporates the Gibbs reflective cycle to evaluate their performance and skills in applying CBT. The report emphasizes the importance of establishing rapport, utilizing appropriate questioning, and understanding the client's cultural context within the therapeutic process. Additionally, the report discusses the role of motivational interviewing and change management models in facilitating the client's progress. The report highlights the student's understanding of how CBT can be applied to address issues of depression, anxiety, and substance abuse, with a specific focus on tailoring interventions to the individual needs of the client.

Running head: MANAGEMENT
Applied counselling
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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Reflection
After referring to the study materials, I have gained an insight into the fact that
cognitive behavioural therapy involves rationality and emotions as the key elements.
Interconnectedness between thoughts and behaviours reflects the approach and beliefs. I have
learnt that the main aim of the counsellors in the cognitive behavioural therapy is delving
deeper into the mind-set of the individuals for detecting the source from where the negative
thoughts emerge. The conflicts relate to the disputes regarding unhelpful and unwanted
thoughts (Wenzel, Dobson & Hays, 2016). Researches have helped me to learn that there are
several branches, which relates to social learning theory. The main essence of this theory is
interactions and the thought processes behind the interactions. Negative emotions is the base,
which ignites the feeling of cognition.
I have also learnt that the primary goal of cognitive behavioural therapies is to assist
the clients in detecting the unhelpful thoughts and seeking an insight into the thinking
patterns, which contributes in achieving effective solutions. I feel that this therapy is effective
for inculcating self-awareness within the individuals like that of the clients in the case
scenario. According to me, cognitive behaviour therapies consists of three components:
thoughts, emotions and behaviour. Altering nature of the perceptions reflect the variability in
the conditions, which surrounds the individuals (Watkins, 2018). Rationality, according to
my opinions, is the most essential element in terms of gaining respect, trust and dependence
from the clients.
Take a cue from cognition, it can be said that it helps in enhancing the standards and
quality of the learning process. In this context, I can say that reflective observation is crucial
in terms of concretizing the experience regarding making practical application of the
learnings into delegation of the responsibilities. I can apply Gibbs reflective cycle in this
context, as it helps me to reflect on the performance, which I exposed towards providing

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support to the clients. I think that the stage of evaluation is effective in terms of gaining the
skills towards modifying the approach towards dealing with the potential issues.
My skills have upgraded towards the people on whom cognitive behaviour therapy is
applied. As a matter of specification, this kind of therapy is applicable for the people
suffering from depression, anxiety, stress, anger control issues, insomnia, substance abuse
and eating disorder (Tolin et al., 2019). Among these, I can apply the issue of depression and
eating disorder to the client in the case scenario. I feel that the crucial considerations of the
counsellor are:
 Connection between thoughts, behaviour and disputes regarding the unhelpful
thoughts
 Collaborative relationship between clients and the counsellors/therapists
 Respect of the counsellor towards the culture of the client
 Focus on the problems with emphasis on the present situations
 Homeworking activities
 Structure and directives
 Time limitations
According to my knowledge, cognitive behaviour techniques relate to examining the
patterns, which evoke unhelpful thinking. I can relate ABC framework as proposed by Ellis,
which is productive in terms of enabling the people to gain control over their emotions. The
key elements of this framework are activation, beliefs, emotional consequences, disputations
and effect of the consequences. Activation relates to the factors, which triggers response for
the emotions expressed by the individuals (Suveg et al., 2018). I feel that replacing the
unhelpful thoughts is important in terms of restoring the balance in the operations. The
counsellors involve the clients in the sessions through worksheets, which they are to

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complete. The answering style of the clients indicate their mentality towards dealing with the
issues and evaluating their impact on their performance.
Acquiring the aspect of design thinking and artificial intelligence into the context, I
can say that processing the thoughts into the direction of virtual skills is productive in terms
of upgrading the preconceived skills, knowledge and expertise. I also learnt about cognitive
restructuring, which relates to the working on resolving the challenges in automatic thoughts.
Homework exercises are provided, which helps in detecting the approach towards solving
them within the stipulated time (Sommers-Flanagan & Sommers-Flanagan, 2018).
My research helped me to gain an insight into the processes through which the
counsellors apply cognitive behavioural therapies. At the initial stage, the counsellors prepare
the structures, within which the session would be conducted. The next stage involves sharing
the concerns through the means of microskills to ensure that the clients understand the
concerns of the counsellors. According to me, Psychoeducative communications are effective
in terms of identifying the unhelpful thoughts, which generate the feeling of dissatisfaction
within the people. There are possibilities that therapies can ask for evidence from the clients
regarding the irrationality in the beliefs, which can be true (Simmons & Griffiths, 2014).
However, there is no certainty. Homework is also assigned to the clients, so that they can
develop new skills for enhancing the scope and arena of their thinking skills and judgmental
capabilities.
In case of the client mentioned in the case scenario, the difficulty level in case of
identifying the automatic thoughts, driving the feelings, is very high. I think this is because
negativity has gripped the life of the client, generating the feeling of depression. This
negativity adds an ombre shade to the demarcation between the right and the wrong actions,
which nullifies the urge towards executing self-evaluation (Rnic & Dozois, 2017). Herein, I

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can relate the invitation of the counsellor towards joining the motivational sessions, which
would be effective in terms of detecting the source from where the negative emotions and
thoughts emerge. I also affirm with the fact that thought diaries can be effective companions
in the situation of distress and negativity, when isolation and marginalisation overpowers the
thoughts, feelings and emotions.
I have learnt that diary entries are effective in terms of reflecting on the behaviour
towards fulfilling the duties and responsibilities. These diaries lacks formality, therefore, the
people can write anything related to the feelings and emotions. Noting down the events helps
the people to learn from their past experiences. I feel that reflective observation is effective in
terms of enhancing the learning experience and concretizing the perceptions regarding the
approaching the allocated duties and responsibilities. Incorporating the ABCDE model
framework on the case scenario, I can state that the client voice out his opinions to the
counsellor, activating his situation. He believes that dissatisfaction towards employment and
negativity in the attitude towards life contributes towards his depression, which is the
emotional consequence. Indulgence to alcohol is also one of the consequences, which
adversely affects the health issues, distorting the balance in the personal and professional life
(Prochaska & Norcross, 2003).
I can propose three conditions in this case:
Emotional response to an event (A)
Identification of the beliefs (B)
Behaviour of the clients (C)
Therefore, synthesizing the aspects, it can be said that emotions instigates the behaviour of
the clients to respond to the events in a certain manner. I think that the thoughts are
sometimes automatic due to the emotional turbulences in the mind. The external influences

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compel the clients to dispute the thoughts through the means of experimenting with the
thinking skills, abilities and competencies. I can relate the replacement with that of the
experimentation, which helps the clients to gain an insight into the potential solutions, which
can be applied for securing the life.
I have conducted research on the cognitive behaviour therapies, which also includes
activity scheduling, exposure, relaxation, behavioural experiments and others. Pleasant
activity scheduling relates to the mapping of potential skills, abilities and competencies.
Pleasant relates to the enjoyment of the clients, which contradicts the aspect of gloominess,
depression (Norcross, Beutler & Goldfried, 2019). These activities are conducted when the
counsellors feel that the clients are not happy. In this context, I have gained an insight into
the fact that these activities provide freedom to the clients in terms of their likings.
Encouragement into participation is an kind of inspiration for the clients towards expanding
the scope and arena of their thinking skills and judgemental capabilities.
These activities expose the clients to different and wide ranging activities, which
enhances their learning skills and capabilities towards approaching the tasks. Supervision is
assistance for the counsellors in terms of mapping the potential of the clients in terms of
controlling the emotions (Neenan & Dryden, 2015). With the behavioural experiments, I can
relate the aspects of personality tests, which reflects the attitudes, beliefs and values of the
clients in terms of the situations in which they are placed. Therefore, I think skills training are
important for upgrading the knowledge on cognitive behaviour practitioner. I can also state
the aspect of culture into the context, which diversifies the beliefs of the clients.
Taking a cue from the ABCDE framework model, I can say that beliefs and
distortions to the beliefs are contradictory in nature. The resultant consequence consists of
emotions, which is the result of the exposure to the events. The components of the model are

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cyclic in nature, which reflects the correlation between them (Miller & Rollnick, 2013). I can
relate the case of the client, who experiences depression due to the lack of satisfaction in the
job. The result of this is alcohol addiction, which aggravates the health issues. This results in
the loneliness, which hovers the client at the time of homely comfort. Countering this, I also
feel that beliefs ojn events and consequences generates certain emotions.
I have found that behavioural experiments also include mood detection, where the
main emphasis of the counsellors is on the depression and anxiety. In case of the client, the
counsellor intends to indulge the client into motivational sessions for helping him to secure
the life. Cognitive impairment reflects the learning process and the obstacles, which
contributes in the reflection (Miller & Rollnick, 1991). I can also highlight the issue of
substance abuse, which in the case of the client is high. Alcohol indulgence is the result of the
depression and inability to cope up with the negativities, which the professional life has
gifted him in the form of job dissatisfaction.
The main essence in the cognitive behavioural therapy is the altering perceptions,
which results due to the external forces and circumstances. I have learnt that the essential
components in this context are thoughts, behaviours and emotions, which are constantly
changing. What the clients think is noted by the counsellors. When they are asked to send
feedbacks and solve the exercise worksheets, their behavioural approach is detected. I think
that rationality and logical reasoning is important in the emotional expressions. I think that do
and acting relates to the practical application of the clients regarding the learned skills,
abilities and competencies. Thinking and feeling denotes emotions, the expression of which
depends on the situation (Meichenbaum, 2003). Knowledge and consciousness of the clients
in this context provides them with the maturity. However, in case of the client in the case
scenario, I think he is unable to think of such aspects, as he is unable to maintain the balance
between the personal and professional life.

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I think that counsellor is right in terms of recommending that the client needs to join
the motivational sessions. For this, the strategies of the counsellor needs to be proper. I feel
that acquisition of the change management models would be effective for preparing the
clients to face the challenges, which come in their way. I can mention about the stages of the
change, which can be effective in terms of embracing the change in proper manner. I have
learnt that these stages are pre-contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance and others.
According to me, the stages of pre-contemplation and contemplation are crucial, as it
compels the counsellors to convince the clients about the change towards a better life.
I think that coaching the clients is vital in terms of demarcating the differences
between the right and the wrong actions. Positivity is generated through this training. Biases
in the interpretation of the behaviour leads to distortion in the cognition, which obstructs the
process of reflecting on the exposed performance. Accompaniment of the behavioural
techniques can be considered as a means of evoking the employability skills. In this context, I
can relate the case of the client, which attains negative connotation in terms of dissatisfaction.
I feel that the counsellor intends to apply stress inoculation therapy and training on the client.
The main essence of this training is to organize such events, which helps the clients to cope
up with the stress level.
I have learnt that the basic elements of cognitive behavioural therapy are active,
motivational and directive. In the case of active, I can relate my role as a practitioner, where
my duty is to participate in the sessions for evaluating the appropriateness of the exposed
performance. I also think that it is my duty to encourage the client in terms of the change in
the behaviour. This encouragement adds stability in the relationship between the counsellor
and client. Directive leadership style in counselling is not appropriate as it reduces the
approachability of the counsellor (Levita et al., 2016). On the contrary, I also feel that

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participative management style is effective in terms of enhancing the scope and arena of the
thinking skills and judgmental capabilities.
Treatment plans and templates are effective in terms of preparing the clients towards a
secured life. Change management models is to be used only after the need analysis of the
clients. I think one to one sessions are effective for detecting the special needs, which needs
to be fulfilled for bringing the clients into the mainstream activities of the life.
Implementation of the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, I can say that the main need of the
clients, as the one mentioned in the case study is self-esteem, which has been overpowered by
the negativities of life in the form of depression and stress. I feel that problem solving cycle is
appropriate in terms of setting realistic and achievable goals. I think the time limit of
providing solutions is limited; therefore, time management skills need to be acquired. The
sessions are independent of each other, which needs to be tracked and monitored for
detecting the behavioural patterns of the clients (Kanopy. 2013).
I think at the initial stage, the client can be asked to recall and recite a problematic
situation and their reaction. At the point when the client feels discomfort, it would be my duty
to extend my cooperation for making him feel relaxed. Countering this, I can state that it
would be the rationality and logical reasoning ability of the counsellor, if he does not let the
situation of such discomfort to arise. Therefore, I think personal questions need to be averted
as much as possible. According to my observations, personal information can also related to
the questions regarding age, email address and other necessary details like phone number and
others. I feel that consent of the client is crucial in the formulation of the questions for data
collection.
Critical discussion on the use of other two counselling approaches
I have also learned that Motivational interview is applied on the people suffering
from resistance, reluctance and ambivalence towards adopting the change. Most of the people

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oppose the fact that change is inevitable. This is due to the fact that they intend to cling to
their traditional roots. Zayfert and Becker, (2019) is of the view that this clinging approach,
on one hand, enhances one’s culture. On the other hand, I feel that this clinging limits the
thinking skills, creativity, imagination and judgmental capabilities. In case of the counsellor,
it is crucial to ensure that the clients are ready for embracing the change. Compulsion in this
case, distorts the trust and dependence factor, indicating the negative results, which can act as
an obstacle in the counselling process. Along with this, detection of the factors instigating the
clients to change is also to be detected. This detection is crucial in terms of excavating the
root cause of the stress, depression and anxiety, however, the main focus is on cognitive
behaviour therapy.
The strategic approach in this direction relates to the development of insight into the
ambiguities towards change. The aim of the counsellor is to detect the possible ways in which
the strategies can be used for instigate positive behaviours. According to me, Directive
leadership behaviour and style in this approach is fruitful in terms of stabilizing the
relationship between the client and the counsellor. On the contrary, Hofmann and Otto,
(2017) states that participative management style is productive approach of the counsellor in
terms of providing a stable platform to the client to voice out the issues. In this context,
Hayes and Hofmann, (2017) relates the stages of change model, which brings the stages of
unfreezing and refreezing stages. In case of the client, unfreezing stage would be detection of
the factors, which fills his life with negativity, stress and depression. Refreezing stage would
reflect from the assurance and evaluation that the standards of living for the client has been
added with positivity, which attains the shape of cognition in case of the cognitive behaviour
therapy.
I have also gained an insight into the fact that in this stages of applying the changes,
personal insight and proximity to change are considered. These components portrays the

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character of the client, picturing his mind-set. Therapies acts as a medium between the
unfreezing and the refreezing stages. The etymological origin of the motivational
interviewing were performed on the people suffering from the alcohol abuse. However, Tolin
et al., (2019) opines that in the case of the client, alcohol abuse is considered as a solution,
which temporarily helps him to forget the dissatisfaction achieved from the employment.
Delving deep into the matter, this dissatisfaction contradicts the hard earned reputation in the
company and the moments spent with the colleagues. In this context, lack of motivation to
meet the friends is something striking, which further aggravates the complexities in the life of
the client, which contradicts the support in terms of enhancing the learning process of the
clients in the cognitive behaviour therapy.
I have observed that Control groups are involved in the process of counselling, where
they are served with encouragement and advice towards dealing with the instances of stress,
depression and anxiety levels. Exclusion of this group from the interpretations of the
behavioural intentions evoked improved results in case of the intervention group (Huguet et
al., 2016). Duplication of the research contradicts the stagnancy in the cause and effect on the
emotions and behaviour as a result. As per the arguments of Watkins, (2018), motivational
interview is directed towards excavating the elicit factors, leading to the desires towards
embracing the change. Therapeutic settings are important in terms of mapping the
behavioural changes. Motivational interview is a person centric approach, the mechanism of
which is depended on the principles. Practice helps the clients in developing the skills of
thinking, creativity, imagination and judgment.
I feel that the strategies, through which the motivational interviews are conducted are
empathy, discrepancies, argumentation, resistance and self-efficacy. The process of this
interview consists of four elements, which are engaging, focusing, evoking and planning
(Rnic & Dozois, 2017). In case of the client, engagement relates to the involvement into the

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motivational counselling sessions. The focus in this context is that of providing assistance to
the clients for re-organizing their life. External challenges contribute into the affectation in
terms of mental parameters. Planning indicates that need for developing strategies according
to the behavioural attitudes and beliefs of the clients. Stages of the change model are to be
used rationality in terms of gaining trust, loyalty and dependence from the clients.
Consciousness, logical reasoning and rationality are integral in the pre-contemplation stage,
where the counsellors need to convince the clients for embracing the change through the
means of therapies and motivational sessions. This can be done through the means of
exploring the potential options, which concerns the client in terms of maintaining the stability
in life (Hayes & Hofmann, 2018).
I have learnt that the stage of contemplation accompanies the stage of evaluation for
the pros and cons of the behavioural changes, which erupt in the client. In the preparation
stage, problem solving cycle is adopted and aligned with the identified and specified goals.
Identification of the social support is necessary in terms of assessing their effectiveness in
terms of the needs, demands and requirements of the clients. The stages of preparation and
action are transitory in nature, where the proposed theories of planned action and reasoned
behaviour are translated into practice through the means of therapies and sessions.
Apart from this, I am also of the view that reference can be cited of the solution
focused brief therapy, which aims at ensuring the wellbeing of the clients (Driessen et al.,
2017). The main propositions of this therapy are:
 If it is broken, then don fix it
 If it works, do more of it
 If it is not working, do something different
 If it does not work, don’t try harder, rather stop doing it, do something different