An In-Depth Analysis of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Healthcare

This essay provides a comprehensive overview of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a widely used psychosocial intervention in healthcare. It begins with an introduction to CBT, defining it as a therapy used to help patients deal with distorted beliefs or negative mental states. The essay then delves into the origins of CBT, tracing its development from the association of Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (REBT) and Cognitive Therapy (CT). The core principles of CBT are explored, including the interconnectedness of cognition, feelings, and behavior, and the assumption that problem behaviors are learned and can be unlearned. The essay further discusses the assessment and administration of CBT, highlighting the roles of functional analysis and skills training. It also examines the clinical applications of CBT in treating various conditions such as depression, schizophrenia, PTSD, anxiety, and chronic pain. The benefits of CBT, including its versatility and time-effectiveness, are contrasted with its limitations, such as the need for patient cooperation and potential ineffectiveness for complex conditions. The essay concludes by emphasizing the advantages and benefits of CBT for a wide range of conditions in healthcare settings.

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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction
As the medical field progresses, more and more interventions to combat different
conditions emerge. One such dynamic nursing intervention is Cognitive Behavioural
Therapy, more commonly abbreviated CBT, which is widely used for a variety of physical
and psychological conditions. It can be described as s psychosocial intervention that helps
mostly psychiatric patients to deal with distorted beliefs or negative mental states such as
grief, sorrow, lack of confidence or other (Betterhealth.vic.gov.au., 2020). This essay aims to
provide an in-depth account of cognitive behavioural therapy, including its origin, uses, and
limitations.
Discussion
Cognitive behavioural therapy is a psychotherapy that is widely used by healthcare
workers to help a patient deal with a series of psychosocial problems that include anxiety,
depression, trauma-related stress disorders, and schizophrenia, among others. It utilizes self-
help strategies to help the patient deal with negative emotions and thoughts. Cognitive
behavioural therapy is believed to have developed around the 1960s by the association of two
theories – these include rational emotive behavioural therapy (REBT) by Ellis as well as
cognitive therapy (CT) by Beck (Ruggiero et al., 2018). It was later influenced by other
health and therapeutic models to give rise to the form of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy that
is practiced today. The principle of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is based on some
assumptions of human nature. The gist of these assumptions lies in the belief that problem
behaviour exhibited by humans is learned and is not influenced by the genetic factors that
they may have. The same process that was used to learn that problem behaviour can be used
to unlearn or alter that behaviour. This principle is used to help the patients change any
negative behaviour or deal with any negative thoughts or feelings that they may have

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(Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov., 2020). This principle also believes that cognition, feelings, and behaviour
of a person are interconnected, and one affects another. Another assumption is that negative
thoughts or emotions arise in a person due to having a distorted view of the world or self.
Before the administration of CBT, every patient is assessed separately, and the therapy is
planned accordingly.
The administration of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy by the therapist is based on
functional analysis and skills training. The therapist usually assesses the patient by using
functional analysis. This usually involves questioning the patient in many ways and find the
triggers of his negative emotions, thoughts, or behaviours. The skills training is then used to
help the patient change the problem behaviour or redirect their thoughts or emotions. It is the
primary role of the therapist to work with the patient and determine the best approach of
therapy for them by assessing them in order to ensure the best patient outcomes
(Integration.samhsa.gov., 2020). The therapist must educate the patients about the best ways
to work on their issues. Rather than instructing them, they must collaborate with the patients
towards their issues.
In clinical settings, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has proven to be useful in a
variety of conditions. It has long been used in the treatment of depression of patients of more
chronic illnesses. For example, it has been shown to improve the mental health of patients
suffering from chronic heart failure rather than administering usual care (Jeyanantham et al.,
2017). It has been widely used in serious neurological issues such as schizophrenia as well.
Throughout the last couple of decades, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has been one of the
major therapies that have been used to reduce the negative symptoms and control psychosis
in schizophrenia (Candida et al., 2016). It has been adapted in several innovative ways, and it
is personalized for the patient’s needs to ensure the best results. It has also been used to help
patients deal with stress-related disorders such as acute distress disorder or post-traumatic

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stress disorder (PTSD). Several studies and trials have shown the effectiveness of the use of
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in helping patients cope with PTSD symptoms (Macdonald et
al., 2016). Apart from these, this therapy has also proven to be useful for the management of
other psychological issues such as anxiety (Saito, Shiraishi & Yoshinaga, 2019). Apart from
all these psychological issues, cognitive behavioural therapy has also proven to be helpful in
physical issues such as the management of chronic pain. This therapy can be used to stop the
opioid overuse in patients of chronic pain (Majeed & Sudak, 2017). Cognitive Behavioural
Therapy is also useful to improve the patient’s social skills, self-confidence, and overall
quality of life. It has been a staple in the management of several psychosocial conditions with
significant success rates.
The clear benefits of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy include the fact that it can be
utilized for the management of conditions for which medication does not work. It requires
very little time to complete in comparison to other therapies and teaches the patient useful
ways to cope with negative thoughts and feelings even after the therapy is over. It is
incredibly versatile and can be administered in a variety of formats and combinations.
However, there are also some cons to this method. It requires adequate time and cooperation
with the therapist. Some people may be uncomfortable while dealing with their emotions or
thoughts. It may not be very helpful for more complex conditions as it is structured, and it
may be too constricting for some people’s needs (nhs.uk., 2020). Sometimes, there are more
cost-effective and simpler alternatives rather than Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Richards
et al., 2016).
Conclusion
From this essay, it can be concluded that Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has a
number of advantages and is beneficial for the management of a variety of conditions such as

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anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, schizophrenia, and other psychosocial issues. It is often
utilized in clinical environments and is considered to be the solution to many problems. It is a
strong therapeutic approach, and this essay sheds light on the in-depth accounts of its origin,
clinical uses as well as pros and cons of the approach. It has ensured good patient outcomes
in a variety of conditions in the healthcare setting.

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