Family_Counseling_Approach_Paper.docx.pdf

FAMILY COUNSELING APPROACH 1

Family Counseling Approach

Ryan Chrzanowski

School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University

Author Note

Ryan Chrzanowski

I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Ryan Chrzanowski

Email: RWChrzanowski@liberty.edu

FAMILY COUNSELING APPROACH 2

Abstract

home including poor social skills, aggression, and emotional reactivity that should be addressed

FAMILY COUNSELING APPROACH 3

PART I

Medicine in Philadelphia” (APA, 2023). Dr. Dattilio has published over 250 professional

as marital and family discord.

“Dr. Dattilio is board certified in both clinical psychology and behavioral psychology

through the American Board of Professional Psychology and received a certificate of training in

forensic psychology through the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania

School of Medicine, Philadelphia. He is also a founding fellow of the Academy of Cognitive

Therapy. Dr. Dattilio has been a visiting faculty member at many major universities and medical

schools throughout the world” (APA, 2023).

Development of the Theory/Historical Events

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, whether it is individual based or utilized in a family

therapy setting is based on the principles that it is a talking therapy that revolves around

identifying and changing unhelpful and unhealthy thoughts. It is a process of helping individuals

discuss through their issues and helping them identify alternative methods of thinking or thinking

patterns and behaviors so they can be changed, allowing the client to improve the way they feel

about a situation or in general.

FAMILY COUNSELING APPROACH 4

CBT has evolved from two different schools of psychology; behaviorism and cognitive

Cognitive therapy was the brainchild of Albert Ellis who was a key figure in CT’s

behaviors and initially created a therapy called Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) in

the 1950s. This is one of the earliest recorded instances of cognitive psychotherapy and is

founded in the belief that the emotional distress a person experiences is derived from their

thoughts of an event, rather than the actual event itself.

However, it was not until the 1950s and 1960s that psychologist Aaron T. Beck identified

“automatic thoughts” which he described as random thoughts that pop into people’s heads that

they do not necessarily have control over. It were these automatic thoughts that lead to him

noticing patterns with his clients that suffered from depression. No matter how much exploration

of a person’s past was accomplished, individuals still held negative views of themselves. It was

not until he began researching ways to help individuals release those negative thoughts in a

health manner, and from that point on, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy was up and running.

The main tenant of CBT whether individual or family based in built on the predication

that an individual’s or group’s behavior and emotions are derived “largely from their appraisal of

any given situation (not so much what the issue is but rather their interpretation of the issue) and

FAMILY COUNSELING APPROACH 5

one’s appraisal is influenced by their beliefs, assumptions, images, etc.” (Galica, 2023). This

Ultimately, CBT’s key philosophy is that, how an individual thinks (cognition), how they

specifically, our thoughts determine how we feel, and how we feel determines how we act. This

means that negative thoughts, personal bias’, and unrealistic ideas whether intentional or

“automatic thoughts” can cause us personal distress and lead to issues with behavior, feelings,

and even more unwanted thoughts. This is why identifying and altering negative cognitive

processes is so vital.

“Cognitive behavioral family therapy (CBFT) involves assisting clients with changing

their self-defeating or irrational beliefs to change their feelings and behaviors. It assumes that

family relationships, cognitions, behaviors, and emotions have a mutual influence on one

another; cognitive inference evokes emotion and behavior; and emotion and behavior can

influence cognition. When this cycle occurs among family members, dysfunctional cognitions,

behaviors, or emotions can result in conflict” (Hutcheson, 2011).

The core or key concept of CBFT is that the actions, feelings, and thoughts of one

member of the family or group can lead to behaviors, cognitions, and emotions within other

family or group members which in turn will cause them to reciprocate those same thoughts,

FAMILY COUNSELING APPROACH 6

feelings, and actions back onto the originating individual whereby creating an endless cycle of

return to their core beliefs. This allows the individual or group to realign their thought processes

simple misunderstanding. Once these realignments and adjustments are made, the individual or

group should notice a drastic improvement to their interactional patterns.

There are quite a few varying techniques used in CBT/CBFT, and the use of each

individual one is based not only on the counselors choice that they base on the individual or

group he/she is working with, but these techniques are also chosen based on what the individual

or group is comfortable with. First and foremost is psychoeducation wherein the counselor

educates the individual or family about CBT and how their thoughts, emotions, and actions play

a role in shaping their experiences.

Another helpful technique would be communication skills training. This is a process of

educating an individual or family in methods of positive communication which involve active

listening, assertiveness, and conflict resolution. By using this communication technique, the

counselor is then able to work with the family using yet another technique which is problem-

solving skills training. The entire purpose of problem-solving skills training is to help the

FAMILY COUNSELING APPROACH 7

individual or group identify and solve problems constructively as opposed to lashing out and

and reduce some of those negative thinking patterns that normally spring up during daily life and

When comparing theories such as CBT/CBFT and, for example, Bowen’s Family

Systems Therapy model, there are some noticeable similarities as well as differences. While they

are similar in the respect that both therapy types endeavor to create better communication and

understanding within the family unit, CBT is used more on a one-on-one aspect, attempting to

change the thought patterns of each individual, whereas Family Systems Therapy “focuses not

solely on the individual, but rather the individuals relationship to the family/group as a whole.

While again, both therapies are similar in the respect that they can be used to alter not

only the family group perception of a specific event or issue but help create a better

understanding of how each individual member will act/react given specific circumstances.

However, they are different in the regard that FST focuses on the “complexities of the family

dynamic as a whole, the meaning of each individual relationship within the group, and how each

individual can support each other through problems they may be experiencing.

CBT can also be very individualized initially as to identify problems and issues that each

group member is bringing to the table as opposed to FST that examines family problems as a

FAMILY COUNSELING APPROACH 8

whole unit, i.e. one person’s problems are everyone’s problems. This creates issues as parents

as "core beliefs." The primary aim of the approach is to help family members recognize

modify their behavior in order to improve their interactional patterns” (APA, 2023). This is

important when working with a family or group because it is vital to identify what is ultimately

important to them.

Another piece of new information or knowledge was in how CBT/CBFT helps families,

but moreover helps individuals within the families to identify their own personal distortions in

thinking that may create problems for the family as a whole. This is why communication with

CBT is vital so that misunderstandings and miscommunications can be avoided, addressed, and

resolved. By gaining a better understanding of yourself as an individual and how you view things

is the first step to understanding the behavior and motivations of others within the family unit.

PART II

Integrating CBT/CBFT into my own personal family counseling approach would not only

be easy but logical. Based on how I was personally raised and the benefits of this model on my

own family dynamic, long before I even knew the process had a name are undeniable.

Personally, my parents raised my brothers and to always have open and honest communication

FAMILY COUNSELING APPROACH 9

with them, even if we disagreed with a decision they made. This allowed us as children to learn

honest, “because I said so” is often a parental response to a lot of things, but it is a lot easier for

of this would be telling a child “do not touch the stove, because I said so.” Well of course the

child will be curious and will probably end up touching it and getting burnt.

However, if a parent says, “do not touch the stove, because I do not want you to burn

yourself,” then the child will most likely heed their parents warning and avoid an accident. This

is the same for any issue that arises within a family, especially the larger the family is. Families

are not single celled organisms that think, move, and act the same way. Families are made up of

individuals with individual thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and it is not until we strive to

understand that individuality that we can come together as a whole.

One of the main ways to successfully integrate CBT/CBFT into any counseling approach

is to first and foremost approach the therapy, and everyone involved in that therapy as a partner.

It is important that in CBFT that no one person is singled out or made to feel better or worse than

the others. The goal of CBFT is inclusion, understanding, and resolution. This is most effective

when all members of the family are involved in the decision-making processes of the therapy as

a whole. Just as a counselor allows an individual client to decide what type of therapy works best