Essay Sample on Integrating Mindfulness into CBT

Throughout my whole years, I have always been intrigued by helping other individuals and counselling them whenever I can. As a result, I ended up pursuing a career in psychology, where I majored in professional counselling. From my passionate volunteer activities, I always view myself as a solution-based counsellor. One of the most lessons that one can bequeath is the way you can help individuals become aware of how thoughts influence emotions and behaviour.

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Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is the heart of behavioural and cognitive theories of human psychopathology. CBT is an effective treatment for a wide range of psychological problems in individuals as it targets various areas of potential vulnerability with guided strategies of development and pathways of flexible intervention (Barret, 2015). It is useful in numerous disorders but not limited to; depression, eating disorders, generalized anxiety disorder, self-harm and conduct problems, insomnia, general stress, criminal behaviours, chronic pain and fatigue. Although the most common, especially among children and adolescents are anxiety disorders, most disorders exhibit symptoms like a rumination on their health and loved ones, opinions of others and issues on social circles (Gaudiano, 2018). Potential adverse outcomes, together with the undeveloped capacity of coping with such matters is usually detrimental to them.

Major Points

• Cognitively evaluating the problems of the patient
• Impactful relationship between the client and the therapist
• Active participation is essential
• Emphasis on the client well-being

The session may be time-limited and hence need to be very structured

Techniques required by the patient for identifying, evaluating and responding to various dysfunctional needs so as they can change their moods, thinking and behaviour.

At the beginning of the therapy, the patient is controlled in a way he/she does not talk freely, but rather point out specific cognitive problems. This is done through ensuring there are strategic goals set in place to guide both the patient and the therapist. Doing this, it creates a base for content sessions between the therapist and the client. Also, the therapist can highlight essential topics and the major cognitive problem with the client, thus ensuring the problem is well resolved. Additionally, the therapist can assign the patient some assignments and tasks, hence providing the progress of the patient is noted down.

Personally, CBT has had an impact on my life in various ways. One way is that CBT has evaluated my thinking and made me discover how certain beliefs make me feel as well as how they affect my actions. I have been able to assess distorted or skewed views, especially during my self-talk and mind chatter. Also, I have had the chance of accepting how I feel and what past experiences hurt me most. Another beautiful part of the CBT process is on the assignment sector. This involves things like journaling, whereby one can jot down any necessary information at the end of the day. This is a way of gathering information and seeing how I’m able to behave in a particular behaviour. Through self-discovery and being an oriented experiment enables a client to feel that he/she is in the present with a desired bright future. With such, the patient can evaluate the distinction between the present future and the past future, their feelings and how they relate with the future.

K-12, mindfulness is the best counselling model that best fits here and being a professional Counsellor I will utilize it more. In general studies, most students especially those in elementary, uses mindfulness and significantly, it enables them to cope and manage emotions. K-12 enhances global competency as it accelerates mutual recognition of all professionals in other nations. With K-12, students can choose different tracks from Academic, Technical-Vocational Livelihood and the Sports and Arts strand. Such records will offer enough time for mastering a field and thus enhancing their skills. I will utilize it to my patients as it will enable them to recognize what are emotions and its impacts. Significantly, it will create a good strategy for the patient and the therapist based on the help of the behaviour and the journal. From my previous school employment, the school counsellor used a mindfulness group with a randomized controlled trial among 3rd to 6th grade. The intervention significantly retained the attention of the students and their perceived level of stress, especially if the students took part in code training, watching a video or written paper assignment. In more details, every intervention session concentrated on a particular concept connected to mindfulness and one with a concept discussion, events and methods of the learned concepts. For instance, a lesson on focus and attention, students would engage in activities that were related to how they experienced attention and distraction at the same time. To complete this, they were expected to focus on a rock for a few minutes and later they could discuss their observations on how their mind was. With such a mindfulness intervention, there was a reduction in perceived stress and other problems but with substantial great sustained attention.

Unlike other approaches, CBT is not more into potential underlying unconscious resistance to change. Theoretically and philosophically, it is approved that norms, values, and traditions distinct culture from one another. The approach goal of CBT therapy is based on life experiences, contexts and cultural values of the patient. Generally, the CBT approach has its challenges along with an assumption difficulty in mental health are of the same nature and development across cultures and have a stigma connected to it. Irrespective of whether it is culturally privileged or totally against the therapy, having the right mindset leads to one becoming better. Although there are drawbacks, the treatment is most effective due to the changes it brings. The therapy teaches on simple staffs which, as a result, can have excellent outcomes like sitting in silence, taking deep breaths, exercising and many others.

On my side, self-awareness has made me realize my strengths and weaknesses which are related to emotional intelligence and are essential in this field. Of importance, it will enable me to form attainable goals through considering what drives me along in my profession, particularly in goal setting. Part of my growth is seeing myself along the path of pursuing opportunities that best fit my skill set, preferences and tendency. This enables me to recognize circumstances and also on anticipating on my reactions. This allows me to make substantial behavioural changes leading to greater personal and interpersonal success.

Applying journaling on my clients reminds me of my high school days where I could jot down every thought, feeling, or emotion as well as being open with myself. Journaling is where one reflects on one’s experiences by writing down everything. My clients can engage in this exercise, especially after the therapy session, which is very helpful. For the sake of my mental wellbeing, it is paramount that I create boundary and limits and stick with them due to specific individuals in my life, considering it is unchartered territory that is new to me. However, lately, I have been keen with my body and mind and how I have gone about my days. Opening up and being transparent have shown me that I’m yet there and that I’m not the only one who has gone through a sort of traumas in my life. Although I was opening up to total strangers, sharing an intimate story in such an environment is usually not only mind-blowing but also it brings my empathy side to shine more. Meditation is another lifesaver that has significantly helped me. When grounded on my feet taking deep breaths, there is usually a force-field that blows around me separating my internal energy from that of external and as a result, it makes me spread my wings to not only myself but also to others. With this, it navigates our parts, enabling us to overcome, release and adjust patterns that we take hold of them for a long time. It is genuinely revealing when I meet these new parts in me, and this is the reason why I opted for this career, and I’m so proud of how the universe led me in preparing me for who I am and what I will become in the future. Therefore, with such insights and personal experiences make not only the therapy more effective but ensure all clients with distinct problems are helped.

References

Barrett, P. M. (2015). Evaluation of cognitive-behavioral group treatments for childhood anxiety disorders. Journal of clinical child psychology, 27(4), 459-468.

Gaudiano, B. A. (2018). Cognitive-behavioural therapies: achievements and challenges. Evidence-Based Mental Health, 11(1), 5-7.

Hensley, S., Robinson, Z., Bry'Anne Rose, A. Y., & Piraino, A. (2016). Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in the Classroom: An Example of the Selfie as Practice in Garnering Awareness and Fostering Interpersonal Communication.

Kendall, P. C., Hudson, J. L., Gosch, E., Flannery-Schroeder, E., & Suveg, C. (2015). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety disordered youth: a randomized clinical trial evaluating child and family modalities. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 76(2), 282.

Wood, J. J., Piacentini, J. C., Southam-Gerow, M., Chu, B. C., & Sigman, M. (2016). Family cognitive behavioral therapy for child anxiety disorders. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 45(3), 314-321.