Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Person-Centred Therapy (PCT) are two influential approaches in psychotherapy. Although they have distinct theoretical foundations, therapists, myself included, have found value in blending elements of both approaches to create a more in-depth and flexible therapy experience. Blending the two allows for a more holistic and individualized approach in which therapists can address a broader range of client concerns and provide them with more personalized and effective treatment.
While CBT focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviours, PCT emphasizes the importance of creating a non-judgmental, empathetic therapeutic relationship. In this blog post, we will briefly look at each modality separately before exploring the integration of CBT with PCT and its benefits.
Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy
CBT is goal-oriented and seeks to address and modify unhelpful thought patterns and behaviours. It operates on the premise that our thoughts, feelings, behaviours, and physical sensations are interconnected and modification of one area results in changes in other areas. CBT is structured and often involves practical exercises and between-session work.
Person-Centred Therapy
PCT strongly emphasizes the therapeutic relationship and the creation of a safe, non-judgmental space. It is client-led and focuses on the client’s subjective experience. PCT centres around the idea that individuals possess an innate capacity for positive growth and self-actualization. The therapist’s role is merely to help facilitate this process through the key principles of PCT — unconditional positive regard, empathy, and genuineness. For more information about PCT, please see my previous blog post: https://www.rebeccarichtertherapy.ca/post/what-is-client-centred-or-person-centred-therapy-and-how-might-it-be-for-you
So, What Might the Integration of These Two Therapy Modalities Look Like?
1. Creating and Maintaining a Collaborative Therapeutic Relationship
- A person-centred approach ensures that the client feels heard, understood, and accepted, helping to establish trust and acting as a foundation for CBT interventions to be incorporated into treatment.
2. Personalizing Therapy Goals
- Together, client and therapist tailor therapy goals ensuring that they align with the client’s values and specific life circumstances. Collaborative goal-setting helps foster a sense of ownership and motivation which are key aspects of successful therapy.
3. Acknowledgement and Validation of Emotions
- Although PCT alone emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and validating emotions without judgment, but rather acceptance, when integrated with CBT interventions it allows for a deeper exploration and understanding of the client’s experience.
4. Exploring Thoughts and Core Beliefs
- The use of the PCT principles (unconditional positive regard, empathy, and genuineness) helps in the gentle uncovering, exploration, and challenging of unhelpful thoughts and core beliefs that one holds about oneself, others, and the world. The combination of reflective dialogue and cognitive restructuring helps empower clients to shift and expand their perspectives and embrace more positive and realistic thinking patterns.
5. Encouraging Self-Reflection and Promoting Resilience
- The PCT principles also encourage self-reflection and self-discovery, which when combined with CBT techniques works to help the client observe and challenge their thoughts both inside and outside of therapy. Additionally, clients learn to apply CBT techniques without support from the therapist which promotes long-term resilience and coping.
By integrating CBT with PCT, my therapeutic toolkit is expanded which allows for a more tailored and dynamic approach to addressing my clients’ mental health concerns. It honours my clients’ unique experiences while providing them with concrete strategies for change.
I will attempt to show how I view my use of this blended approach with a metaphor:
A painter cannot create art without shades or colours, much like they cannot create art without paint that contains these shades or colours; some form of media is required. However, first and foremost, they need material on which to paint.
PCT and its key principles are the material on which art is created. It is the foundation on which all of my therapy is based. CBT and its theory and interventions are the media used to create art. The palette is the theory which holds the individual interventions (colours and shades); the interventions are fully supported by the theory on which they are based.
PCT is the foundation (material) on which all of my therapy is based; I strongly believe that the client's personal growth and self-actualization rely on this to occur. When the foundation is securely established and maintained, painting (CBT) can begin. Much like colours/shades are selected by a painter to create art, CBT interventions are selected and incorporated to meet the client's therapy goals.
Please comment with any thoughts or questions that you may have and feel free to provide suggestions for future blog posts!