Techniques of Behavioral Therapy

This includes Behavior therapy techniques as well as REBT and CBT techniques since the later was developed from the former.

1. Bio feedback
is the process of gaining greater awareness of many physiological functions primarily using instruments that provide information on the activity of those same systems with the goal of being able to manipulate them at WILL . Bio feedback may be used to improve health, performance and the physiological changes which often occur in conjunction with change to thoughts, emotions and behavior.




2. contingency contracts
a document that specifies a contingent relationship between the completion of a specific behavior and the access to the specified reinforcer


3. extinction
eradicating undesirable behavior is called extinction.

4. Over-correction

In behaviour modification overcorrection is a psychotherapeutic technique involving the repetition of appropriate behavior after the occurence of an unwanted behavior. This is based on the principle of overlearning.

It is particularly used when teaching people with intellectual disabilities.

ref : http://www.psychologyinspain.com/content/full/1197/15bis.htm

5. Positive Reinforcement

strengthening the behavior you want to see or develop or bring change about. often an effective way to change behavior without unpleasant effects.


6. Premack principle

7. shaping
the type of conditioning used to encourage specific behavior by rewarding actions that come increasingly closer to the desired behavior



8. Time out

separating from the opportunity of pleasure


9. Token economy
rewarding desired behaviors with tokens that can be saved and traded for another reinforcement



10. implosion and flooding

desensitizing a client by exposing to the situation with dire consequences, flooding forces person to confront fear

ref : http://www.psychologistworld.com/behavior/flooding.php

11. assertiveness training

The word assertiveness is used to describe behaviour which helps us to communicate clearly our WANTS, NEEDS and FEELINGS to other people without abusing their rights as human beings. It is not about 'getting what you want' all the time, but about negotiating life without constant anxiety or lack of self-confidence, It is an alternative to aggressive, passive or manipulative behaviour.


12. systematic desensitization

Systematic desensitization is a type of behavioral therapy based on the principle of classical conditioning. It was developed by Wolpe during the 1950s.

This therapy aims to remove the fear response of a phobia, and substitute a relaxation response to the conditional stimulus gradually using counter conditioning.

ref : http://www.simplypsychology.org/Systematic-Desensitisation.html

13. Relaxation training

this is used as a distinct process while using systematic desensitization for treating anxiety phobias OCD and further more. Relaxation produces physiological effects opposite to anxiety.

14. differential reinforcement



15. vicarious conditioning

The learning of various attitudes, feelings, beliefs and emotions, not through direct exposure to a stimulus, but through observing how others react to it. For example, the child becomes afraid of an animal after watching an older sibling or parent show signs of verbal and nonverbal aversion and fear of this same animal.

16. Modeling

a method used in certain techniques of psychotherapy whereby the client learns by imitation alone, without any specific verbal direction by the therapist

ref : http://www.minddisorders.com/Kau-Nu/Modeling.html

17. Proselytizing - sharing the approach with others

18. Re framing - viewing a problem from a different perspective, which gives it a different meaning
This is another strategy for getting bad events into perspective. One way to reframe events is to reevaluate them as 'disappointing', 'concerning', or 'uncomfortable' rather than 'awful' or 'unbearable'. Another way is to see that even negative events almost always have a positive side to them, listing all the positives you can think of.
ref : http://www.testandcalc.com/Self_Defeating_Beliefs/sup9.asp

19. Bibiliotherapy - psycho-educational assignments but also reading assignments

20. Stop and Monitor - establish cues to stop and monitor the process throughout the day (technique used in REBT )

21. in vivo desentitization - a form of systematic desensitization where the client is systematically exposed to the phobic stimulus rather than made to imagine being exposed to the phobic stimulus.

ref : http://www.simplypsychology.org/Systematic-Desensitisation.html

22. rational emotive imagery
it is a form of intense mental practice designed to establish new emotional patterns by making the clinets imagine themselves the worst thing that could happen, unhealthy and upset feelings, intense experience of feelings and changing them to healthy and positive feelings. As clients change their feelings about adversities, they stand a better chance of changing their behavior.


23. Role playing and reverse role playing

Role-playing is a technique that allows the client opportunities to imitate the modeled behaviors, which strengthens what has been learned. Role-play can be defined as practice or behavior rehearsal; it allows the client to receive feedback about the practice as well as encouraging the use of the newly learned skill in real-life situations. For example, a group of people who are trying to learn social skills might practice the skills needed for a job interview or for dealing with a minor problem (returning a defective item to a store, asking someone for directions, etc.). Role-play can also be used for modeling, in that the therapist may role-play certain situations with clients. During practice, the therapist frequently coaches, prompts, and shapes the client's enactment of the behavior so that the rehearsals can come increasingly close to the desired behavior.

Read more: http://www.minddisorders.com/Kau-Nu/Modeling.html#ixzz38d3GHFTy

24. forceful coping statements
it is a way to help clients to go from intellectual to emotional insight. clients are shown how to conduct forceful dialogues by reverse role playing in which therapist adopts the clients beliefs and vigorously argues for it. while the client tries to convince the therapist that the belief is dysfunctional.

25. Reciprocal inhibition :

In psychology, reciprocal inhibition is a form of behavioral therapy in which a desired behavioral response is repeatedly carried out in the presence of a stimulus that normally triggers an undesired response. For example, a patient with a phobia of snakes might be repeatedly exposed to the presence of a snake, while practicing a deliberate relaxation procedure. The theory behind this type of reciprocal inhibition therapy is that, with sufficient repetition, the old, undesirable response can be unlearned, and a new behavioral pattern can be permanently established.

Reference : http://www.testandcalc.com/Self_Defeating_Beliefs/sup9.asp

http://www.slideshare.net/aamnahaneef/techniques-of-rebt

http://kaunselorsehatisejiwa.blogspot.com/p/technique.html

http://nursingplanet.com/pn/behaviour_therapy.html