Psychology

Aaron Beck has defined CT as being an active, directive, time-limited, structured approach to therapy based in the underlying theoretical rationale that an individual’s affect and behavior are largely determined by the way in which one structures their worldview. The overall strategy of cognitive therapy emphasizes the empirical investigation of the client’s automatic thoughts, inferences, conclusions, and assumptions. Thoughts (cognitions) either verbal or pictorial are based on the attitudes or assumptions (schemas), developed from previous life experiences. For example, a client may develop schema that says, “I cannot relate socially unless I have a drink to calm me down.” Consequently the client reacts to situations in terms of inadequacy even when...