5.5.D—Describe techniques used with psychological therapies

Describe techniques used with psychological therapies.

• Psychodynamic therapies employ free association and dream interpretation to uncover the unconscious mind.
• Cognitive therapies may employ cognitive restructuring or fear hierarchies to combat maladaptive thinking. Cognitive therapy proposes that people should focus on the cognitive triad—negative thoughts about oneself, the world, and the future.
• Applied behavior analysis involves applying principles of conditioning to address mental disorders and developmental disabilities. Exposure therapies (such as systematic desensitization), aversion therapies, and token economies all employ principles of applied behavior analysis. Biofeedback uses principles of conditioning to help clients regulate body systems (such as the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems) that contribute to feelings of anxiety or depression.
• Cognitive-behavioral therapies, such as dialectical behavior therapy and rationalemotive behavior therapy, combine techniques from the cognitive and behavioral perspectives to treat mental and behavioral disorders.
• Therapy from the humanistic perspective, commonly referred to as person-centered therapy, employs active listening and unconditional positive regard.