Behaviour Therapy

Behaviour therapy essentially focuses on behaviour and how the client can go about changing his/her current maladaptive and destroying behaviours. The focus here is on present behaviour and how this can be altered and/or improved.

Behaviour therapy is all about goal setting and how those goals are going to be met. These goals are then put into play and evaluated to see if the goals are achieved and how well the aim of the goal is being met. Through the help of the therapist the client learns self-management strategies and practical skills in adjusting and ultimately changing their destructive behaviours.

The focus in this therapy is on overt behaviour and the precision in specifying goals of treatment, the development of specific treatment plans and the objective evaluation of the therapy outcomes. Therapy is based on the principles of learning. Here normal behaviour is learned through reinforcement and imitation, while abnormal behaviour is often the result of faulty thinking or learning.

Through Behaviour Therapy the client learns to eliminate maladaptive behaviours and learn more effective ways of behaving. They learn to focus on factors that are influencing their unacceptable behaviour and find out what can be done to improve their situation and they way they react to things.

Assessment is done at the outset of therapy simply by the therapist listening to the client and making an assessment on their situation and what they are saying. This helps to determine a treatment plan and is often when homework assignments are set.

The therapist functions more as a teacher and takes a very active and directive role in helping clients to better understand their behaviours and in turn learn more effective way of behaving. The therapist teaches varying techniques in order to change their behaviours and ultimately achieve their goals.

Techniques such as assertive training, social skills training, relaxation methods, reinforcement techniques, coaching, homework assignments and behavioural rehearsal are just some of the methods that are taught in order to help the client alter his/her behaviours and to know how to continue behaving in a more appropriate manner in everyday life.

The client‘s are often asked to keep a record of their goals and what changes they have noticed so that these can be reassessed and if necessary new and more appropriate goals can be set. Hence, clients are very active throughout this therapy and are taught to experiment with new behaviours.

Specific problems are identified and clients are kept informed about progress toward their goals. Self-directed programs are also taught to encourage behavioural change in an individual. This approach has shown a great deal of effectiveness in terms of improving the way a person functions.