Cognitive restructuring

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Cognitive restructuring describes a change / restructuring of the mental / cognitive life concepts of humans and is a central element of cognitive behavioral therapy .

Therapeutic approaches

Cognitive restructuring can be carried out according to various methods and is described in cognitive / mind-related , emotional / feeling-related and behavioral / behavior-related methods and therapeutic approaches, such as rational- emotional behavioral therapy according to Albert Ellis , cognitive therapy according to Aaron T. Beck or self -verbalization technique according to Donald Meichenbaum .

steps

Beate Wilken divides the process of cognitive restructuring into five steps:

  1. Teaching the cognitive model (e.g. ABC theory according to Albert Ellis , differentiating between the creation and maintenance of a problem), for example through psychoeducation, bibliotherapy, joint completion of the written ABC scheme, imagination exercises (presenting example situations and thoughts on them).
  2. Uncover dysfunctional thoughts in specific problem situations , v. a. through self-observation tasks combined with written protocols and joint analysis with the therapist.
  3. Questioning dysfunctional cognitions . In addition to imagination and behavioral exercises, the central method here is the Socratic dialogue.
  4. Development of more appropriate, more functional cognitions (in the form of helpful self-verbalization or self-instructions).
  5. Practicing these new cognitions in problematic situations , e.g. B. by saying or reading the developed self-verbalizations several times a day, linking with metaphors, objects, gestures, etc., role-playing (in which the patient is supposed to convince the therapist - in the role of a friend or critic - of his new ways of thinking), imagination and Behavioral exercises.

The aim is that the patient learns in the course of therapy to apply these strategies independently and to use them in the long term without the help of the therapist (see self-management therapy ).

example

A life concept that is not very helpful, for example, is the dysfunctional thought “You must not cry”. Questioning this thought makes it clear that sadness should be suppressed, out of false shame, or in order not to burden others. This is based on the irrational notion that it is possible not to have feelings, or that people shouldn't be sad. A healthier, more helpful concept of life would be, for example, the thought “You can cry as much as you want”.

literature

  • Beate Wilken: Methods of Cognitive Restructuring . 7th, revised and expanded edition. Kohlhammer, Stuttgart 2015, ISBN 978-3-17-026872-2 .
  • Mervin Smucker, Konrad Reschke, Betty Kögel: Imagery Rescripting & Reprocessing Therapy: Treatment manual for type I trauma . Shaker, Aachen 2008, ISBN 978-3-8322-7093-3 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Beate Wilken: Methods of Cognitive Restructuring . 2006.