Process-Based Therapy: what it is and how it works

As in all scientific disciplines, psychology and psychological intervention also undergo changes over time as a result of of new research and the discovery of new efficient or innovative techniques to be used in different psychological treatments. Currently and in the Western social context, the Cognitive-Behavioral approach is the predominant one in psychological therapy and the one most supported by science and specialists.

However, this approach has not remained stable over time, but rather has evolved and integrating changes and modifications resulting from research and the need for constant updating in therapy. In recent years, there has been talk of the arrival of a "third wave" of Cognitive-Behavioral therapies, characterized mainly by the establishment of process-based therapies.

Process-Based Therapy seeks to move away from the need for a diagnostic label to transcend the specific protocols of Cognitive-Behavioral treatments based exclusively on statically defined disorders. This novel approach proposes taking more flexible treatment models, capable of having a trans – diagnostic and principled, able to understand disorders and recovery as processes; not as something stable and definite.

In this article you will know process-based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, having to understand at the same time the classic characteristics of these therapies and the historical development and through time that These have had to be framed today in a new set of techniques and strategies for recovery and stabilization. psychological.

Classic Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

The Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy standard or classic refers to a whole family of interventions that are mainly recognized as the psychological therapies that have received the most empirical support over time. These techniques focus on linking thoughts with behaviors, coming to understand the reasons why that a certain thought can give meaning to the emotions that are experienced and the behaviors that underlie.

In general, a combined use is made of techniques such as cognitive restructuring, training in relaxation skills and coping or exposure strategies. Normally, through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, the aim is to deal with the mass of thoughts (distorted or not) about oneself or a certain problem to, once identified and understood, begin to understand the way in which they interfere in the development and implementation of different behaviors and behaviors.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is mainly used in disorders such as depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders and phobias. One criticism that has been leveled at the more classical Cognitive-Behavioral approach is its continued association with labels. diagnostic and therapeutic development almost exclusively linked to the resolution of these disorders and their symptomatology. Critics point to the need to abandon the purely diagnostic perspective based on labeling.

Historical evolution: a third wave of behavioral therapies

As we have previously commented, every scientific discipline evolves and modulates over time, adapting to the social and temporal needs of each era and integrating new disciplines to promote progress in science. Research focused on the historical evolution of Cognitive-Behavioral therapies divides its historical development into three stages or waves:

1. First wave: Learning and behaviorism

The first wave of Cognitive-Behavioral therapies refers to its birth in the decade of the 50s of the last century when, integrating knowledge related to learning and classical behaviorism hand in hand with concepts elaborated by figures such as as Ivan Pavlov, b. F. skinner and Albert Ellis. The main characteristic of this wave is the conceptual and theoretical transition of these researchers to therapeutic practice.; the first practical application of these concepts. Above all, techniques such as gradual exposure and the identification of conditioning stimuli proliferated; leaving aside the cognitive variables of these behaviors.

2. Second wave: Methodological heterogeneity

During the second wave, which began around the 1970s, cognitive and social aspects of human behavior began to be incorporated into the above. Thus, this approach began to distance itself from learning and pure behaviorism, to consider perspectives such as Bandura's social learning. So, begin to understand cognition as a key element that guides people's behaviors, going on to develop techniques of cognitive restructuring and problem solving.

3. Third wave: Process-Based Therapy

Some people date the beginning of the third wave to the year 2004, when the experience of emotional disorders began to be understood as the assumption of patterns of maladaptive thinking for emotions and behaviors, assuming the need to develop new methodologies to detect and modify such patterns. Thus, the new orientations of Cognitive-Behavioral therapies begin to focus on the relationships of patients with their thoughts and emotions and not so much with their context, developing new intervention models such as acceptance therapy, techniques of mindfulness and functional analysis techniques.

Under this approach, we can understand process-based therapy as a therapy that does not focus on diagnostic labels, but rather aims to understand the processes of maladaptive thinking and emotionality that perpetuate their experience to, once understood, move on to their treatment from a holistic perspective and centered on the person.

What is Process-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy?

As we have been commenting, the main characteristic of Process-Based Therapy is a change of approach and conceptualization regarding the consideration of mental disorders. Thus, the aim is to take patients into consideration in a broader and more general way, so that the therapy encompasses the whole person and not exclusively their diagnostic category. Challenging traditional conceptions of mental disorder, process-based therapy proposes a more concrete vision of human suffering to develop more effective interventions focused on the patient.

The fundamental units of these therapies are, redundantly, the processes. The processes are general categories whose main objective is to understand the experience of a person at different levels of their life experience. A process is considered the entire sequence of events that affect a person in both positive and negative ways, both directly and indirectly. Each process can be understood through its integrative units into smaller parts.

This is therapeutically useful because of its ability to identify and understand each sub-element of each patient's thought, emotion, and behavior. Thus, the therapeutic intervention can be personalized to the maximum and direct the techniques to be used according to the experiences and experiences of each person.

Key Techniques of Process-Based Therapy

Next, we will present some of the most characteristic techniques of Cognitive-Behavioral therapy based on processes and that most define the therapeutic orientation that it defends:

1. Full attention (mindfulness)

Mindfulness is a central technique in Process-Based Therapy. It consists of developing a non-reactive, non-judgmental awareness of thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations, and experiences present in the moment. The client is encouraged to observe his thoughts and feelings as if they were passing events, without holding on to them or trying to change them. The practice of mindfulness helps to develop a greater understanding of oneself and to cultivate an accepting attitude towards internal experiences.

2. Experiential clarification:

This technique involves delving into the customer's emotional and cognitive experience. The therapist helps the client to explore and describe in detail his feelings and thoughts, encouraging him to put into words what he is experiencing internally. This helps to give shape and meaning to internal customer experiences, which can lead to greater understanding and problem solving.

3. Focus on the process:

Instead of focusing solely on the client's verbal content, this approach pays special attention to how events are unfolding in the present moment. This includes observing emotional changes, thought patterns, and physical responses during the therapy session. The therapist can highlight and explore any changes or fluctuations that occur during therapy to better understand the underlying processes.

4. Acceptance and compassion:

Process-Based Therapy promotes an attitude of compassionate acceptance towards oneself and one's inner experiences. The therapist helps the client to cultivate a kind and nonjudgmental attitude toward his thoughts and emotions, even if they are painful or difficult. Acceptance and compassion allow the client to feel more secure and open to exploring their problems. without fear of judgement.

5. language observation

It is important to pay attention not only to the content of what the client is expressing, but also how it relates to the client's own language and thoughts. This involves looking at communication patterns, self-labeling, and the metaphors the client uses to describe her internal experiences. This can provide greater insight into your thought and behavior patterns.

6. direct experience

In Process-Based Therapy, the importance of explore and work with the emotional and cognitive experiences that arise in the present moment. Instead of simply talking about the problems or symptoms, the therapist guides the client to connect with their current emotions and reactions. By doing so, the client can gain a deeper and more authentic understanding of their problems and find new ways to deal with them.

conclusions

As we have seen, Process-Based Therapy is an approach originating from Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies and as a result of its scientific evolution and the passage of time that establish novel therapeutic requirements to adapt to the needs contemporary. This approach attempts to move away from therapeutic conceptions exclusively based on diagnostic and medical categorization, in order to understand the therapy of a holistic way that empowers people, considering all aspects of their life and not just those that can be related to a disorder or a label medical.