Introduction to Clinical Psychology Bridging Science and Practice

Here we describe a series of approaches to psychotherapy that grew from learning theory and from cognitive psychology, as well as acceptance approaches that have a long history in Eastern faiths and philosophies. We group them together because they are frequently combined in practice and because they share a strong record of empirical support for their efficacy. Behavior therapists rely on techniques designed to identify and change maladaptive behavior. Cognitive therapists view unhelpful thinking patterns as key to maintaining many disorders, so cognitive therapy is designed to change how clients think about events and themselves. Despite certain differences, the behavioral and cognitive approaches are compatible and are often combined into various forms of cognitive behavior therapy, one of today’s most popular approaches to psychological treatment. Acceptance-based approaches, which are central to acceptance and commitment therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and mindfulness treatments emphasize the value of accepting thoughts, feelings, and experiences (even negative ones) as part of the human experience and learning how to observe reactions without judging them.