THER APEUTIC APPROACHES | Class 12 Psychology Notes
By ConceptScroll Team · Published on 17 July 2026 · 3 min read
THER APEUTIC APPROACHES – this guide gives you a concise, exam-ready overview of THER APEUTIC APPROACHES from Class 12 Psychology, written by ConceptScroll editors and reviewed against the latest NCERT textbook.
Cognitive Therapy
Cognitive therapy locates psychological distress in irrational thoughts and beliefs. Albert Ellis developed Rational Emotive Therapy (RET), which uses the ABC model: Antecedent events cause distress, Beliefs about these events may be irrational, leading to Consequences such as negative emotions and behaviours. Irrational beliefs often involve rigid 'must' and 'should' statements, e.g., 'One must be loved by everyone.' Therapists use gentle, non-directive questioning to help clients challenge and replace irrational beliefs with rational ones, reducing distress. Aaron Beck’s cognitive therapy focuses on core schemas formed from childhood experiences, which, when triggered by critical incidents, produce negative automatic thoughts (e.g., 'I am unlovable'). These thoughts involve cognitive distortions that negatively bias reality perception. Therapy uses questioning to dispute these thoughts, leading to cognitive restructuring and symptom reduction. Cognitive therapy is problem-focused, transparent, and typically short-term (10-20 sessions).
📊 Diagram: No diagrams in this section.
🧪 Activity: None specified.
🔗 Connection: Leads to Cognitive Behaviour Therapy combining cognitive and behavioural approaches.
Frequently asked questions
Describe the nature and scope of psychotherapy. Highlight the importance of therapeutic relationship in psychotherapy.
Psychotherapy is a treatment method aimed at helping individuals overcome psychological problems and improve mental health through verbal and psychological techniques. Its nature involves understanding the client's issues, emotions, and behaviors, and working collaboratively to bring about change. The scope of psychotherapy includes treatment of mental disorders, emotional difficulties, and enhancement of personal growth. The therapeutic relationship is crucial as it establishes trust, empathy,
What are the different types of psychotherapy? On what basis are they classified?
The main types of psychotherapy include psychodynamic therapy, humanistic therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, behavior therapy, and integrative or eclectic therapy. They are classified based on their theoretical orientation and techniques used. For example, psychodynamic therapy focuses on unconscious processes and past experiences; humanistic therapy emphasizes personal growth and self-actualization; cognitive-behavioral therapy targets maladaptive thoughts and behaviors; behavior therapy us
Discuss the various techniques used in behaviour therapy.
Behavior therapy techniques include systematic desensitization, aversive conditioning, flooding, modeling, token economy, and relaxation training. Systematic desensitization involves gradual exposure to feared stimuli while practicing relaxation. Aversive conditioning pairs unwanted behavior with unpleasant stimuli to reduce it. Flooding exposes the client to the feared object or situation intensely and for a prolonged period. Modeling involves learning through observation of others. Token econo
Explain with the help of an example how cognitive distortions take place.
Cognitive distortions are biased or irrational ways of thinking that lead to negative emotions and behaviors. For example, a person who fails an exam may think, 'I am a complete failure and will never succeed,' which is an example of overgeneralization. This distorted thinking affects their self-esteem and motivation. Cognitive therapy aims to identify and correct such distortions to improve mental health.
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Clear NCERT-aligned notes on SOCIAL INFLUENCE AND GROUP PROCESSES for Class 12 Psychology.
- SOCIAL INFLUENCE AND GROUP PROCESSES | Class 12 Psychology Notes
Clear NCERT-aligned notes on SOCIAL INFLUENCE AND GROUP PROCESSES for Class 12 Psychology.
- SOCIAL INFLUENCE AND GROUP PROCESSES | Class 12 Psychology Notes
Clear NCERT-aligned notes on SOCIAL INFLUENCE AND GROUP PROCESSES for Class 12 Psychology.