Councelling skills exam questions Flashcards
List any four suitable indications for supportive psychotherapy (4 marks)
- Adjustment disorders
- Grief and loss
- Coping with medical illnesses
- Stress management
- Low self esteem and
- self-worth issues
Explain the concepts of resistance (2 marks) and defence mechanisms (2 marks) in psychodynamic therapy.
- Resistance refers to a patient’s unconscious defence mechanisms against exploring painful experiences, such as downplaying their problems or denying their existence. (2)
- Defence mechanisms, like denial and repression, are unconscious strategies used to cope with anxiety and protect the ego. (2)
Therapist-Patient Relationship: Why is establishing a meaningful relationship with the therapist essential in psychodynamic therapy? (1 mark)
Establishing a meaningful relationship with the therapist creates a safe space for the patient. This encourages self-reflection and exploration of underlying psychological patterns without fear of judgement.
How might individuals with poor ego strength find the demands of psychodynamic therapy overwhelming? (1 mark)
- overwhelming
- because it often involves confronting and working through difficult emotions and experiences, which can be challenging for those with a lower capacity to cope with stress.
Discuss the characteristics that make an individual suitable for psychodynamic therapy (3 marks)
- The individual should be experiencing emotional distress
- They should be willing to talk about their thoughts, feelings, and experiences
- They should be willing to examine their feelings
- They should have the capacity to develop a meaningful relationship with the therapist
Name the three core features and concepts of CBT (3 marks).
- Negative automatic thoughts
- Schemas
- Cognitive error
Name 4 of the key methods of CBT (4)
- Cognitive restructuring
- Guided discovery
- Thought change record
- Exposure therapy
- Behavioural experiments
- Activity scheduling & graded task assignment
- Relaxation techniques
