Bush lists the three main approaches of Behavior Therapy, which appeared in the 1950’s. These are
- Desensitization
- Behavior modification
- Behavior activation
Desensitization seeks to reduce the troublesome emotions by allowing these emotions to arise while in a relaxed state. Behavior modification aims to replace undesirable behaviors with desirable ones. It requires knowing the cues that we use to initiate behavior, interrupting these cues, and replacing them with more appropriate behaviors. The final approach aims to pull the client out of her depressed state by restoring everyday habits or pleasurable activities that may have been lost or forgotten. [1]
- — Another school of behavioral modification is called Neuro-Linguistic Programming or NLP. NLP became prominent in the 1970s and ’80s through the work of Richard Bandler and John Grinder. They modeled brilliant therapists, such as Milton Erickson and Virginia Satir, and distilled from these experts the essential tools they used to help their clients. While NLP has grown in popularity through the years, its teachings spread most widely through the work of Anthony Robbins and his first book, Unlimited Power. Robbins, however, did not use the name NLP for the procedures he adopted from Bandler and Grinder, much to their annoyance. For insight into their approach, the reader may want to read their initial book Frogs into Princes or visit Robert Dilts’ NLP University at www.nlpu.com.
(Next: Cognitive Therapy )