Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be applied in both family and individual settings. While there are some similarities, such as both utilizing a single therapist and occurring in a confidential environment, there are also differences. Family CBT focuses on improving relationships both within and outside the family, involves members with familial ties, and creates contingencies to reinforce changes. Individual CBT focuses solely on the individual client and their external relationships. Counselors may face challenges with family CBT, such as difficulty evaluating effectiveness and ignoring individual family member issues.

1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Family Settings Versus Individual Settings.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Family Settings Versus Individual Settings. Students will:
Compare the use of cognitive behavioral therapy for families to cognitive behavioral
therapy for individuals Analyze challenges of using cognitive behavioral therapy for families
Recommend effective cognitive behavioral therapy strategies for families To prepare:
Review the media, Johnson Family Session 3, in this week’s Learning Resources and
consider the insights provided on CBT in family therapy. Reflect on your practicum
experiences with CBT in family and individual settings. Post an explanation of how the use
of CBT in families compares to CBT in individual settings. Provide specific examples from
your own practicum experiences. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Family Settings Versus
Individual Settings.Then, explain challenges counselors might encounter when using CBT in
the family setting. Support your position with specific examples from this week’s media.
Required Readings American Nurses Association. (2014). Psychiatric-mental health
nursing: Scope and standards of practice (2nd ed.).ORDER NOW.Washington, DC: Author.
Standard 5F “Milieu Therapy” (pages 60-61) Wheeler, K. (Ed.). (2014). Psychotherapy for
the advanced practice psychiatric nurse: A how-to guide for evidence-based practice. New
York, NY: Springer. Chapter 12, “Family Therapy” (Review pp. 429–468.) Nichols, M. (2014).
The essentials of family therapy (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. Chapter 10, “Cognitive-
Behavior Family Therapy” (pp. 166–189) Chapter 12, “Solution-Focused Therapy” (pp. 225–
242) American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental
disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. Note: Retrieved from Walden Library
databases. Bond, C., Woods, K., Humphrey, N., Symes, W., & Green, L. (2013). Practitioner
review: The effectiveness of solution focused brief therapy with children and families: A
systematic and critical evaluation of the literature from 1990–2010. Journal of Child
Psychology & Psychiatry, 54(7), 707–723. doi:10.1111/jcpp.12058 Note: Retrieved from
Walden Library databases. Conoley, C., Graham, J., Neu, T., Craig, M., O'Pry, A., Cardin, S., &
... Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Family Settings Versus Individual Settings.Parker, R.
(2003). Solution-focused family therapy with three aggressive and oppositional-acting
children: An N=1 empirical study. Family Process, 42(3), 361–374. doi:10.1111/j.1545-
5300.2003.00361.x Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases. de Castro, S., &
Guterman, J. (2008). Solution-focused therapy for families coping with suicide. Journal of
Marital & Family Therapy, 34(1), 93–106. doi:10.111/j.1752-0606.2008.00055.x Note:
Retrieved from Walden Library databases. Patterson, T. (2014). A cognitive behavioral
systems approach to family therapy. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 25(2), 132–144.

2. doi:10.1080/08975353.2014.910023 Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.
Perry, A. (2014). Cognitive behavioral therapy with couples and families. Sexual &
Relationship Therapy, 29(3), 366–367. doi:10.1080/14681994.2014.909024 Note:
Retrieved from Walden Library databases. Ramisch, J., McVicker, M., & Sahin, Z. (2009).
Helping low-conflict divorced parents establish appropriate boundaries using a variation of
the miracle question: An integration of solution-focused therapy and structural family
therapy. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 50(7), 481–495.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy:
Family Settings Versus Individual Settings. doi:10.1080/10502550902970587 Note:
Retrieved from Walden Library databases. Washington, K. T., Wittenberg-Lyles, E., Oliver, D.
P., Baldwin, P. K., Tappana, J., Wright, J. H., & Demiris, G. (2014). Rethinking family
caregiving: Tailoring cognitive-behavioral therapies to the hospice experience. Health &
Social Work, 39(4), 244–250. doi:10.1093/hsw/hlu031 Note: Retrieved from Walden
Library databases. Document: Group Therapy Progress Note Required Media Laureate
Education (Producer). (2013c). Johnson family session 3 [Video file]. Author: Baltimore,
MD.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Family Settings Versus Individual Settings.Cognitive
Behavioral TherapyComparing the use of CBT in family settings versus individual
settingsCognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a psychotherapeutic approach that is applied
in psychiatric care. In fact, it is a tool that makes use of talk therapy to guide clients in
changing their emotions, behavior and thoughts. As a psychotherapy tool, CBT is applicable
to a wide range of settings that includes family and individual settings (American
Psychiatric Association, 2013). Its use in the two settings (family and individual settings)
reveals some similarities and differences. Four similarities can be identified in CBT use
within the two settings. The first similarity is that the two engage the services of a single
therapist who acts as a moderator for each CBT session. The implication is that clients who
attend the same session in both family and individual therapies are considered as a single
unit in as far as the treatment is concerned. The second similarity is that the two settings
allow the clients to talk to the therapist. The third similarity is that the two settings engage
the services of a therapist who acts as a guide for the clients to achieve the desired
treatment outcomes. This requires that the therapist to apply professional knowledge of
CBT to guide each therapy session. The fourth similarity is that the CBT sessions occur
within a trusted environment where the clients are encouraged to make disclosures
intended to facilitate recovery. Confidentiality is emphasized in each treatment session with
the clients assured that the information they disclose will be kept confidential and not
transmitted to a third party unless with the client’s express permission (Nichols, 2014;
Wheeler, 2014).Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Family Settings Versus Individual
Settings.There are four differences between CBT application in the two settings. The first
difference is that family settings focuses on improving relationships with those who attend
the sessions as well as persons outside the sessions while individual setting focuses
building better relationships with those outside the session. The second difference is that
family settings have members with familial ties while individual therapy only has a single
client per session. The third difference is that the decision to undertake CBT for the whole
family is typically made by a single family member who is a position of authority. The
members not in a position of authority will infrequently refer themselves and other family

3. members for CBT. The fourth difference is that the family setting creates adequate
contingencies with reinforcement that brings about generalizable and enduring changes.
The family members who are part of the CBT have regular interactions that influence
therapy. This is unlike individual therapy where the therapeutic interactions are typically
restricted to the therapy sessions with no adequate contingences or reinforcement (Nichols,
2014; Wheeler, 2014).Challenges counselors might encounter when using CBT in family
settingUsing CBT in the family setting can cause psychotherapists to face two challenges.
Firstly, it is difficult to evaluate CBT results and effectiveness. In fact, this is an
acknowledged challenge that is typically addressed through complementing CBT with other
treatment approaches/tools. The second challenge is that CBT ignores the issues affecting
individual family members and focuses on the issues affecting the whole family. The result
is that treatment effectiveness is reduced as the underlying issue causing problems in the
family is likely to be ignored. This challenge can be addressed through creating
opportunities for all family members to express their opinions and concerns thus ensuring
effective inclusion (American Nurses Association, 2014). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy:
Family Settings Versus Individual Settings.