 Homework can make therapy better! If you don’t know something or understand something, what do you do? The first thing I do is look it up. In the past this was difficult and involved going to a library, buying a book, or calling someone who had the information you wanted. Today, because of technology, so much information is just a click away. But how do you sort through all the information on the Internet about psychology? Sure, you want to live a better life and feel better, but what source should you use and whose advice should you take?
Fortunately, if your psychologist uses psychoeducation, as I do, they can provide you with the information you need from reliable sources. Psychologists may recommend books, websites, or organizations that have information that could enhance your therapy sessions. For most clients, I provide psychoeducation in the form of handouts, tracking forms, fact sheets, brochures, or self-help modules. These are given as therapy homework. Therapy homework gives you more bang for your buck and provides more therapy benefits in-between sessions. You will make much more progress in therapy if you practice techniques regularly outside of your therapy sessions. Here are five examples of therapy homework: CBT stands for Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. It's a popular therapy that was created by Aaron Beck in the 1960s (1). In the 1950s, Albert Ellis created Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) that has some similarities and differences from CBT (2). I tend to use a mixture of both with my clients. CBT is the most researched therapy approach (3). In treatment studies, CBT has been beneficial for individuals experiencing depression, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and many other mental health conditions (4). CBT has been helpful for individuals using in-person therapy, online therapy, self-help books, and even in online self-help programs.
|
Author
Candice Bovell, Ph.D., C.Psych.
Clinical Psychologist Blog posts
~ Why is Online Therapy so Popular?
~ 100 Activities for Behavioural Activation ~ Why Don't you Give Free 10-Minute Consultations like Other Therapists? ~ Welcome Markham Psychologists Clients Starting September 1, 2023 ~ How to Book Appointments with Dr. Candice Using Jane App ~ How to Read Emails Sent Through Hushmail ~ How to Join a Zoom for Healthcare Appointment ~ How to Deal with Work Stress-5 Tips ~ 5 Types of Psychotherapy Homework ~ 5 Tips for CBT Success ~ Interested in Trying E-Therapy? ~ E-Therapy is Great for the Field of Psychology ~ Psychologist Recommended Resources for Coping with the COVID-19 Pandemic ~ Activate Your Mood with Behavioural Activation ~ Psychologist, Psychiatrist, or Psychotherapist...What's the Difference? ~ Thinking About Using Thought Records ~ Thank Goodness for Gratitude Journals! Archives
May 2024
Banner Photo by Diego Torres on Pixabay
|
RSS Feed