Learning to Cope with Anxiety – Behavioral PerspectiveBehavioral Therapy focuses on the individual’s behavior as a result of learning and the environment. It is primarily a product of the different psychologists who criticized psychoanalysis, and contented that the individual’s is not just a product of his/her inner being or make-up, rather, a result of how the person reacts with the environment based on previous experiences and learning.As a counselor who employs behavioral procedures to address an individual’s problems, one must first consider the problems and the specific procedures to help the client cope better.
This includes the various methods one can use that can specifically target one’s maladaptive behavior. The case of Kathrina, a young woman in her early 20’s experiencing chronic anxiety, would then be best treated using Relaxation Techniques. But even before this is introduced, the counselor must first establish rapport and must then help the client decide on her goals to lessen her maladaptive behavior, or in her case, chronic anxiety. It is important to lessen and eventually fight the said behavior as it already affects her health and the way she lives her life already.
Specific goals must first be set in order to construct a proper time frame which Kathrina can work with. Aside from making the therapy sessions more organized, having a time frame can also lessen Kathrina’s dependence on the counselor, which may just be the case during prolonged therapies. During the initial determination of treatment, the different relaxation techniques must be presented to Kathrina to empower her as she decides on what works best for her. An ideal relaxation technique may be visualization, which, when done properly can allow Kathrina to relax and forget about what stresses her and lessen her worries.
During her free time, Kathrina can also employ a number of meditation techniques especially before she goes to bed or as she wakes up in the morning. Doing so may increase her chances of getting a good night’s sleep.
