Counselling Model Used.

The counselling model used at New Life Counselling & Training is eclectic (comprised of segments of many different models of counselling) in nature, yet has at its heart Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy/Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. Below you’ll find a diagram of the model of counselling and how the eclectic elements work together for the benefit of the client.

Counselling Model - (Please click here for downloadable PDF version)



Very briefly, the Counselling Model works on the following structure:

People experience events in their life. These events lead to assumptions (right or wrong) being made about that event. Once the assumption has been made, it gets placed into our subconscious mind. This assumption then generates beliefs or conclusions. These beliefs can either be true/accurate or false/inaccurate. From these beliefs comes our thinking and self-talk. From our thinking and self-talk comes our feelings and emotions. Finally, our feelings and emotions give rise to our behaviour and actions. Here is a visual representation of this:



(Please click here for downloadable PDF version)

Looking at this hierarchy structure, true change, that is lifelong and therefore effective, can only happen if the core assumptions are uncovered and dealt with. The assumption is the base level and everything else is determined by the assumptions.

If change was attempted by only addressing the behavioural level (behaviourism), sooner or later the emotions and self-talk would cause that change to be negated. No amount of will power can override the internal feelings below the behavioural level.

If change was attempted at the emotions and feelings level, then changed behaviour will follow, but at some point your internal self-talk, beliefs and assumptions will be too much to bear, causing your emotions then actions to revert back.

Cognitive therapy involves getting down to the beliefs level. Down at this level, lasting change can begin to occur. Changing the belief system results in all the levels above it being changed.

The only problem is that the underlying assumption that caused the false belief (that in turn caused you conflict) is still lurking. What this means is that if the assumption itself is incorrect/wrong/false, then it will generate other false beliefs. What can occur in therapy then is that false belief upon false belief are traced, faced and replaced, but there always seems to be more. The ONLY way to achieve true freedom from the shackles is to uncover the core assumption at the base level. Once you find this and confront it the false beliefs take care of themselves (and no new ones are created), your self-talk changes, your emotions and feelings turn positive and your actions follow suit.

The following diagram displays the way in which one wrong assumption can give birth to many beliefs, which in turn gives birth to many more self-talk, emotional and behavioural issues.



(Please click here for downloadable PDF version)

Some general REBT information can be found at: http://www.rational.org.nz/prof/docs/intro-rebt.htm