Behavioural therapy

The characteristics and foundations of behavioural therapy, which focuses on changing patients` unwanted or negative behaviour. It involves studying the present behaviour and the means by which this can be un-learned.

methods in behavioural therapy
characteristics of behavioural therapy
therapy of behaviour
foundations of behavioural therapy

knowledge

sector-specific

Behavioural therapy is an essential knowledge of the following occupations:

Music therapist: Music therapists use music-therapeutic interventions to treat patients with behavioural disorders and pathogenic conditions to prevent, mitigate or eliminate symptoms and to change behaviours and attitudes requiring treatment. They promote and maintain or restore the development, maturity and health of the patient/client by music-therapeutic interventions. Music therapy especially provides help for people with with emotional, somatic, intellectually or socially induced behavioural disorders and pathogenic conditions, such as psychoses (schizophrenic disorders, bipolar disorders) and personality development disorders.
 
Social counsellor: Social counsellors provide support and guidance to individuals in the social work area, to help them solve specific problems in their personal life. It involves addressing personal and relationship issues, dealing with inner conflicts, crisis moments such as depression and addiction, in an attempt to empower individuals to achieve change and improve their life quality.
Drug and alcohol addiction counsellor: Drug and alcohol addiction counsellors provide assistance and counselling to individuals and families dealing with drug and alcohol addictions, monitoring their progress, advocating for them, performing crisis interventions and group therapy. They also assist the persons with the consequences of their addictions which can be unemployment, physical or mental disorders and poverty. Drug and alcohol addiction counsellors may also prepare educational programs for high-risk populations.
Family planning counsellor: Family planning counsellors provide support and counselling to adults and adolescents on issues such as reproduction, contraceptive methods, pregnancy or termination of pregnancy, in compliance with the legislation and practices. They also provide information about maintaining optimum health practices, sexual disease prevention and treatment recommendation referrals, working in collaboration with the professional doctors.
Marriage counsellor: Marriage counsellors support and guide couples and families that are going through crises such as depression, substance abuse and relationship problems. They help improving their communication by providing group or individual therapy.
Sexual violence counsellor: Sexual violence counsellors provide support services, crisis care services and counselling to women and adolescents who have been directly or indirectly exposed to sexual assault and/or rape. They inform victims of the relevant legal procedures and protective services maintaining client confidentiality. They also address problematic sexualized behaviours of children.
Podiatrist: Podiatrists are foot specialists who study foot physiology and pathology from a structural and functional standpoint. They assess, diagnose, and treat physical, sporting injuries, rehabilitation, medical and surgical problems of the foot and lower limb in their clinical practice. Podiatrists are active outside the clinical environment in research, medico-legal, and forensic activities. Podiatrists act within the scope of their podiatry training, experience, and regulating authority of their member country.
Art therapist: Art therapists help patients overcome psychological and emotional difficulties through an artistic process which reflects emotions and feelings, focusing on patients who suffer a variety of problems such as mental, psychological, and behavioural disorders in order to facilitate self-understanding and awareness.
Bereavement counsellor: Bereavement counsellors support and guide patients and their families to better cope with the death of the loved ones by assisting them in emergent situations, at the hospices and at the memorial services. They train other professionals and communities anticipating the supportive needs of bereavement and responding to the education requirements.

Behavioural therapy is optional for these occupations. This means knowing this knowledge may be an asset for career advancement if you are in one of these occupations.

Complementary therapist: Complementary therapists use a range of complementary and alternative therapies to work simultaneously with the clients` body, mind, and spirit in a holistic approach. They offer practices and services for holistic wellbeing, health maintenance, health education, health promotion and prevention of illness, along with the sustainable treatment of certain illnesses, especially chronic illnesses. Their practices include but are not limited to acupuncture, aromatherapy, banotherapy, homeopathy, and herbal medicine.
Sophrologist: Sophrologists aim to reduce their clients` stress and produce optimal health and well-being by applying a dynamic relaxation method which consists of a specific set of physical and mental exercises on a doctor’s order.
Animal assisted therapist: Animal assisted therapists provide support to individuals with cognitive, motoric, or social-emotional disabilities through animal assisted intervention. They involve pets and domesticated animals in a specific intervention plan such as therapy, education, and human service, and aim to restore and maintain the patients` well-being and recovery.
Recreational therapist: Recreational therapists offer treatment to persons who have behavioural disorders or conditions. They use techniques and interventions such as art, music, animals and dance to promote, maintain and restore the development and health of the patient.

References

1. Behavioural therapy – ESCO