Critical Essay On Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) And Acceptance And Commitment Therapy (ACT) Assignment Sample

Introduction: Critical Essay On Emotion Focused Therapy (Eft) And Acceptance And Commitment Therapy (Act)

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The essay is constructed to evaluate the different approaches of therapy which can be used to provide comfort to patients suffering from disorders of depression. The different approaches which are being considered to be evaluated for the treatment of the disorder are Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), these two types of approaches are being evaluated to analyse the effectiveness of each of the approaches on the specific patients and the positive impacts and enhancements for the symptoms of the patients with their application of the approaches to treat the patients.

Discussion

Emotion focussed therapy

The patient that has sought the help of the therapy is an adult woman who is suffering greatly from depressive symptoms. The help is provided with the help of therapy which can be done in 2 ways, EFT and ACT. The client has specified that the method preferred by the client is the one in which theoretical tactics are used to tackle the disorders and to improve the symptoms of the client. Depression is a growing issue in the present world in a worldwide manner. The mental health of the people is the most ignored aspect of the body, in the present times the focus on mental health has increased largely and different methods are distinguished and used for the treatment of the symptoms of depressive disorders and other psychological issues.

Figure 1: Emotional Focussed Theory

(Source: link.springer.com)

Systematic reviews

The different kinds of therapy are based on the approach in which the therapies are being done and the kinds of specific problems for specific patients. One type of therapy that is being used in the psychotherapy of patients of depressive disorders is Emotion-focused therapy (EFT). The author Greenberg & Goldman, (2021), have evaluated that this kind of therapy is based on the approach of believing that emotions are the backbone of the choices of the individual and the ways of making decisions at a personal level (Greenberg & Goldman, 2021). The emotions are being focussed greatly in this method of psychotherapy of patients suffering from symptoms of depression. This form of therapy considers that the lack of awareness emotionally or in the process of avoiding emotions which are pleasant to the person can bring harm to the psyche of the person and can affect the mental health of the person. With the removal of pleasant emotions, the essential pleasant emotions are not accessed by the people and can face different mental issues because of the absence of pleasant emotions. . [Refer to appendix 2]               

Meta-analyses of EFT

Figure 2: Emotionally Focussed Therapy

(Source: sketchbubble.com)

The use of EFT can be used to provide comfort and to enhance the symptoms of patients suffering from a wide range of mental health issues. The journal of Golestanifar & DashtBozorgi, (2020) has put forward that the technique of EFT enables people to understand their adaptive emotions in an easier manner and to keep their mental health balanced using pleasant emotions (Golestanifar & DashtBozorgi, 2020). The active cooperation of the patient is sought in this approach of therapy, as both the patient and the therapist are considered as essential units of the therapy. According to the author, Ioannou et al, (2020), the person in therapy is held as the most important element of the therapy process since the person is the only one who can translate the things that are being felt by him (Ioannou, et al. 2020). Emotion focussed therapy as used by therapists and as explained in the journals of mental health is mainly based on the different schemes of emotions. The main concerns of the therapy are the processes in which the emotions are generated in one’s mind, the importance of emotions for the proper functioning of human beings, and the relation of behavior and emotions faced by people.

Randomised controlled trials

The perspective of the therapeutic process is being obtained with the controlled trials of patients using EFT where the patient’s perspective is being analysed to evaluate the effectiveness of the approach on the mental health of the patient. The author Timulak and Keogh, (2020), the client faced that the approach of therapy is like providing the patients with a voice in which they can open up about their issues (Timulak and Keogh, 2020). The emotional connection, support, and validation between the patient and the therapist are experienced in a positive manner and this helps the patients to convey their symptoms and feelings in an easier manner. The different aspects of the sessions are being observed and the parameters of session length, in-session outcomes and the transformation of the patients are observed and considered to evaluate the values of EFT in the therapies (Beasley & Ager, 2019). In this case, the author Beasley & Ager, (2019), satisfaction is observed in the patients and the parameters of determination and reluctance to commit to the therapy using EFT are mainly observed which evaluates that the use of EFT is beneficial in the treatment of patients suffering from depressive disorders.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

The second kind of psychotherapy tactic that are used actively to provide comfort the patients suffering from depressive disorders and other mental health disorders is Acceptance and commitment therapy(ACT). The main approach in which this therapy is done is to make the patients accept their faults and to commit to enhancement. The ACT makes the patients move on from traumatic emotions, in order to make the patients use their energy to heal their mental health and in turn helps the patients to come out of negative emotions surrounding them. The present time is being brought to focus to the patients in this approach of therapy and the acceptance of one’s feelings without judgement is being encouraged and preferred in this kind of therapy. Acceptance is the main focus behind the use of ACT techniques to treat patients suffering from disorders such as depression. The situations of life are accepted as they come, without any struggle to fight back.

Figure 3: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

(Source: www.frontiersin.org)

Systematic reviews

The systematic reviews of the practice of ACT in psychotherapy techniques are obtained with the help of patients who are suffering from mental health disorders and seeking comfort from psychotherapy. According to  the author Coto-Lesmes, (2020), ACT is one of the most effective and useful Trans diagnostic interventions (Coto-Lesmes, 2020). The techniques of ACT are used to manage a wide spectrum of emotions and behaviors. The strategies can be useful to lessen the suffering of human beings that is occurred due to a number of physiological processes. The journal of the author Waters, (2020) has put forward that the technique is promising for patients as theoretical integration of  how the traumatic situation can be avoided are integrated in this form of psychotherapy (Waters, 2020). Alternatives to approaches of individual behaviors are brought with the help of ACT which helps the patients to cope with the stressful situations without evaluation of times and without struggling back.

Meta-analyses of ACT

Figure 4: Followed Principles in ACT

(Source: www.loving.health/en.net)

The efficiency of the strategy of psychotherapy using the strategy of ACT is obtained with the help of the meta-analysis of the trials that have occurred with the help of the ACT. The website Contextualscience.org, (2020) are being searched to get evaluations of the use of ACT in providing comfort to the patients suffering from mental disorders and depressive disorders (Contextualscience.org, 2020). The results have evaluated that the use of ACT can be useful and effective in providing comfort to the patients suffering from a number of mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, addictions and somatic health issues. The quality of life and mental health is elevated with the help of using ACT in the treatment of patients suffering from depressive disorders. According to the author, Bai, et al. (2020), the strategy of ACT are used to provide patients with an alternative way of living and to accept the times as the times based without fighting with situations (Bai, et al. 2020). Therefore such an approach is widely preferred to deal with patients with depressive disorders.

Randomised controlled trials

The randomised controlled trials are being evaluated to provide all the essential information regarding the application of ACT in psychotherapy strategies. The values added to the lives of the patients and the betterment of the symptoms of different mental disorders for the patients are analysed. The author Galvez-Sánchez, (2021), the area of problem is focussed and it can be obtained that the majority of the patients suffering from symptoms of depressive disorders have found the use of ACT as a useful and promising strategy for the provision of comfort to the patients of depressive disorders and to make their symptoms better (Ioannou, et al. 2020). Many people who have got help from the use of ACT have changed the way in which they used to preserve the world and their alternative behaviors have helped them to cooperate with traumatic times (Galvez-Sánchez, 2021).  The use of ACT has theoretically helped the patients to have a better lifestyle and to go with life without getting stranded in negativity.            

Comparison

The two techniques are two most actively used psychotherapy strategies to provide comfort to patients suffering from depressive disorders. The symptoms of the disorders include suicidal thoughts, lack of personal importance, and lack of appetite. All these symptoms are fire essential to be identified and then the treatment of these symptoms are being done using different strategies of psychotherapy. The two techniques are different in the way of their approach. The EFT puts focus on emotions and how to open up to one’s emotions and to change the way a person is looking at matters by changing or influencing the emotions of the person. In the second method, i.e. ACT, the acceptance of the matters are given focus. The theoretical concept where the times are being accepted without a struggle to fight back or without evaluation is being followed in this method. The use of ACT can bring promising transformations in patients as it brings alternatives in the behavioral patterns of the patients and also brings advantages to the lifestyle of the patient. [Refer to appendix 1]               

Conclusion

The adult woman that has sought help for her depressive disorders is being treated with active strategies of psychotherapy. Two of the most widely used psychotherapy strategies are being evaluated to state which one of the strategies is well suited for a woman who is suffering with depressive disorders, and how to enhance the symptoms of the patient. Evaluation Of both types of psychotherapy strategies has revealed that the use of ACT which can be expanded as Acceptance and Commitment Theory is best suited for the patient as the strategy of ACT is used theoretically to integrate the way of living where the times are just accepted without evaluation and fighting back. Such as approach is very promising for the comfort of the patient.

References

• Books
• Greenberg, L. S., & Goldman, R. N. (Eds.). (2019). Clinical handbook of emotion-focused therapy (pp. xiv-534). Retrived from: https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv1chrr6j.15 [Retrieved on 10.04.2023]
• Journals
• Bai, Z., Luo, S., Zhang, L., Wu, S., & Chi, I. (2020). Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to reduce depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of affective disorders, 260, 728-737. Retrieved from: https://dworakpeck.usc.edu/sites/default/files/2020-10/Bai%20Luo%20Zhang%20Chi.pdf [Retrieved on 10.04.2023]
• Beasley, C. C., & Ager, R. (2019). Emotionally focused couples therapy: A systematic review of its effectiveness over the past 19 years. Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work, 16(2), 144-159. Retrieved from: https://drrebeccajorgensen.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Beasley-and-Ager-EFT-Effectiveness.pdf [Retrieved on 10.04.2023]
• Galvez-Sánchez, C. M., Montoro, C. I., Moreno-Padilla, M., Reyes del Paso, G. A., & de la Coba, P. (2021). Effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy in central pain sensitization syndromes: a systematic review. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 10(12), 2706. Retrieved from: https://www.mdpi.com/1155666 [Retrieved on 10.04.2023]
• Golestanifar, S., & DashtBozorgi, Z. (2020). The Effectiveness of acceptance and commitment based therapy on depression, psychological health and life expectancy of the elderly with nonclinical depression. Aging Psychology, 6(3), 191-203. Retrieved from: https://jap.razi.ac.ir/article_1540_dad3b319598336be0d45a29193b2caa0.pdf [Retrieved on 10.04.2023]
• Ioannou, A., Papastavrou, E., Avraamides, M. N., & Charalambous, A. (2020). Virtual reality and symptoms management of anxiety, depression, fatigue, and pain: a systematic review. SAGE open nursing, 6, 2377960820936163. Retrieved from: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/2377960820936163 [Retrieved on 10.04.2023]
• Timulak, L. and Keogh, D., 2020. Emotion-focused therapy: A transdiagnostic formulation. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 50, pp.1-13. Retrieved from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10879-019-09426-7 [Retrieved on 10.04.2023]
• Waters, C. S., Annear, B., Flockhart, G., Jones, I., Simmonds, J. R., Smith, S., ... & Williams, J. F. (2020). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders: A feasibility and proof of concept study. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 59(4), 461-479. Retrieved from: https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/bjc.12261 [Retrieved on 10.04.2023]
• Websites
• Contextualscience.org (2020). Meta-Analyses and Systematic, Scoping, or Narrative Reviews of the ACT Evidence Base. Retrieved from: https://contextualscience.org/metaanalyses_and_systematic_scoping_or_narrative_reviews_of_the_act_evidenc [Retrieved on 10.04.2023]
• Article
• Coto-Lesmes, R., Fernández-Rodríguez, C., & González-Fernández, S. (2020). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in group format for anxiety and depression. Retrieved from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032719308717 [Retrieved on 10.04.2023]