REBT has shed much light on how people can change their emotions by changing the content of their thinking. It is in many ways the forerunner of other increasingly popular cognitive-behavioral approaches. With respect to cognitive therapy, Beck has made pioneering efforts in the treatment of anxiety, phobias, and depression, and this approach has received a great deal of attention by clinical researchers. He developed specific cognitive procedures that are useful in challenging a depressive client's assumptions and beliefs and in teaching clients how to change their thinking. The constructivist perspective is a new trend in cognitive therapy that helps clients make distinctions between what is factual and their values and choices.
Constructivism has the potential to represent an inclusive model of therapy.
Although it is technically diverse, it is theoretically consistent. It does not apply to persons with limited intelligence. Possible dangers are the imposition of the therapist's own philosophy on the client and the psychological harm done to the client by the therapist who is overly confrontive or persuasive. In general, the cognitive-behavioral approaches have the limitation of not emphasizing the exploration of emotional issues. Their focus on the role of thinking can lead to an intellectualized approach to therapy.