The relationship with the psychotherapist is very important for it serves as a vehicle for understand how the patient relates to others, past and present, in his world. The emphasis is on current life situations, transitions, dilemmas, relationships, and how a particular world view affects one's perception of the world. This approach is concerned with responsibility, action, awareness, and growth. It assumes that each person has a unique potential for growth and the task of psychotherapy is to facilitate the fulfillment of that human potential. The cognitive-behavioral approach examines the patient's beliefs and behaviors.
Individuals hold beliefs about themselves and relationships that affect behavior.
Negative beliefs lead to maladaptive behaviors. By examining and challenging these beliefs with new information, subsequent new behaviors can change. This approach also examines behaviors directly so that new, more adaptive behaviors can be developed. This approach is especially beneficial for changing habits, learned behavioral patterns, phobias, and many forms of depression. Often all of these approaches may be used interactively with the same patient depending on the issue that is under examination.