Wessler’s cognitive appraisal therapy It was developed by psychologist Richard Wessler, and is focused on the treatment of different personality disorders.
In this article we will learn about its principles and some of its most important components, as well as its guidelines for three different disorders: histrionic, narcissistic, and dependent personalities.
Wessler’s cognitive assessment therapy consists of a cognitive-behavioral orientation therapy, aimed at treating personality disorders through an integrated approach
This approach integrates three types of processes: interpersonal, cognitive and affective. That is to say, addresses cognitive aspects of oneself, others, and situations, since it considers that cognitions have an essential role in the emotions and actions we carry out. But the other way around also happens, that is, emotions significantly influence our cognitions and thoughts (this idea comes from Aaron Beck’s cognitive model).
Specifically, therapy aims to provide the patient with introspection or self-knowledge that helps them feel better and solve their own difficulties on their own. Your procedure It is based above all on suggesting, encouraging and providing explanations for the patient’s actions
Focus on psychotherapy
Wessler’s cognitive appraisal therapy approach, as we have seen, is integrative. Furthermore, the therapy is based on a motivational approach and assumes that behavior is directed by emotions
The therapy is based on the theories of social learning and interpersonal therapy, in addition to including elements of constructivism. It is designed to treat different personality disorders specifically.
Her techniques include components of Client-Centered Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, and Ellis’ REBT.
Psychological components
Some of the most important components of Wessler’s cognitive appraisal therapy are:
1. The therapeutic relationship
This should be warm and accepting, as well as include appropriate self-disclosure by the therapist. Therapy gives it an essential value for therapeutic change to occur.
2. Attention to emotions
Wessler’s therapy gives special value to emotions; especially to shame and self-pity
These emotions can be used by the patient himself to justify his actions, which is why it is important that the therapist provides adequate information about their nature, with the aim of the patient taking responsibility for his own actions.
3. Personal rules of life
This is an essential assumption in this therapy; These rules guide the person in their relationships between the cognitive and the social, ethics and morality, and therefore they also end up guiding their thoughts and actions.
Wessler’s cognitive assessment therapy pays attention to the patient’s personal rules of life, with the aim of identifying them and helping them modify them in case they are distorting the patient’s reality, or causing suffering
4. Security search maneuvers
They are the actions that the patient develops and that produce certain emotions; These, in turn, end up leading you to experience a feeling of security. They can be behavioral or interpersonal
Therapy also focuses on them, because they provide many clues about how the patient is, thinks and feels.
Personality disorders in which it is applied
As we have seen, Wessler’s cognitive appraisal therapy treats different personality disorders. Let’s see what its specific assumptions are like in three different disorders:
1. Histrionic personality
Let’s see some of the guidelines that therapy follows for this type of patient.
First of all, it is important for the therapist to focus on working with the patient without reinforcing histrionic behavior; He can do this by showing attention and interest at the beginning of the therapeutic relationship, and once the bond is established (it being stronger), change the approach to a more empathetic one
It will do this by reflecting the feelings that the person really has, instead of the dramatic emotions that they “interpret” or pretend. On the other hand, the therapist will focus on helping the patient to be calm, without getting carried away or “dragged” by the attractive stories that the patient tells.
The main techniques that the therapist will use with the histrionic patient will be: self-revelation, so that the patient does not lose contact with reality; reframing the patient’s verbalizations and using humor to deflate her melodramatic style.
2. Narcissistic personality
For this type of patient, it will be important to address the patient’s feeling of being able to demand what they want from others, through self-revelation with the aim of creating dissonances between the patient’s version of reality (private) and the therapist’s version, considered socially appropriate.
This point will also be worked on by encouraging the patient to feel responsible for their actions, increasing their self-confidence and encouraging them to see themselves capable of achieving what they set out to do without needing to take advantage of others.
3. Dependent personality
In dependent personality disorder, Wessler’s cognitive appraisal therapy focuses on encourage these types of patients to stop being passive and focus on pleasing themselves, instead of constantly trying to please and like others. These types of objectives can be set from the beginning.
Other techniques will be to encourage the patient to take risks outside of therapy, to defend their rights (enhancing their assertiveness) and to make decisions for themselves, without depending on the approval of others to do so.
That is, the final objective will be for the patient to learn to be independent; In this way, the therapist will try to make the patient “be his own therapist”, increasing his autonomy and self-determination, and helping you set boundaries in your personal relationships
