Behavior Analytic Approaches to Counseling and Therapy: Session 262 with Pat Friman

The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria

Dr. Pat Friman returns to discuss the Behavior Analytic approaches he uses with patients. In this episode, we harken way back to Session 16, and review some of what we know about Anxiety and Depression, which are the most common forms of mental health distress.

Pat talks about how he conceptualizes these challenges, what he does in the first session with patients, his general approach to treatment, the role of medications, his view on when to begin or cease therapy, important therapist characteristics like kindness, compassion, and acceptance, and lots more!

Here are links to the references we spoke about:

• Pat's earlier appearances on the BOP.
• Pat's CEU previous CEU events: Session 16 (ethics) and Session 42.
• Friman, Hayes, and Wilson (1998). Why Behavior Analysts Should Study Emotion: The example of Anxiety.
• Hayes and Smith (2005). Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life (disclosure: Amazon Associate link).
• Haidt (2024). The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness (disclosure: Amazon Associate link).
• Session 227: Decreasing Social Media Use with Contingency Management, Inside JABA 15.

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• ACE Approved CEUs from .... Behavioral Observations. That's right, get your CEUs while driving (even this episode!), walking your dog, doing the dishes, or whatever else you might have going on, all while learning from your favorite podcast guests!
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• Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their brand new 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations.
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