ABSTRACT
This brief chapter combines psychodrama and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques in applied group settings. We illustrate the application of some CBT techniques that were found helpful in the three phases of psychodrama with college students and patients diagnosed with mood, substance abuse, anxiety, and personality disorders. Although both CBT and psychodrama models stress the discovery process through Socratic questioning, the use of certain structured CBT techniques (e.g., the Dysfunctional Thought Record) provides additional ways of stimulating the development of self-reflection and problem-solving skills. The group cognitive behavioral therapy (GCBT) model focuses on identifying upsetting situations, automatic negative thoughts, triggered moods, writing balanced thoughts to counter negative automatic thoughts, and recognizing distortions in thinking and imprecise interpretations of difficult situations. The GCBT environment provides a supportive and safe climate to practice new thinking and behaviors (Treadwell, Kumar, & Wright, 2004).
