ABSTRACT
As Brewin (1996) pointed out, cognitive-behaviour therapy involves an extremely heterogeneous set of techniques and procedures. However, he argued persuasively that some theoretical coherence can be imposed on cognitive-behaviour therapy by drawing a distinction between interventions designed to modify conscious beliefs and representations and those designed to modify unconscious representations in memory. More specifically, Brewin (1996) concluded as follows:
The basis of behaviour therapy was the assumption that actions and emotions are under the control of learned associations represented in a consciously inaccessible form. Hence its techniques attempt to alter situationally accessible knowledge by changing behaviour. In contrast, cognitive therapists accepted that conscious cognitions such as beliefs, plans, and goals also influence behaviour and emotions. In addition to trying to change situationally accessible knowledge, they also developed techniques to boost compensatory strategies and to rectify misconceptions in verbally accessible knowledge
(p.53).