Summary: <p>Behavior Modification, Goal Setting and Avoiding Common Traps<br> Presented by: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes<br> Executive Director, AllCEUs<br> Host: Counselor Toolbox</p> <p>A direct link to the CEU course is <a href="https://www.allceus.com/member/cart/index/product/id/29/c/">https://www.allceus.com/member/cart/index/product/id/29/c/</a><br> Objectives<br> ~ Define behavior modification<br> ~ Explore how behavior modification can be useful in practice<br> ~ Learn basic behavior modification terms:<br> ~ Unconditioned stimulus and response<br> ~ Conditioned stimulus and response<br> ~ Discriminitive stimuli<br> ~ Learned helplessness</p> <p>Why Do I Care<br> ~ Change means doing something different or modifying a response<br> ~ That response can be a neurochemical one (stress response) or an overt behavioral one (smoking)<br> ~ Behavior modification principles will help you understand some of the reasons people act/react the way they do<br> ~ By understanding what causes and motivates people’s behavior we can better address their issues<br> ~ The focus on observable, measurable conditions to the exclusion of cognitive interpretation underscores the mind-body connection<br> Definition<br> ~ Behavior modification in its truest form is concerned only with observable, measurable behaviors, stimuli and reinforcement<br> ~ Emotions, interpretations and mental processes have no bearing</p> <p>How can this be useful in practice<br> ~ Traditional (strict) behavior modification can be quite useful in simplifying stimulus/reaction<br> ~ Integrating the cognitive interpretations (labels) can help people in identifying and addressing what is causing their “distress” (Behaviorists would refer to excitatory response)<br> ~ Understanding what causes feelings can also give people a greater sense of empowerment.<br> Example<br> ~ Puppies learn appropriate behavior through reinforcement and correction<br> ~ Puppy 1 tackles puppy 2 threat<br> ~ Puppy 2 responds by tackling puppy 1 counter threat<br> ~ Both puppies get a surge of adrenaline<br> ~ The puppy that dominates receives a dopamine surge that reinforces the prior behaviors — do that again.</p> <p>~ If Puppy 1 plays too rough, then puppy 2 will either become more aggressive or leave.<br> ~ Either way, puppy 1s behavior is punished.<br> Example 2<br> ~ Humans have learned to label certain internal experiences with feeling words (angry, scared, happy)<br> ~ Sally goes to a pet store<br> ~ A puppy comes out, sits in her lap and puts is head on her leg<br> ~ This contact (we know from studies) usually causes the release of dopamine and oxytocin –both reward chemicals<br> ~ Sally calls this “happy”</p> <p>~ If Sally had previously had a threatening experience with a dog, when she saw it, her body would likely respond by secreting adrenaline, kicking off the fight or flight reaction. Sally would label this as “fear”<br> Points<br> ~ The brain receives signals and, based on prior learning (conditioning), responds with either:<br> ~ Fight/Anger or Flee/Fear (adrenaline/norepinepherine)<br> ~ No reaction/neutral<br> ~ Pleasure/Happy/Do this again (Dopamine/norepinephrine/Serotonin/GABA/Oxytocin?)<br> ~ Humans label these different chemical responses with feeling words.<br> ~ The same response can be labeled differently by two different people (fear vs. exhilaration)<br> Points<br> ~ People with anxiety, anger or resultant depression may need to:<br> ~ Recondition X is not actually a threat (anymore)<br> ~ Relabel<br> ~ Excited vs. terrified<br> ~ Stressed vs. hungry<br> ~ Helpless/anxious vs. fat<br> ~ ACT approach– X is causing me to have the feeling that…<br> ~ In American culture we often use nonfeeling words to describe emotional states.<br> ~ Part </p>
