Final answer:
The REBT technique being utilized is catastrophizing, which helps patients challenge irrational fears and can be crucial in treating disorders such as PTSD. Elizabeth Loftus' research warns against the potential for false memories to arise from certain therapeutic techniques, emphasizing the need for careful use of interventions like guided visualization.
Step-by-step explanation:
The therapist is using a technique from Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) known as catastrophizing, where the patient is asked to consider and describe the worst possible outcome. This technique is used to confront and challenge irrational beliefs and exaggerated fear responses that may be contributing to emotional distress. In REBT, such exercises can lead to treatments for disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), where patients can be debilitated by the memories of traumatic events. The process of confronting worst-case scenarios can help patients reframe their thoughts, reduce the emotional impact of memories, and promote healthier coping mechanisms.
Psychologist Elizabeth Loftus has conducted research related to memory and has expressed skepticism about the accuracy of recovered memories of traumatic events such as childhood sexual abuse. Loftus's work suggests that therapeutic techniques like guided visualization may sometimes lead to the creation of false memories. This can result from various misinformation effects, potentially leading to significant consequences during therapy or legal processes.