Final answer:
Changing schemas is a key focus of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a therapy that links thought patterns, emotions, and behaviors, and aims to transform negative thinking patterns into more constructive ones.
Step-by-step explanation:
Changing schemas is a major target of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on the interconnection between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Therapists using CBT techniques work with individuals to identify and adjust distorted thinking patterns, which are seen as schemas, and learn how to change them into more accurate and beneficial thoughts, thus inevitably affecting behavior in a positive way.
In contrast, hypnotherapy is most effective in individuals that are very open to the power of suggestion, but it does not primarily target schema change. Research has shown that cognitive processes such as learning can be enhanced through practices like meditation and mindful awareness, which are a different focus altogether. Lastly, psychoanalysis, as developed by Sigmund Freud through case studies, also differs from CBT as it delves into the unconscious mind rather than conscious thought processes and behaviors.
FIGURE 1.16 Cognitive-behavioral therapists take cognitive processes and behaviors into account when providing psychotherapy. This is one of several strategies that may be used by practicing clinical psychologists.