Abstract:

Due to practical or compulsory reasons, it is common to offer psychotherapy in a foreign language and online platforms. This case study is an example of the application of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in such conditions. An English client living in a small town in Turkey consulted a cognitive-behavioral therapist for psychotherapy in English. The client presenting with symptoms of anxiety and depression was applied to psychotherapy for symptom relief purposes and functionality improvement. Although the client had unresolved traumas, considering the demand and the highest benefit of the client, symptom-based CBT was conducted. In this case example, the establishment of the therapeutic alliance in online therapy practice similar to traditional therapies, the techniques of the CBT being suitable for such an application setting, and the client's compliance to the psychotherapy contributed to the effectiveness of the treatment. This case study, although held in a foreign language on the video call, is important for demonstrating the effectiveness of a symptom-based approach while working with clients who are suitable for the CBT in a structured format. On the other hand, the difficulty of addressing crises such as suicide risk and sensitive issues such as destructive traumatic experiences revealed the limitations of such nontraditional psychotherapy settings and conditions.

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