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Reflective Report: The Cherished Memories Protocol
Vrije University Amsterdam
Emotion, Cognition, and Behaviour from a Clinical Perspective: Group 6
Paula Cortes Montenegro
June 9, 2024
, 2
General Introduction
This assignment, which is part of the preliminary course "Emotion, Cognition, and Behavior
from a Clinical Perspective," entails using the life review approach in a practical and instructional way.
It was modified from its clinical roots. This assignment allows us psychology students to learn and
practice direct interviewing methods in a controlled environment, which is essential for our future
careers as therapists. The main objective here is to provide us with the tools required to do and
evaluate therapeutic interviews efficiently, with an emphasis on improving our capacity to lead
conversations that may assist people in remembering particular, fulfilling life experiences.
The Cherished Memories (CM) protocol is a therapy strategy that is specifically designed for
older adults (55 years and older) who are experiencing depression. The life review process, which was
initially designed to improve emotional well-being by encouraging people to reflect on the past and
emphasize happy memories in particular, is the foundation of this procedure (Bohlmeijer et al., 2010).
This change is important because depressed people often describe their experiences in broad,
distorted ways, sometimes leaving out specific happy times from their lives. The basic principle of CM
is to counter these widely held unfavorable narratives by emphasizing particular happy experiences.
According to the current study's findings of Sharif et al. (2018), a life review counselor sets up
scenarios where an older client may make sense of their history and present in new and more
organized ways and ultimately come to a favorable conclusion about their life.
According to CM protocol, following a preliminary interview, which serves as an introduction,
the interviewee's life story is often summarized and the methodology is outlined. Two further sessions
concentrating on different life stages—childhood or youth and adulthood—will be carefully scheduled.
Each interview takes 45 minutes. This framework supports therapeutic aims of lowering depression
symptoms by challenging prevailing negative attitudes and strengthening positive self-identity, in
addition to helping the collecting of full life narratives.
Preparation of the interviews
To choose an appropriate participant who is 55 years old. I asked my mother about her
acquaintances who are fluent in English. The participant I encountered happened to be a friend of my
mother, Mrs. X, and she was very interested in helping me. I obtained her contact information from my
mother and afterward contacted her to explain the objective of the conversation and establish mutual
consent for the initial encounter. The first meeting has been arranged on Thursday, May 9th. Mrs. X
kindly invited me to visit her home, where we found a serene and cozy atmosphere. Before the initial
meeting, I prepared an opening document outlining the interview's overall purpose and content for
Reflective Report: The Cherished Memories Protocol
Vrije University Amsterdam
Emotion, Cognition, and Behaviour from a Clinical Perspective: Group 6
Paula Cortes Montenegro
June 9, 2024
, 2
General Introduction
This assignment, which is part of the preliminary course "Emotion, Cognition, and Behavior
from a Clinical Perspective," entails using the life review approach in a practical and instructional way.
It was modified from its clinical roots. This assignment allows us psychology students to learn and
practice direct interviewing methods in a controlled environment, which is essential for our future
careers as therapists. The main objective here is to provide us with the tools required to do and
evaluate therapeutic interviews efficiently, with an emphasis on improving our capacity to lead
conversations that may assist people in remembering particular, fulfilling life experiences.
The Cherished Memories (CM) protocol is a therapy strategy that is specifically designed for
older adults (55 years and older) who are experiencing depression. The life review process, which was
initially designed to improve emotional well-being by encouraging people to reflect on the past and
emphasize happy memories in particular, is the foundation of this procedure (Bohlmeijer et al., 2010).
This change is important because depressed people often describe their experiences in broad,
distorted ways, sometimes leaving out specific happy times from their lives. The basic principle of CM
is to counter these widely held unfavorable narratives by emphasizing particular happy experiences.
According to the current study's findings of Sharif et al. (2018), a life review counselor sets up
scenarios where an older client may make sense of their history and present in new and more
organized ways and ultimately come to a favorable conclusion about their life.
According to CM protocol, following a preliminary interview, which serves as an introduction,
the interviewee's life story is often summarized and the methodology is outlined. Two further sessions
concentrating on different life stages—childhood or youth and adulthood—will be carefully scheduled.
Each interview takes 45 minutes. This framework supports therapeutic aims of lowering depression
symptoms by challenging prevailing negative attitudes and strengthening positive self-identity, in
addition to helping the collecting of full life narratives.
Preparation of the interviews
To choose an appropriate participant who is 55 years old. I asked my mother about her
acquaintances who are fluent in English. The participant I encountered happened to be a friend of my
mother, Mrs. X, and she was very interested in helping me. I obtained her contact information from my
mother and afterward contacted her to explain the objective of the conversation and establish mutual
consent for the initial encounter. The first meeting has been arranged on Thursday, May 9th. Mrs. X
kindly invited me to visit her home, where we found a serene and cozy atmosphere. Before the initial
meeting, I prepared an opening document outlining the interview's overall purpose and content for
