CBT and the possibilities for self-training

Poststructural Pub
1

Another thread prompted me to post this:

I heard an item on NPR’s “All Things Considered” last night (June 2) on cognitive behavior therapy that has set me thinking–mostly wondering why more people aren’t using these methods. (Find an audio link on this page: http://www.npr.org/rundowns/segment.php?wfId=1920052).

There are to be two more segments on this topic.

Don’t we all do this to some extent when we do concentrated practice? Learn new skills? We’re building in behaviors. We also do this in a negative way if we tell ourselves we can’t do things.

I’ve probably used these methods–without having a name for them–when trying to “get adjusted” to an uncomfortable idea or to unload anger.

I liked the distinct lack of emphasis on childhood experience. It’s the past and you can’t do anything about it. Instead, learn to deal with the present.

I found the following on http://www.cognitivetherapy.com/basics.html

Just what is CBT? How does it work?

Cognitive behavior therapy combines two very effective kinds of psychotherapy — cognitive therapy and behavior therapy.

Behavior therapy helps you weaken the connections between troublesome situations and your habitual reactions to them. Reactions such as fear, depression or rage, and self-defeating or self-damaging behavior. It also teaches you how to calm your mind and body, so you can feel better, think more clearly, and make better decisions.

Cognitive therapy teaches you how certain thinking patterns are causing your symptoms — by giving you a distorted picture of what’s going on in your life, and making you feel anxious, depressed or angry for no good reason, or provoking you into ill-chosen actions.

When combined into CBT, behavior therapy and cognitive therapy provide you with very powerful tools for stopping your symptoms and getting your life on a more satisfying track.

I dunno–I’ve never been in therapy, though there are times in my life when I probably should have been. But I think we’re all capable of learning new skills and improving ourselves as long as we’re alive and aware.

–M

2

Some years ago I saw a therapist who uses CBT and to this day I believe it saved my life. It stresses taking an active part in your own treatment. Incredibly pro-active. I was given written “homework” assignments each month and challenges that I had to report back about. I learned to see the destructive thinking patterns I had developed and how to stop them.

Another family member recently needed counseling desperately and happened to be referred to a counselor who uses CBT. It was the same type of thing - “homework,” writing assignments, identifying destructive thought patterns and replacing them with positive patterns. She’s made tremendous progress.

You’d only get rave reviews from me!

3

Let me plug Recovery Incorporated. The Recovery method has been helping people since 1937. The “modern” term for that method would fit into cognitive-behavioral therapy.

For anyone looking for help:
http://www.recovery-inc.org/
People come with mild symptoms such as sleeplessness, and mild anxiety, to major stuff such as agoraphobia, and suicide attempts. There are no hopeless cases. Recovery meetings are open to all adults, donations are accepted, no one is turned away for lack of funds. Check the website for a meeting near you. If you have any questions, I will be happy to try to answer them.

  • Bill
4

Check out books by Albert Ellis. He developed “rational emotive therapy” which is pretty much the forerunner of cognative therapy. Very interesting stuff which, to me, makes a lot of sense.