Are you listening, psychotherapists? It’s a movement now, a consumer revolt of nitpick pioneers numbering in the dozens, who, like William James (remember him? You should!) reject your “unspeakably blind and shallow religion of healthy-mindedness.” We’re looking through you, no more bullshit, no more manuals, time to do the right thing, stand up for what you claim to believe in, (“by a landslide!”), give the people what they want, the revolution will not be lobotomized.
On this day of stealing song titles, I refer you to the sexy intellectual blog de la Ruth known as Off Label, a must read and daily fix for what ails and rails the best minds of your generation.
To wit:
Fuck you very much for CBT
Fuck you very much for reminding me
That the way I feel has no relation to what’s real
And that no one really cares what happened to me
So fuck you very much for CBT
For trivialising and reducing me
To an emotional bureaucrat in my crisis management hat
Word. Those still on the fence can look into my eyes; I’ll be your mirror evidence base. Start engaging consumer criticism. Dip in to the sea of possibility. Go read the classic 2003 Psychiatric Times “Cognitive Therapy’s Faulty Schema” by your colleague, Paul Genova, MD, here.
Redux:
- Cognitive therapy does not reflect current knowledge of how the brain works;
- Cognitive therapy is not rational;
- Cognitive therapy does not really reject transference;
- Cognitive therapy unquestioningly supports the social status quo;
- Cognitive therapy gives patients no means of responding to unsolvable problems: to the inherently tragic nature of life.
Mental midgets to the core, busted out. A pox on your practice, from this day forward. Even the hamster curses you.
Reminds me of the nephrology fellow who told me my psychologist could teach me to cope with pain better as if my pain in my dialysis access was not real nor caused by an incompetent surgeon who put an access over a fistula/hole in vein/artery connection caused by a PIC in the same hospital years before, no it was all in my head and if I just thought about it right I wouldn’t mind the extreme pain for 3 and a half hours 3 times a week. Right. My psychologist wasn’t buying that, but she doesn’t buy CBT either.
Yes, well, the lame brain who tried it on me and the venal joint she worked for both got notice that I was starting a movement against it. I said maybe not now, maybe even not in 5 or ten years, but I was going to educate myself and fight back. Work for people to know what they are in for and to have choice. I didn’t know up from down about disciplines, but I sure knew idiot talk when I heard it.
This is a good place to put this:
I’m not at the Dylan Shelter anymore, so I asked fifthdaughter to post that article from Z mag on Hardwired for Moral Politics: Neuroscience and Empathy.
Glad you like it Robin; I sure thought it was important too. Now, you posted about Abraham Maslow, so I looked into him, and I must say, his self-actualization biographical analysis of the group he picked was about the most mind blowing thing I’ve ever seen. Fit what I believe in to a t.
And his hierarchy of needs is wonderful.
Thanks, I will continue….
http://nidus.org/
Did you go there grizz? That’s on my blogroll, because more than anything it shows why Maslow is more relevant than ever, and why he was a visionary of transformational politics. If you haven’t checked that site, prepare for a ride, it’s somber, hilarious and interactive. It’s one of the best things ever, really, a work of genius, and a labor of love, keeping Maslow alive.
A year ago the webmaster and I exchanged emails and I learned all about life and truth from him in like 200 words or less.
Just like that ZNet article, which I should prolly do a post on, nothing new there, but gratifying to see neuroscience catching up with Maslow and confirming what the humanists put out in a massive body of scholarship 40 years ago. Time for a comeback, it’s time to stake our claim.
Antonio Damasio is the antidote to the ‘therapeutic’ denegration of the emotions.
No, I didn’t, I’m looking at it now – thanks! At least I THINK I’m looking at it, for all I know, it’s looking at me! But that’s okay, I’m good to look at – maybe not tonight though, but you see, that site I know doesn’t care how ravaged my look may be from the daisy day I might have had.
It’s fantastic, thanks.
I read Feeling Good recently after coming across it on a library shelf. It’s a self-help CBT book for the masses. Has anyone else read this book??? Aside from all the concerns already raised here about CBT, Burns advises a woman whose husband has moved in with his mistress to keep his favourite cigars in the freezer and to not harp on the telephone when he calls in order to lure him back. No questioning about WHY on earth she’d want him back. Of course she should. And frozen cigars are the way to go. Another woman was ‘liberated’ by allowing herself to feel empathy for her cheating husband, who is obviously hurting because he can’t help having falling in love with another woman. The misogyny is this book was stunning. I kept reading and re-reading it, choking on all the cognitive techniques being used on these women. No men were being taught little tricks to ‘understand’ and accomodate their wives.
Feeling Good was recommended to me when I first entered the system close to 20 years ago. I couldn’t get past the first chapter because it was so damned condescending–absolutely insulting to ones intelligence. That was my introduction to CBT and I’ve never recovered. It always smells of condescension to me.
And this has become the treatment of choice for low income people in community mental health centers. It’s cheaper than insight therapies, and it works in ways they don’t. See how it works? The therapist gets the woman to subjugate her mind and heart, and he can report a good outcome, CBT saves marriages.
It’s a tool all right.
Hey, that book aside, they do it to the men too. Facts set aside, trauma from youth set aside, unspoken stigma set aside – it’s just your attitude. Why, everything is rosy, why do you want to find out things? Why do you want to change things; fight for things? How dare you think you know right from wrong and stand up? How dare you? You’re damn right I dare, you won’t take that away, never. You won’t add that to the list of things stolen; never, never, never.
There are two kids I love that I’ve been fighting for too; so they know compassion, so they know understanding, so they know love. So they know responsibility, that is, responsibility means how you treat others. How you care. I saw one last night. It was nice. I have worked to talk, to help guide, to support. She’ll be 19 soon. People who know my story and have met her understand. I’ll see her tonight again too! I’m proud of her.
Grizzledanold, I didn’t mean to suggest that men weren’t targets of CBT too. It was just so blatantly used against women in that book that I was shocked that someone would be proud of what they were doing and actually publish it.
Yes, Flawedplan, if all women would only not complain when their husbands took mistresses. If they would keep the home well stocked with scotch and cigars, of course the institution of marriage would be saved. It IS logical that certain kinds of men would stay with wives who are blind to their indiscretions and all sweetness and light, devoid of independent thought. No need to ask WHY those marriages should be saved.
I so agree with the statement ‘cognitive therapy unquestioningly supports the social status quo.’ That it can, at times, when practiced on a great number of people do that very well is not a very good thing. Feeling good, at the expense of self, is NOT a desirable outcome.
That’s the main thing that made me insane about CBT; I’ve talked to many CBT cobags at online mental health blogs and forums who consider social activism pathology; and “counsel” other members during emotional upsets after witnessing some everyday injustice. It’s so insidious; yes some of us deal with emotional dysregulation and it makes life challenging. But to advise people to drop all your cares about the homeless guy sleeping in the alley, because hey, that’s life, but especially because it’s bad for your fragile mental health and your obligation is to gain mental stability…god…I almost put my fist through my monitor daily when I hung out at mental health forums.
When Maslow studied mentally healthy people back in the day he found mental health to be about growth, empowerment and civic engagement. Healthy people are not focused on their tender fee-fees; they’re tough as thugs and out changing the fucked up world of shit.
That’s what recovery should look like.
Everything old is new again. When I was in graduate school I looked at older personality testing materials. Being a leftist was considered a sign of pathology as was being anti-authoritarian. And I remember my first psychiatrist who was supposedly of the interpersonal school telling me that normal people didn’t get so upset about all the injustice in the world. Yeah, that’s part of the problem with our world, don’t you think?
If I hadn’t become an activist, I wouldn’t still be here, I would have given up some time ago. My anger keeps me going, keeps me stubborn and says: “I’m not going to let THEM kill me off” so I keep up the daily grind of taking care of my kidneys even when it’s annoying and tiresome as all get out.
CBT can go CBT itself.
Cate, don’t worry, I knew that. I just threw in my experience. Call me grizz, easier to write.
Yeah, well, Robin, uh, you know, fighting and being active and concerned is the most healthy thing a goin’, seems like that was a responsibility given with our birth and the birth of this nation. Seems like then, CBT is un-American and inhuman. And it is.
Phooey on it.
Governments love CBT as it absolves responsibility. If problems are down to faulty beliefs and thoughts in the client, this neatly removes the need to create healthy environments for their citizens to live in. I’m writing from the UK where CBT therapists are being called for in droves to treat mental health problems – I really think that this isn’t the best way forward. Mental illness is a legacy of government – and CBT is, as you say, not up to date to the level that is needed.
Have you read this article ( http://www.hgi.org.uk/archive/APET-model.htm )on why the old ABC model (from Albert Ellis) of cognitive therapy is now invalid, and how understanding recent findings on how the brain really works (essentially, the role of innate pattern matching and emotions) can completely overhaul how we treat mental illness? Cognitive Behavioural Therapy made a good start – but there is a long way to go yet to treating people effectively.
And this has become the treatment of choice for low income people in community mental health centers. It’s cheaper than insight therapies, and it works in ways they don’t.
I jsut got told Iam leaving the Anxiety disorder unit-new psy on board-shes into drugging and 10 CBT sessions-I piss on her-
DONT piss on my PTSD—dont try to bypass all my abuse and wanta muppet drug me up-Ive worked far to hard to have it offed by “import Psy” – I hae other ways I can see R the T after discharge if needed-Iam heading out to the Varisty for therphy work
Want do you think of A.C.T–Robin-do you think this one needs pissing on-I kinnda like it-I feel in charge while using it etc
I’m glad you can still see R the therapist after your time’s up. I don’t even know him but I know he’s one of the good ones, with the warm-hearted Schema therapy.
I like the ACT method alot Poodle, I should keep up with the outome studies on that school but right now I think it’s way under the radar, I never read of it in the psychopshere, where the docs and patients blog? It’s not American you know, ACT, not aggressive enough and respects the patient too much, is what I’m thinking.
It’s good to hear from you, darkling.
Ive just got the work-book-Ron the T was in spain at the work-shop-so I got the book at shop while he was there-
Get outta your mind and into your life-
ACT, not aggressive enough and respects the patient too much, is what I’m thinking.
and I think your right-I like that Ron The T merges different therapy types together for me-I would not have liked +Straight CBT+–also a lot of my therapy has been around having a relationship with a man-learning 2 trust-the good old fashioned therapeutic relationship-these days most ppls never get a change at it-
Its all pills and piss on yous- Iam so Luckily Robin-
I never read of it in the psychopshere, where the docs and patients blog?
I dont know-i will have a toddle around and get back 2 U-
Ive got +Modern Times+ on-wow-I love it-I so loved seeing Dylan live-Iam still on Bob Cloud.
Iam posting too myself again-Iam gifted in this area-The candied psy-I like him-must be the punk connection. Nah-is the music factor-
I dont trust ppl who dont have music in theri lives-Ive met people who don”t even lsiten to music-what drop-kicks they were-
Music Factor- A great way too Dx wheather that Psy Healer is the one for you-I always ask if they like JOhnny-I can even forgive if they ask-”Johnny who?”
Dr.Steels eyes locked into mine and he said
“No I dont”
I told him he was nothing but a Paramedical cow-boy 2 me-
Aka-just for the drugs-
I wander Robin-xoxoxoxo
the man wasn”t worth a piss
Can you fix up my spelling mistakes-My words drizzle -
Please-?- I cant edit them my self-
catch you on the back-beat-
(((Poodle))), those typos are glorious, I wanna leave them in. The candied psychiatrist rocks.
You know I take these inventories too, music and poets, and I recommend it. People think I’m kidding about that, but when I saw the complete works of Anne Sexton on my last psychologist’s coffee table, I knew we’d get down to business there. He was the best help I found in this whole stinking city.
My god, I’m not the only one who thinks this way! It’s not just me! Other people find this as repulsive as I do! Finally found a good therapist who actually listens, but when I saw this it was like my own thoughts were being handed to me in words better than any I could ever find for myself. BY GOD IT’S NOT JUST ME! Thank you for existing! Thank you from the corporate cookie cutter towns of Pennsylvania and the madhouses of New Jersey. We’ve really got to listen, got to let each other be. Carl Solomon would have loved you.