American psychologist
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Hey! This video is all about how to, "practically", let them. The mental moves behinddd let them, if you will!VIDEO TIMELINE ⇢00:00 Lets talk about Letting Them0:52 The first mental movee you need to understand01:24 Understanding 'Must Mode' (the opposite of let them)02:17 Turning 'Shoulds' into Preferences03:33 Reassuring Your Ego05:43 Setting Personal Policies and Self Limits07:26 Cord Cutting bb08:46 Locus of Control Exercise10:36 RecsLINKS ⇢
In this episode, I chat with Windy Dryden. Windy is Emeritus Professor of Psychotherapeutic Studies at Goldsmiths in the University of London. He has been working in the field of psychotherapy since 1975, and was one of the first people in Britain to be trained in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). He learned from pioneers such as Albert Ellis, Aaron T. Beck and Arnold Lazarus, among others. He is a very influential figure in the field himself, best-known as the UK's leading expert on Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). In a career spanning almost half a century, he has worked with thousands of clients, trained countless students, and written or edited 285 books on psychotherapy. Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Highlights* What was different when you first began studying psychotherapy in the 1970s?* Do you think anything was done better in the past?)* In a nutshell, what is Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy?* What the relationship is between REBT and CBT.* What is single-session therapy?* What information do you need to get from the client to make this approach work?* Do you ask clients to do preparatory work before the session or homework afterwards?* How can REBT help with anger?* How do we distinguish healthy from unhealthy anger?* What's the simplest bit of good advice, in your view, that could be given to people struggling with anger?Links* Website: windydryden.com* Amazon Author ProfileThanks for reading Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life! This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life at donaldrobertson.substack.com/subscribe
Entdecke das ABCDE-Modell von Albert Ellis!
“La mayoría de las cosas que te preocupan jamás ocurren.” Este es uno de los ingredientes del episodio de hoy en Recetas para el Alma con Albert Ellis el psicólogo referente de la Terapia Cognitiva Conductual (TCC) y de la Terapia Racional Emotiva Conductual (TREC) Espero te guste mucho este episodio! Recuerda que ya está a la venta mi Libro RECETAS PARA EL ALMA. Consíguelo en Buscalibre.com o de manera digital en Amazon Si quieres un proceso de Coaching conmigo escríbeme a: tucoachbravo@gmail.com me encantará poderte ayudar. Y por favor no olvides compartir este capitulo con alguien a quien le pueda servir ! Coméntame si te gustó este episodio o recomiéndame un invitado para el próximo episodio en mi Instagram : @ChristianBravoOficial Recuerda que ya está a la venta mi Libro RECETAS PARA EL ALMA .Consíguelo en Buscalibre.com o de manera digital en Amazon Si quieres un proceso de Coaching conmigo escríbeme a tucoachbravo@gmail.com me encantará poderte ayudar. Y por favor no olvides compartir este capitulo con alguien a quien le pueda servir ! Coméntame si te gustó este episodio o recomiéndame un invitado para el próximo episodio en mi Instagram :@ChristianBravoOficial
Is how you think influencing how you feel? Are there thoughts we should all avoid? What types of thinking are most harmful? In this episode, Danny and Randy discuss 3 thoughts that will ruin your life.We reference the following book in this episode: “How to Make Yourself Happy, and Remarkably Less Disturbable,” by Albert Ellis, PhD. Subscribe to ESP's YouTube Channel! Thanks for listening! Do you have a question you want answered in a future episode? If so, send your question to: existentialstoic@protonmail.comDanny, Randy, and their good friend, Russell, created a new podcast, CodeNoobs, for anyone interested in tech and learning how to code. Listen to CodeNoobs now online, CodeNoobs-podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
When Paul wrote his letter to his Philippian friends, he was under house arrest in Rome, chained constantly to a Roman guard. But Paul saw this as an opportunity for the gospel. He had a captive audience! As a result, members of the palace guard were coming to Christ and taking their new-found faith with them to the far reaches of the empire. God was at work! Paul was aware that God was using his imprisonment to advance the gospel.His mindset is reflected in a theory by Albert Ellis called The ABC's of Emotional Life. A = Antecedent. The starting point is the situation you find yourself in.C = Conclusion. This is the way I respond to the situation and the conclusions I draw.But the thing that gets us from A to C is:B = Beliefs. It's my beliefs about what happened to me (the antecedent) that ultimately determine the way I feel. That's why two people can go through the exact same situation and have polar opposite responses. Their beliefs are different.Here are Paul's antecedents: He is in chains. He'd rather be out preaching the gospel, but instead, he's in prison with a good chance of being executed. If Paul's beliefs had been, “I've failed; my life is over,” you'd expect them to lead to negative emotions like despair or fear. But Paul believed that God was still in control. He believed that even what appeared to be bad would end up being used for good.This unshakable belief brought him to this conclusion: “…because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice.” (Phil. 1:18)The ABC's of Paul's emotional life were:Antecedent: Life is difficult.Belief: Jesus is Lord.Conclusion: I will rejoice.You find this mindset throughout Scripture. The OT character of Joseph captured it perfectly when he said: “What you intended for evil, God used for good.” (Gen. 50:20)You could say that Paul's perspective was this: “I have given up trying to get God to engineer the circumstances I want. Rather, I'm devoting my life to partner with God in the circumstances He's allowed.”In his letter, Paul goes on to ask the Philippians to pray that the things that had happened to him would result in his deliverance. But he is not saying, “Please pray that I will be released.” Rather, he is saying, “Pray that no matter how difficult this gets, I will not dishonor God. Pray not that I will be delivered from my circumstances. Pray that I will be delivered in my circumstances.” Text: Philippians 1:11-20 Originally recorded on June 29, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
https://youtu.be/i4aX0xT53-g?si=36tunNfeIiN1Cs7w Redemption Church - Healthy New Year - 2 - Mental Health Talk Chris IntroHealthy New Year Introduction: Educational background – Obtained master's in counseling psychology in 2016, Tarleton State University Work background – almost 10 years' experience - work with an agency that provides mental health services in individuals across six counties. Have worked extensively with justice-involved population – worked across six different county jails Objective: *Will not be an exhaustive deep dive into all mental health issues… *The purpose of our conversation today is to focus on thoughts/emotional issues that we all face in some way in our daily lives. I've worked with a lot of inmates across many jails who experience the very same thoughts/emotional struggles that we do. Depression, isolation, anxiety. *Today we will focus on five different areas -- so that we can CLIMB to better mental health in 2025 CLIMB C-Change Your Thoughts Psychological Insights: Author James Allen in his book ‘As a Man Thinketh' states: “As he thinks, so he is; as he continues to think, so he remains.” Psychological research confirms this very sentiment. Our thought life is powerful & important – it acts as a steering wheel which can bring us to all sorts of different destinations, bad or good. Discuss Reintegration classes at the jail. There is a big focus on helping individuals identify maladaptive thinking patterns & giving them strategies to dispute and change those thoughts. The ABCs of Thinking is a technique where individuals can gain these new skills. Dr. Albert Ellis developed the “ABCs of thinking” model. This model is used to understand how our beliefs about an activating event influence our emotional and behavioral consequences. ABCs of Thinking A. Activating Event B. Your beliefs about the event. C. Consequences How is it possible that two different people can have vastly different responses to the same activating event? Bus Stop example – Failed exam example – What do I believe about what just happened? After practicing, it is possible to evaluate your belief and reframe in real time to improve the consequence. It is only fitting that Jim Rohn, an influential motivational speaker and thought leader, once famously said: “No one else ‘makes us angry.' We make ourselves angry when we surrender control of our attitude. Biblical Foundation: What does God say about this? Allow God to Transform Your Mind Romans 12:2 - “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Focus on what is Good- Philippians 4:8- “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. How easy is it to focus on things that are negative, unwholesome, and distracting? There is power in filling our mind with God's word. Bring our Thoughts into the Obedience of Christ 2 Corinthians 10:5 -“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, Stay Your Mind on God Isaiah 26:3 - “You keep him in perfect peacewhose mind is stayed on you,because he trusts in you. L-Lean Into Your Purpose Psychological insights: Purpose - Research shows that having a sense of purpose improves mental health, lowers the risk of depression, and enhances overall well-being. An excerpt from The American Psychiatry Association website states: “What is purpose in life? It means having a central, organizing life aim, an overall sense of direction in one's life, and a belief that one's life activities are valuable and important — making a positive mark on the world.1,
Albert Ellis and Raymond Chip Tafrate's "How To Control Your Anger Before It Controls You
Send us a textExplore the psychological intricacies that shape healthcare attitudes as we engage with industrial psychologist Dr. Chris Steilberg. Uncover the secrets behind how emotionally charged schemas in our brains forge beliefs that resist even the most compelling facts. Through motivational interviewing, we reveal ways to build trust and shift attitudes between patients and healthcare providers. Hear the remarkable story of Dick Cheney's battle with smoking addiction following multiple heart attacks, illustrating the uphill challenge of changing well-entrenched habits and beliefs in the realm of health.Dive into a thought-provoking narrative on how the COVID-19 mask mandates served as a societal mirror, highlighting deep-seated divisions and belief "firewalls." By sharing a personal story from the gym, we open up strategies that use surprise and absurdity to dismantle these barriers and promote open dialogue. Discover the transformative methods of psychiatrist Albert Ellis and the exciting potential of psychedelics in reshaping mental frameworks. This episode promises a rich exploration of shifting deeply held beliefs through innovative approaches, underscoring the gradual nature of these profound changes for enhanced healthcare outcomes.Koren's Key Three Takeaways:Understanding Healthcare Attitudes and Motivational ChangeBreaking Down Attitudes Through Surprising AbsurdityTransforming Beliefs and Behavior Through InnovationRecording Date: October 7, 2024Be a part of advancing science by participating in clinical research.Have a question for Dr. Koren? Email him at askDrKoren@MedEvidence.comListen on SpotifyListen on AppleWatch on YouTubeShare with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the MedEvidence! podcast to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInWant to learn more checkout our entire library of podcasts, videos, articles and presentations at www.MedEvidence.comMusic: Storyblocks - Corporate InspiredThank you for listening!
En este episodio, exploramos las 11 creencias irracionales según el psicólogo Albert Ellis y cómo condicionan nuestra vida sin darnos cuenta. Basándonos en su trabajo, veremos cómo estas ideas rígidas y poco realistas impactan en nuestras emociones y acciones. Además, aprenderemos a reconocerlas y transformarlas para vivir con más libertad y bienestar. 📚 Recursos gratuitos: https://psicoguias.com/recursos 💬 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helenapsicoguias 💻 Cursos Online: https://psicoguias.com/cursos ❤ Si te ha gustado, dale ME GUSTA, déjame un comentario y comparte con el mundo. ¡Muchas gracias! Escucha el episodio completo en la app de iVoox, o descubre todo el catálogo de iVoox Originals
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En este episodio, exploramos las 11 creencias irracionales según el psicólogo Albert Ellis y cómo condicionan nuestra vida sin darnos cuenta. Basándonos en su trabajo, veremos cómo estas ideas rígidas y poco realistas impactan en nuestras emociones y acciones. Además, aprenderemos a reconocerlas y transformarlas para vivir con más libertad y bienestar. 📚 Recursos gratuitos: https://psicoguias.com/recursos 💬 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helenapsicoguias 💻 Cursos Online: https://psicoguias.com/cursos ❤ Si te ha gustado, dale ME GUSTA, déjame un comentario y comparte con el mundo. ¡Muchas gracias!
In this episode, I speak with Dr. Walter Matweychuk. Dr. Matweychuk is a practicing psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania Health System, and has an independent telehealth practice in Manhattan with clients worldwide. He is also an adjunct professor of Applied Psychology at New York University. He has personally worked with both of the two main pioneers of cognitive-behavioral therapy: Albert Ellis and Aaron T. Beck. He is the author of several books on Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT), including Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy: A Newcomer's Guide and The REBT Pocket Companion for Clients.Every Saturday at 9 AM in New York City on Zoom, he does a demonstration of REBT with a volunteer willing to discuss a real problem, which has now surpassed 218 consecutive weeks; go to his website REBTDoctor.com to register for the link.Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Highlights* What is Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy?* Why he chose to focus on REBT rather than Beck's cognitive therapy* Mindfulness and acceptance based approaches in relation to REBT* What's the future of REBT?* The key similarities are between Stoicism and REBT* The REBT model of anger* What would a philosophy of life based on REBT look like? Links* REBTdoctor.com* The REBT Pocket Companion for Clients* Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy: A Newcomer's GuideThanks for reading Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life! This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life at donaldrobertson.substack.com/subscribe
Într-o lume care idolatrizează munca excesivă, tot mai mulți dintre noi devenim captivi ai cultului productivității. Acest episod explorează cum dorința de a fi mereu productiv ne poate acapara viața, transformând munca într-o obsesie care ne lasă puțin spațiu pentru bucurie și relaxare. Eduard Ezeanu, psihoterapeut si coach, ne ajută să înțelegem cum convingerile distorsionate ne împing să muncim din ce în ce mai mult, în speranța că vom obține recunoaștere, succes și fericire. Descoperim cum societatea și influențele din jurul nostru contribuie la perpetuarea acestei mentalități dăunătoare. În acest episod, discutăm despre diferența dintre productivitatea sănătoasă și cea nesănătoasă, și despre strategiile pe care le putem adopta pentru a ne elibera de presiunea constantă de a performa. Aflăm cum putem redefini valorile personale și cum putem redescoperi bucuria în activități care nu sunt legate de muncă, de la socializare și creativitate, la pur și simplu a savura un moment de relaxare. Acest episod este produs și distribuit cu susținerea E.ON Energie România. Resurse: 1. Devon Price, Laziness Does Not Exist (carte, 2021) 2. Celeste Headlee, Do Nothing: How to Break Away from 3. Overworking, Overdoing, and Underliving (carte, 2020) 4. Nassim Taleb, Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets (carte, 2005) 5. Albert Ellis, A Guide to Rational Living (carte, 1975) 6. Alex Hern, Will Elon Musk's 120-hour week stop us worshipping workaholism? (articol, 2018) https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/aug/23/elon-musk-120-hour-working-week-tesla
According to one of the greatest psychologists of all time, there are 3 major dysfunctional beliefs that directly ramp up distress and destructive behavior. His name was Dr. Albert Ellis and he was the creator of cognitive behavioral therapy—or how your thoughts, feelings, and beliefs influence your behavior. And you know what? A lot of financial advisors believe in at least one of these 3 major dysfunctional beliefs (and many believe in them all). Worst part? Even believing in a sub-belief of one of these 3 major dysfunctional beliefs is enough to make your clients hate your gut. In this episode, you'll discover what these 3 major dysfunctional beliefs are and how to suplex them from your subconscious if you believe in any of them. Listen now. Show highlights include: Do you have one of these 3 dangerous beliefs that not only prevents new clients from hiring you but also makes your current clients jump ship? Find out here… (4:01) Why amateur marketing videos recorded with an iPhone, by and large, outperform fancy videos with all the bells and whistles (6:29) One bonafide way to forever get over your insidious people-pleasing habit before it undermines your entire business (9:25) How you're accidentally making your clients feel judged when you offer financial advice instead of supported (14:04) Why only doing “revenue-generating activities” is not only weird but foolish if you want to grow your business (14:38) The “Coddling Cocktail” of factors that will shatter your dreams and business right in front of your face (18:35) Since you listen to this podcast, I want to give you a gift: If you subscribe to the Inner Circle Newsletter, I'll send you a collection of seven “objection busting” and copyright free emails, personally written by me, that you can use right away to begin getting more clients. Sign up here: https://TheAdvisorCoach.com/Coaching. Then, let me know you subscribed, and I will reply back with a link where you can download them for free. Subscribe to my email newsletter and get a free copy of 57 of my favorite financial advisor marketing ideas here: https://TheAdvisorCoach.com/57MT
====================================================SUSCRIBETEhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNpffyr-7_zP1x1lS89ByaQ?sub_confirmation=1=======================================================================VIRTUOSADevoción Matutina Para Mujeres 2024Narrado por: Sirley DelgadilloDesde: Bucaramanga, Colombia===================|| www.drministries.org ||===================24 DE SEPTIEMBRECREENCIAS RACIONALES CON BASE BÍBLICA«Ante todo, cuida tus pensamientos porque ellos controlan tu vida» (Prov. 4: 23, PDT).Es generalizado el hecho de que las personas albergamos creencias irracionales sobre la vida, sobre los otros y sobre nosotras mismas, que son totalmente antibíblicas. Estas creencias profundamente arraigadas condicionan mucho nuestra vida, dificultándonos ver las cosas por lo que son, superar las dificultades, amar al prójimo, mantener la alegría, relacionarnos sin juzgar y actuar con el filtro de la salvación de los otros y la nuestra.El autor y psicólogo Albert Ellis clasifica estas creencias irracionales en tres grupos: 1) debo hacer las cosas siempre bien; 2) la gente debe tratarme siempre bien; 3) el mundo debe funcionar de la manera correcta.* O sea: las cosas «deben»; la gente «debe»; el mundo «debe»; exigencias absolutistas que niegan las realidades que con tanto amor Dios nos ha presentado en la Biblia para que entendamos la realidad del conflicto entre el bien y el mal, y sepamos posicionarnos en el bando del Redentor de toda la humanidad.Exigirse a una misma hacer las cosas siempre bien es negar la existencia del pecado y cegarnos ante la realidad de que nadie es perfecto. No se trata de hacerlo todo bien, lo cual es teológicamente imposible, sino de hacerlo todo con amor, por amor, y dejar en manos de Dios el resto. Esperar que la gente nos trate siempre bien es una expectativa no solo imposible de cumplir sino negativa para nuestro crecimiento espiritual. ¿No son acaso las decepciones y los desencuentros, la humanidad con la que entramos a las relaciones interpersonales, las mayores y mejores fuentes de aprendizaje? ¿De qué otra manera descubrimos qué es el amor sino a través de relacionarnos con personas tan imperfectas como lo somos nosotras? No es por ciencia infusa; es por un proceso de perdón, aceptación y reconciliación.Desde que entró el pecado al mundo, todo dejó de funcionar de la manera correcta, así que no esperemos lo contrario. Y sí, es triste, y ojalá se pudiera dar marcha atrás hasta aquel momento y quitarle el fruto de la mano a Eva. Pero entonces no se hubiera manifestado Cristo como lo hizo.Alcanzar la madurez espiritual pasa por el hecho de cuestionar las creencias irracionales que nos alejan del mensaje de la Biblia y empaparnos de una fe racional que acepta el mundo como es y nos conduce a la fe, la esperanza y el amor.«Si nuestras creencias profundamente arraigadas contradicen la verdad, algo está mal». Hans Eysenk.* Rafael Santandreu, Los lentes de la felicidad (México D. F.: Grijalbo, 2015), p. 39.
Art of Manliness Although they may call it different things and approach its attainment in different ways, many of the world's religions and philosophies have a similar goal: achieving a life of virtue, peace, and flourishing.In his new book, Seriously Happy, Ben Aldrige explains how anyone can use the wisdom of ancient traditions to improve themselves and live the Good life. Today on the show, Ben offers a thumbnail sketch of Buddhism, Cynicism, Taoism, Stoicism, Epicureanism, and Aristotelianism, along with practices and challenges inspired by these philosophies, including walking a banana, listening to a music performance without music, and taking a Wu Wei adventure, that you can use to put ancient wisdom into action and become a better and happier man.Resources Related to the PodcastBen's previous appearance on the AoM podcast: Episode #640 — Weird and Wonderful Ways to Get Comfortable Being UncomfortableAoM Podcast #148: Trying Not to TryWhy Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment by Robert WrightJohn Cage's 4'33”Albert Ellis' Rational Emotive Behavior TherapyConnect With Ben AldridgeBen's website
I channel Albert Ellis...---Patreon.com/DGAFPokerPlayerpokerrags.US Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Although they may call it different things and approach its attainment in different ways, many of the world's religions and philosophies have a similar goal: achieving a life of virtue, peace, and flourishing.In his new book, Seriously Happy, Ben Aldrige explains how anyone can use the wisdom of ancient traditions to improve themselves and live the Good life. Today on the show, Ben offers a thumbnail sketch of Buddhism, Cynicism, Taoism, Stoicism, Epicureanism, and Aristotelianism, along with practices and challenges inspired by these philosophies, including walking a banana, listening to a music performance without music, and taking a Wu Wei adventure, that you can use to put ancient wisdom into action and become a better and happier man.Resources Related to the PodcastBen's previous appearance on the AoM podcast: Episode #640 — Weird and Wonderful Ways to Get Comfortable Being UncomfortableAoM Podcast #148: Trying Not to TryWhy Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment by Robert WrightJohn Cage's 4'33”Albert Ellis' Rational Emotive Behavior TherapyConnect With Ben AldridgeBen's website
Being a B2B marketer is tough and it can feel so lonely, especially when you're on your own! I'm sharing the 8 big shifts in my mindset that helped me go from frazzled and overwhelmed by imposter syndrome to happy, chill and loving my work! ►
Special Announcement #1 Attend the Legendary Summer Intensive Featuring Drs. David Burns and Jill Levitt August 8 - 11. 2024 Learn Advanced TEAM-CBT skills Heal yourself, heal your patients First Intensive in 5 years! It will knock your socks off! Limited Seating--Act Fast Click for registration / more information! Sadly, this workshop is a training program which will be limited to therapists and mental health professionals and graduate students in a mental health field Apologies, but therapists have complained when non-therapists have attended our continuing education training programs. This is partly because of the intimate nature of the small group exercises and the personal work the therapists may do during the workshop. Certified coaches and counselors are welcome to attend. Special Announcement #2 Here's some GREAT news! The Feeling Great App is now available in both app stores (IOS and Android) and is for therapists and the general public, and you can take a ride for free! Check it Today's Podcast Practical Philosophy Month Part 1, The Free Will Problem Welcome to Practical Philosophy month. For the next five weeks, we will discuss some of the most popular and challenging problems in philosophy, such as these: Do human beings have free will? Or is free will just an illusion? Do human beings have a “self?” Or is the “self” just another illusion? Is it possible to be more or less “worthwhile?” Are some humans “better” or “worse” than others? Does God exist? Is the universe “real” or “one”? What's the meaning of life? What is “self-esteem”? How does it differ from self-confidence? What's the difference between conditional and unconditional self-esteem? What's the difference between self-esteem and self-acceptance? What do you have to do to experience joy and feelings of worthwhileness? We will try to complete the list in five weeks, so some weeks we may include more than one topic, since many of these topics are related to one another. Rhonda and David will be joined by our beloved Dr. Matt May, a regular on our Ask David episodes, and for the first and second sessions we will be joined by our beloved Dr. Fabrice Nye, who created and hosted the Feeling Good Podcasts several years ago. Each week, you will also hear about the linkage between these philosophical dilemmas, and emotional problems, like depression, anxiety, and relationship conflicts. For example, nearly all depressed individuals believe that they aren't sufficiently “worthwhile.” I see my goal as a psychiatrist not as helping people feel “more worthwhile,” but rather showing people, if interested, how to give up this notion entirely and become free of certain kinds of damaging judgments of the “self” and others. You will also learn how these types of philosophical problems continue to play a large role in psychiatry and psychology, including the DSM5 diagnostic system. For example, is the diagnosis of “Generalized Anxiety Disorder” a true “mental disorder” that you could “have” or “not have?” And might some or most of the so-called “mental disorders” listed in the DSM be based on faulty philosophical / logical thinking? And if many or most of the “mental disorders” are based on goofy, faulty thinking, is there a more productive and effective way to think about most emotional problems? And how did we get into this mess in the first place? Worrying certainly exists, and we all worry at times. But how much or how often do you have to worry before you develop or have a “mental disorder” called “Generalized Anxiety Disorder” that can be diagnosed like any medical illness and treated with drugs? Or is “Generalized Anxiety Disorder” (and hundreds of other “mental disorders in the DSM” based on a certain kind of nonsensical thinking? And if so, why? What is the goofy, faulty thinking in the DSM? And are there some “mental disorders” that are valid and real? We HAVE touched on all of these themes in previous podcasts, but I thought it would be nice to put them all in one place and bring in a variety of “solutions,” controversies, and experts. I David, will often represent (hopefully, and to the best of my ability) the thinking of Ludwig Wittgenstein, as expressed in his famous book, Philosophical Investigation, published in 1950 following his death. That book consists of a series of numbered brief essays (a few paragraphs each) that were based on notes found in a metal box under his dormitory room at Cambridge University. He'd written these in preparation for his weekly seminars in his dormitory room. Wittgenstein, although now widely regarded as one of the greatest philosophers of all time, did not think he knew enough to teach in a classroom. In fact, because of his feelings of depression and self-doubt, he sadly never tried to publish anything when he was alive. Wittgenstein's philosophy also played an indirect but significant role in the evolution of several modern psychotherapies. His philosophy created new ways of thinking that gave rise to the work of Dr. Albert Ellis, the famous New York psychologist who created Rational Emotive Therapy during the 1950s. Ellis emphasized that the “Should Statements” that trigger so much guilt, shame, depression, anxiety, and rage are based on illogical thinking. He might often say, “Where is it written that people or the world “should” be the way you want them to be?” Of course, this idea actually traces back to the Greek Stoic philosophers like Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius. Wittgenstein's thinking also seems to have played a role in the thinking of Dr. Aaron Beck, who adapted the work of Ellis and called his version of the “Cognitive Therapy.” Beck emphasized many thinking errors, like All-or-Nothing Thinking, and Overgeneralization, that trigger depression, anxiety, and more. Sadly, Wittgenstein struggled with severe depression and loneliness throughout his life, and three of his four brothers tragically died by suicide. Wittgenstein also had prolonged periods of time when he considered suicide. It is also sad that he did not know how to apply his brilliant philosophical breakthroughs to his own negative thinking, but that application of his work did not develop at the time he was still alive. Part of Wittgenstein's depression was related, I believe, to the fact that very few people, including the most famous philosophers of Europe, could understand his thinking when he was alive. From time to time, I think he glimpsed the enormous importance of his work; but I believe that he also had prolonged moments of self-doubt when he thought his work was of little value at best. To be as correct as possible, Wittgenstein did write a manuscript called Tractatus Logico Philosophicus as a young man, although he never tried to publish it. He wrote it when he was a prisoner of war. He thought this book solved all the problems of philosophy, which had plagued him since he was a child, and he felt great relief. He sent a copy of his manuscript to Bertrand Russell, who was a famous British philosopher. Bertrand Russell was incredibly impressed with the Tractatus and distributed it to many European philosophers. Bertrand Russell thought it might be the greatest book in the history of philosophy, and a number of the 20th century philosophical movements including Logical Positivism, were inspired by that book. However, Wittgenstein left the field of philosophy, thinking that his work was done, and that he'd found the solutions he was looking for. He tried teaching grammar school for a while, but was fired because he became frustrated and violent toward some of his students. He also tried to survive as a fisher in a Norwegian fishing town, but was not successful at that, either, because he didn't know much about fishing, much less supporting yourself through fishing. One day, he learned that a brilliant Swedish economics student had found a flaw in his Tractatus, and his inner turmoil about the puzzling problems of philosophy flared up again. He decided to return to the study of philosophy. He applied to be an advanced undergraduate at Cambridge University, but when someone in the admissions office spotted his application, they recognized his name and showed his application to Bertrand Russell, who had been wondering what had become of the young man who once sent him such a brilliant manuscript. Russell, who was the chair of the department of philosophy, said to being Wittgenstein to his office immediately for an interview. Russell explained that he would have to reject Wittgenstein's application to be an undergraduate at Cambridge University. Deeply disappointed, Wittgenstein asked why. Russell told him it was because he was already recognized as the greatest philosopher of the 20th century. Bertrand proposed that if Wittgenstein would agree to skip college and graduate school, they would immediately award him a PhD for the manuscript he'd sent to Russell years earlier. Russell also offered him a full professor ship in the department of philosophy. Wittgenstein protested and said he needed to study philosophy again, because of the error in Tractatus, and that he didn't know anything, and definitely could not teach in a classroom. Bertrand Russell insisted, and they finally struck a deal where Wittgenstein would agree to be a professor of philosophy but all he would have to do was to have a conversation session with anybody who wanted to talk to him at his dormitory room once a week. Wittgenstein accepted and met for years with students and famous philosophers who came from around Europe to crowd into his dormitory room for his weekly seminars, and he began to shape a radically different philosophical approach from the one he'd described earlier in his Tractatus. He was determined to find a new way to solve all the problems of philosophy. And, to my way of thinking, along with those few who really understand him, he was successful. But he was often frustrated because, so few understood him. This was unfortunate, because what he was saying was incredibly simple and basic, and it was pretty similar to, if not identical to, the thinking of the Buddha 2500 years earlier. The Buddha apparently had the same problem—almost nobody could understand what he was trying to say when he was still alive. They couldn't “get it” when he was talking about the so-called “Great Death” of the “self,” or talking about the path to enlightenment. The Buddha's frustration resulted from the exact same problem Wittgenstein encountered 2500 years later. The Buddha was saying something that was extremely simple, obvious, and basic—and yet, it was rumored that of his more than 100,000 followers when he was alive, only three actually “got it” and experienced enlightenment. When I read Philosophical Investigations my senior year in college, it was rumored that only seven people in the world understood what Wittgenstein was trying to say. Wittgenstein's dream was that philosophy students would “get” his thinking and give up philosophy when they realized that most if not all philosophical problems are sheer nonsense. He wanted them to do something practical and real in the world instead of studying philosophy. He was verry disappointed when his favorite student, Norman Malcolm (one of the seven who “got it,”) pursued an illustrious career teaching philosophy in America at Cornell University. I always wished I could have known Wittgenstein when he was alive, so I could have told him this: I loved you, too, and I got it after several months of confusion, trying to understand your Philosophical Investigations, but eventually understood it with the help of your student, Norman Malcolm. His book about you was very inspiring. And that's why I left philosophy for something more practical in the world. I decided at the last minute to go to medical school to become a psychiatrist instead of philosophy graduate school. Hopefully, I am doing something that you might be proud of! But oddly enough, your thinking has also influenced my approach to people who feel depressed and worthless. They are also under a kind of destructive “enchantment,” thinking that there is some such “thing” as a more or less worthwhile human being! And this is a major cause of depression and anxiety and feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness. I wonder if you, Wittgenstein, ever felt that you weren't “good enough” when you were feeling down. hopeless and suicidal? I sure wish I could have helped you with that! If you want to understand Wittgenstein's work, the best book in my opinion is Norman Malcolm's moving and affectionate tribute to his beloved teacher, entitled “Ludwig Wittgenstein: A Memoir.” It's a short moving tribute to his beloved teacher, and tears go down my cheeks every time I read it, or even think about it. If you ever visit my office here at home, you'll find that memoir proudly sitting on my bookshelf, with a handsome photo of Wittgenstein on the cover. Toward the end of his life, Wittgenstein appears to have become more or less homeless, and he died from prostate cancer. His doctor said he could live in his home, where he was befriended by the doctor's wife in his final days. His dying words were, “Tell them that I had a wonderful life.” He died on April 29, 1951, just a few hours before my wife was born in Palo Alto, California. Surprisingly, she is the only person I've ever met who understood Wittgenstein's thinking entirely the first time I explained it to her. She “already knew” what Wittgenstein, the greatest philosophical genius of the 20th century, spent a lifetime figuring out! Reincarnation is pretty “out there,” and fairly silly, to my way of thinking, but sometimes it can be fun to think about it! Here is my understanding of how the thinking of the “later Wittgenstein” actually developed. His first book, which is nearly impossible to understand, was called the Tractatus Logico Philosophicus. It is a series of numbered propositions, which he compared to climbing up a ladder, rung by rung, as you read the book until you got to the roof at the top of the ladder. Then you could throw your ladder away and give up philosophical thinking, since he thought his book contained the solution to all the problems of philosophy that had tormented him since childhood, as mentioned previously. The philosophy of language in the Tractatus is based on the thinking of Aristotle and Plato, who thought that the function of language was to name things that exist in the real world. Plato's idea was that our real world consists of imperfect examples of a “Platonic Reality” which consisted of “perfect” representations of everything. So, for example, Plato believed there could be a perfect “table,” a perfect “lamp,” and so forth. In other words, he thought there was an ideal essence to the concept of a “table.” And, I suppose, there might also be a “perfect” version of you! The early Wittgenstein also thought that the logic inherent in our sentences reflected the logic inherent in an external reality. If that doesn't make much sense to you, join the club! But that's kind of what Plato and Aristotle were promoting, at least in my (David's) understanding. When Wittgenstein's Tractatus was debunked, he was devastated, and desperately wanted to find another way to solve the problems of philosophy, since they started tormenting him again. It was much like a relapse of OCD or some other emotional problem. In fact, he thought of philosophy as a kind of mental illness that needed treatment. Here's an example of the types of philosophical problems that tormented him. Do human beings have free will? Do we have a “self?” Is the universal “real?” Of course, we THINK we have free will, and it SEEMS like we make “free decisions” all day long, but is this just an illusion? For example, some people would argue that we cannot have “free will” because we “have to” follow the laws of science that govern everything, including how the brain works. So, since we “have to” do what we are doing at every moment of every day, we must not have free will! Here is an argument that we do NOT have “free will.” When a powerful storm or hurricane destroys a portion of a city, and people die, we see this as a tragedy, but we don't get angry at the hurricane because it does have “free will.” It is just obeying the laws of physics that govern the forces of wind, air pressure, heat and cooling, and so forth. A storm cannot behave in any other way. So, the argument goes, we are also following the laws that govern the functioning of our bodies and brains, and so we cannot do other than what we do, so we, too, have no “free will.” We THINK we are acting freely but it is an illusion, so our brains are obeying the laws of the universe at every moment! For hundreds of years philosophers have struggled with this puzzle, and many people still wrestle with this problem today. It was one of the problems that drew me to philosophy. Impractical for sure, but still tantalizing. Another way to express the free will puzzle is via religious thinking. I was taught when I was growing up that God is omnipotent (all powerful), omnipresent (present everywhere) and omniscient (all knowing.) So, God knows the past, present, and future. And if God knows the future, then God knows what we will do at every moment of every day, and we are helpless to do otherwise. Therefore, we have no “free will,” even though we “think” we do! This free will problem can definitely be unsettling, with troubling moral consequences. If we do not “free will,” then are serial killers really responsible for, or guilty, or accountable for their actions? If we do not have free will, then wouldn't that give us license to do whatever we want whenever we want? Clever arguments for sure! We may “feel” like we have the freedom to do whatever we want at almost any moment of any day, but are we fooling ourselves and living in some gigantic hoax, or illusion? Are we total slaves with the delusion that we are actually acting “freely?” How do we resolve this problem? Well, one day Wittgenstein was walking past a soccer game at the park, and the soccer ball hit him on the head. He wasn't hurt, but had the thought, “What if the function of language is NOT to name things (like trees, or lamps, etc.) that exist in some “external reality,” like Plato and Aristotle thought? What if language actually functions as a series of “language games,” with rules, just like the game of soccer? Then the meaning of any words would simply be the many ways the word is used in different real world situations. In fact, that's what you find in the dictionary when you look up the meaning of a word. The dictionary doesn't ever give you some “correct” or ”pure” meaning, since most words have many meanings. This would be the opposite of the philosophy of Aristotle and Plato who argued that there were “true” meanings for every word, noun, or concept. What if, instead, words had NO true or essential meanings, and their meanings were simply embedded in the context in which they are used in ordinary, everyday language? If so, this might mean that philosophical problems emerge when we try to pull words out of their ordinary meanings, which are always obvious, and put them into some metaphysical realm where philosophers argue about “ultimate truth.” Let's say we wanted to find out if humans have “free will.” Well, not being sure if there is such a “thing” as “free will,” we could look up “free” and “will” in the dictionary. (I know this sounds incredibly obvious and almost ridiculous.) What does “free” mean? Well, we could talk about the many ways we use “free.” Political freedom means that in some countries you cannot contradict the leader (the dictator) without the danger of being thrown in prison or even murdered. But in other countries, you are, In fact, free to express your own ideas and opinions, without fear of punishment. Free also means getting something without having to pay for it, like a seventh bottle of soda is free at the local grocery store if you purchase a six pack. Free can also mean “available.” I am starting up my Sunday hikes again, and I might say, “If you are free this Sunday morning, meet at my front door at 9 and we'll go for a hike and have a dim sum feast afterwards at a Chinese restaurant on Castro Street in Mountain View, California, Now notice that when you talk about “free will” you have taken this word, “free,” out of the familiar contexts in which we find it, and given it some type of metaphysical “meaning.” But in this metaphysical, philosophical arena, it has no meaning. So, instead of trying to “solve” the so-called “free will” problem, we can dismiss it as nonsensical, and ignore it as having no practical meaning, and move on with our lives. We can say, “I just don't understand that problem! I don't know what you're talking about when you ask the general question of whether we have something called ‘free will.'” That either works for you, or it doesn't work for you! Your choice. It does work for me, but it took me months of thinking until I suddenly “got it.” My way of describing this philosophical error is “nounism.” You think that nouns always refer to things that could “exist” or “not-exist,” just like Plato and Aristotle thought. So, you ponder and try to figure out if this notion of “free will” exists or does not exist. But it's arguably a meaningless question. That's why I say, and Wittgenstein might say, I have no idea what you're talking about. Today we'll discuss the free will problem and how it might relate to our field of psychotherapy. Next week, we'll deal with another thorny problem: Do we have a “self?” Or is that also just some kind of illusion? I (David) wrote these show notes before the show, and we have had fairly extensive email exchanges, with a variety of points of view on whether or not we have something we can call “free will.” First, I'll put a great email by Matt, followed by a comment by Fabrice. Here's Matt's email first: Subject: Re: question Yes, that's getting very close to what I'm trying to communicate. I don't believe you are 'slow' or 'super lame', either. In fact, quite the opposite. I suspect I'm failing to do an adequate job of disarming your claims that 'free will' and 'self' are words taken out-of-context and, therefore, can't be shown to exist or not-exist. I apologize, as I am pretty excited about the potential to help people, suffering with self-blame and other-blame, by realizing that we and others don't have a 'self' or 'free will'. I believe we have a brain that makes decisions and creates experiences, including the experience of having a 'self' and 'free will'. I believe that the experience of 'making' a decision is an illusion, as is the idea of a static, unchanging 'self' that controls decision-making. I asked you to pick a movie and you said, 'Green Mile'. You acknowledged that this movie title simply 'popped into my head'. That's correct. Your 'self' didn't control what you selected, using 'free will'. Your brain just came up with that movie title. There was no 'self' that made a decision to choose that word. I agree that we have a brain which is incredibly powerful. I'm claiming that we don't have an auxiliary 'self', with extra super powers, controlling our brain. We can make decisions, but we don't have 'free will', meaning, the ability to control those decisions. I do think you have some resistance to seeing through the illusions of 'self' and 'free will', all of which say awesome things about you, e.g. morality and justice. I'm not trying to convince you, one way or another, and I don't expect to. I'm more interested in the listening audience, as many people are significantly relieved when they realize that we are more the victims of our biology and circumstance rather than defective 'selves' lacking 'willpower'. To put a slightly finer point on the subject, when people say they have 'free will', they don't mean that 'decisions are made'. Obviously, decisions are made. You decided to keep reading this email, for example. Or you didn't. I'm not sure. Either way, a decision was made. When people say they have 'free will', they are saying that they (really, their 'self') are/is free to decide whether to continue reading this email, and that this power goes above and beyond what their brain is doing, according to the laws of physics. I am claiming that this is a ridiculous and dangerous thought, for which there is no evidence. You're saying these terms haven't been defined. I'm pointing out that they already have been, intuitively, by anyone who thinks, 'I shouldn't have done that', or 'they shouldn't have done that'. These thoughts require a belief that they 'could have' done something different, that they had free will. Aside from rage and guilt, let's examine the narcissism and excessive sense of confidence a patient might have, if they believe that they can simply 'decide', through sheer 'willpower', not to beat up on themselves anymore. Or a patient who believes they can simply 'decide' to always use the 5-Secrets, rather than criticize and blame. Can they? I've never seen that happen. That's why I assign homework. I know that the goal is to rewire the brain so they can feel and perform better, later. We can't simply decide to feel good all the time. We all drift in-and-out of enlightenment. If we want to increase the likelihood that we will be able to set aside self-criticism or communicate more effectively, we have to practice new thoughts and behaviors. If we do, we will develop greater skills at defeating negative thoughts and communicating effectively. Otherwise, our brains will do, in the future, what they are programmed to do, now. It's because we lack 'free will', that we must do homework. Similarly, you couldn't simply 'decide' to be the world's best ping-pong player. You realized you would have to work hard to re-wire your brain, if you wanted to have a chance at that. Let's use the murderer/cat example: A cat tortures and kills mice for the same reasons that a murderer does: their brains are programmed to do so. Murderers don't have a defective 'self' that is failing to express 'free will' adequately, when they murder. They're doing precisely what the atomic structure of their brain caused them to do, according to the laws of physics, in that moment, when presented with those precise stimuli. We don't have to judge or punish the cat or the murderer's 'self' and insist they should have used their 'free will'. We can accept that neither creature had the ability to decide differently from what their brain decided, in that moment. That is where the therapeutic element of this realization comes into play. I think it's important on a lot of levels, to stop blaming cats for being cats and murderers for being murderers. Similarly, if a patient doesn't want to do homework, will it do any good to blame them and think they're bad and should decide differently? No, it helps to accept them where they are, and to accept ourselves where we are, with open hands. Realizing nobody has a 'self' operating their brain and making decisions that are better than their brains' decisions doesn't mean we have to let all the murderers go or trust our cat with a new mouse companion. We can still be aware that their brains are programmed to murder. We would still be motivated to do whatever is necessary to protect society and mice. The difference is the attitude towards the murderer. We aren't trying to 'punish' or 'get vengeance' but to protect and, instead of 'labeling' them as having a 'bad self' or even being a 'murderer', but someone who has murdered and, left to their own devices, likely to do so again. Instead of judging and demanding vengeance, we would see a murderer as the victim of their biology and environment. Instead of condemning them as permanently evil and bad, we could recognize that their brain is currently wired to do bad things and they might still learn new ways to interact with others. Perhaps they're not hopeless cases, after all. From the other side, if I ever committed murder, and sentenced to death, I wouldn't want to be feeling defective, thinking what a bad self I have and guilty/ashamed for not flexing my 'free will' in the heat of the moment. Instead, I might feel a sense of relief, purpose and meaning, that I was protecting others by being put to death. Alright, enough out of me! Thanks, Matt And now, the response from Fabrice: Matt's thinking is exactly in line with mine. I don't know if the topic came up in your discussion, but some people argue that actually someone could have done something differently than they did, because there is some randomness in Nature. But that argument doesn't hold water because even if the decision “made” by their brain is different, it has nothing to do with their will but only with the Heisenberg principle. Cheers! Fabrice Nye fabrice@life.net David's wrap up comment. Matt and Fabrice have quite a different view of “free will” and the “self.” They are arguing, very thoughtfully and persuasive, that we do not “have” a “self” or “free will.” People have been involved in this debate, as I've mentioned, for hundreds of years, taking one side or another. My own thinking is different, and reflects my understanding of Wittgenstein's thinking. They have take these words out of the contexts in which they exist in everyday language, (which is a huge temptation) and involved in a debate about abstract concepts which have no meaning. Very few people, it seems, were able to grasp this idea when Wittgenstein was alive, or even today. So, if what I'm saying makes no sense to you, be comforted, since it seems likely that 99% of the people reading this, or listening to the show, will agree with you! And that's still a puzzle to me. It is not clear to me why so many people still cannot “see” or “get” this idea that words do not have any pure or essential “meaning” outside of the context of everyday use of language. The best psychotherapy example I can use is the fact that nearly all depressed individuals are trying to figure out, on some abstract or philosophical level, whether they are “worthwhile” or “good enough,” or whatever. This seems to be a “real” problem, and so they believe that they are not sufficiently worthwhile. This belief can be so convincing that many people commit suicide, out of a sense of hopelessness and self-hatred. But there is not such thing as a human being who is more or less “worthwhile.” Of course, your actions can be more or less worthwhile at any moment, and we can evaluate or judge our specific behaviors. Yesterday, we had our first recording session in a video studio we have set up for our Feeling Great App. We had a lot of fun and recorded some (hopefully) interesting stories we'll publish on our two new YouTube channels. I really appreciated the colleagues who made this possible. It was a relief for me because I tend to have performance anxiety, which impairs my ability to speak naturally and with emotion. But this time, there was no anxiety at all, so it was fun. Did this make me or my colleagues more worthwhile human beings? No! But it did show that we'd become a bit more effective and communicating messages that will trigger healing and understanding in our fans, and hope that includes you! When you “see” this, perhaps for the first time, it can be incredibly liberating, since you no longer have the need to have a “self” that's “special” or worthwhile. And, as some of you know, my beloved teacher and cat, Obie, taught me that when you no longer need to be “special,” life becomes special. When your “self” dies, you inherit the world! There's no funeral, only a celebration! Feel free to contact us with your thoughts, ideas and questions! Thank you for listening today! Rhonda, Matt, Fabrice, and David
We're diving into the She Coaches Coaches vault, to share with you one of our most popular past episodes. Whether you're a long-time listener or new to the podcast, get ready to enjoy a fresh perspective in your new listening space.I explore the second pillar of my Confident Coaches Success Framework: the power of thoughts. Building on our previous discussion about acceptance, I delve into how your thoughts shape your reality and influence your results. By learning to manage and shift your thoughts, you can create a more empowered, successful coaching business and life. Join me as I share insights, personal stories, and practical tips to help you harness the power of your thoughts for better outcomes.Highlights:1. Recap of the Confident Coaches Success Framework: Review of the five components and a focus on the second pillar: the power of thoughts.2. Client Testimonial: A heartfelt note from Coach Elizabeth, highlighting the transformative impact of Candy's coaching on her mindset and self-awareness.3. Thoughts Shape Reality: Explanation of how your thoughts create your results, and the importance of managing your thoughts to live better.4. Practical Exercise: Introduction to the thought download exercise for increasing awareness of habitual thought patterns.5. Real-Life Example: A personal story about Candy's different reactions to a situation compared to her husband's, illustrating how thoughts influence feelings and experiences.Featured on This Show:Click here to find out how to work with meClick here to access valuable free resources for coachesCorrection: This episode refers to "The Model." I'd like to rectify any errors or omissions by giving proper attribution and credit to the originators, Dr. Albert Ellis, who formulated REBT (Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy), and Dr. Aaron Beck, who incorporated it into CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). "The Model" and references to CTFAR should be more accurately referred to as "The CBT Model." CBT is a widely recognized and effective approach that helps individuals understand how their thought processes impact their daily lives.
We're diving into the She Coaches Coaches vault, to share with you one of our most popular past episodes. Whether you're a long-time listener or new to the podcast, get ready to enjoy a fresh perspective in your new listening space.In this solo episode, I dive into the first element of my Confident Coaches Success Framework: acceptance of yourself and your current reality. True acceptance is not about complacency but about acknowledging your current state without resistance, which sets the foundation for meaningful change. I share personal stories and powerful insights to encourage you to embrace self-acceptance as a key step toward personal and professional growth.Highlights:1. Introduction to the Confident Coaches Success Framework: Candy introduces her five-component framework designed to help coaches overcome mindset challenges. 2. Deep Dive into Acceptance: A detailed exploration of the first element, 'acceptance of yourself and your current reality,' and how it differs from passive complacency.3. Personal Anecdotes on Acceptance: Candy shares personal stories, including her journey from engineering to coaching, illustrating the power of acceptance in overcoming past regrets.4. Importance of Self-Compassion: Emphasizing the need for self-compassion and kindness, and how focusing on strengths rather than weaknesses can lead to personal and professional growth.5. Encouragement for Self-Acceptance: Candy encourages listeners to embrace self-acceptance to release self-judgment, feel lighter, and more relaxed.Featured on This Show:Click here to find out how to work with meClick here to access valuable free resources for coachesCorrection: This episode refers to "The Model." I'd like to rectify any errors or omissions by giving proper attribution and credit to the originators, Dr. Albert Ellis, who formulated REBT (Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy), and Dr. Aaron Beck, who incorporated it into CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). "The Model" and references to CTFAR should be more accurately referred to as "The CBT Model." CBT is a widely recognized and effective approach that helps individuals understand how their thought processes impact their daily lives.
Albert Ellis was a pioneer in the field of therapy, genius, and frankly kind of a weirdo. His techniques live on in modern therapy, mostly in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, even though his philosophy was considered somewhat of an alternative approach to CBT when he developed them. He was also a blunt, direct, often abrasive man who struggled interpersonally throughout his life. This is the first 5 minutes of this week's dive into mental health available to Show patrons. Check out www.patreon.com/brokenbrain to join up and gain access to bonus materials. AND check out www.outnebraska.org, this month's charity of focus, to help support Queer individuals living in Nebraska.
Hola bienvenida (o) a un nuevo episodio de En la mesa con la nutrióloga experta. La terapia racional emotiva conductual que en inglés se conoce como REBT por sus siglas Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy es una psicoterapia creadas y modificadas por el psicólogo estadounidense Albert Ellis, que se enfoca en resolver problemas emocionales y conductuales mediante un modelo de intervención cuyo fin es la reestructuración cognitiva. Para platicar sobre este tema nos acompaña nuevamente y porque usted lo pidió Ana Lety Bedwell doblemente maestra, mi psicóloga consentida y además mi amiga que nos acompañó en el episodio 71 en donde hablamos sobre el amor propio. ¡Gracias por escucharme! Suscríbete a la membresía nutrióloga experta aquí: https://nutriologaexperta.com/servicios-costos/ Si te gustó este episodio por favor deja tu reseña en Itunes o evalúalo con 5 estrellas en Spotify. ¿Te gustaría ser parte de este proyecto? ¿Quisieras escuchar a alguien especial? Escríbenos a leslie@nutriologaexperta.com Sígueme en mis redes sociales como Nutrióloga Experta encuéntrame en Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest y suscríbete a mi canal de Youtube ahí está disponible mucho más material de valor que he creado para ti.
Read the longform article at:https://gettherapybirmingham.com/healing-the-modern-soul-part-2/ The Philosophy of Psychotherapy The Corporatization of Healthcare and Academia: A Threat to the Future of Psychotherapy The field of psychotherapy is at a critical juncture, facing numerous challenges that threaten its ability to effectively address the complex realities of the human experience. Chief among these challenges is the growing influence of corporate interests and the trend towards hyper-specialization in academic psychology, which have led to a disconnect between the profession and its roots, as well as a lack of understanding of the physical reality of the body, anthropology, and the history of the field. In this article, we will explore the ways in which the corporatization of healthcare and academia is impacting psychotherapy, and argue that in order for the profession to remain relevant and effective, it must embrace a more holistic and integrative approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of the mind, body, and spirit. This requires a renewed commitment to developing a coherent concept of self, a shared language and understanding of implicit memory, and a vision of psychotherapy as a means of empowering individuals to become more effective at being themselves in the world and, in turn, better at transforming the world for the better. The Corporatization of Healthcare and Academia The influence of corporate interests on healthcare and academia has had a profound impact on the field of psychotherapy. The pressure to maximize profits and minimize costs has led to a shift away from comprehensive diagnosis and towards a reliance on quick fixes like medication and brief, manualized therapies. This trend is particularly evident in the way that psychiatry has evolved over the past few decades. Psychiatrists used to spend an entire hour with their patients doing psychotherapy, but now the majority of the profession relies solely on drug therapy. In fact, a staggering 89% of psychiatrists used only drug therapy in 2010, compared to just 54% in 1988 (Mojtabai & Olfson, 2008). Patients are often left feeling frustrated and unheard, with many giving up on medication after their psychiatrist writes a script in the first and last five minutes of their first session. The same forces are at work in academia, where the cost of education has skyrocketed and the focus has shifted towards producing "products" rather than fostering critical thinking and innovation. Adjunct professors, who often lack the expertise and experience to teach psychotherapy effectively, have replaced tenure-track faculty, and students are graduating with a narrow understanding of the field that is ill-suited to the realities of private practice (Collier, 2017). The result is a profession that is increasingly disconnected from its roots and the physical reality of the body. Anthropology, humanities and the history of the profession, which offer valuable insights into the nature of the human experience and the evolution of psychotherapy, are largely ignored in favor of a narrow focus on cognitive-behavioral interventions and symptom reduction pushed largely to help psychopharm companies' bottom lines (Frances, 2013). The current academic publishing system is also broken. Academics work hard to come up with original ideas and write papers, only to give their work away for free to publishers who make trillions of dollars in profits while the authors get no compensation (Buranyi, 2017). Peers often cite papers to support their own points without actually reading them in depth. And the "best" journals frequently publish absurd psychology articles that would make you laugh if you said their main point out loud, but hide their lack of substance behind academic jargon (Sokal, 2008). Meanwhile, students spend years in graduate school being forced to research what their advisor wants, not what's truly innovative or needed to advance the field. After a decade of study and compromise, the pinnacle achievement is often creating a new 30-question screener for something like anxiety, rather than developing therapists who can actually discern and treat anxiety without needing a questionnaire. The system fails to properly vet or pay therapists, assuming they can't be trusted to practice without rigid manuals and checklists. This hyper-rationality, the madness arising from too much logic rather than too little, is very useful to moneyed interests like the Department of Defense in how they want to fund and control research. Large language models and AI are the pinnacle of this - spreadsheets sorting data points to mimic human speech, created by people so disconnected from a real sense of self that they believe you can turn people into robots because they've turned themselves into robots (Weizenbaum, 1976). But psychology and therapy can't be reduced to hard science and pure empiricism the way fields like physics can (at least until you get to quantum physics and have to rely on metaphor again). We can't remove all intuition, subjective experience and uncertainty (Rogers, 1995). The reproducibility crisis in psychology research shows the folly of this over-rationality (Open Science Collaboration, 2015). Studies that throw out any participant who dropped out of CBT treatment because it wasn't helping them are not painting an accurate picture (Westen et al., 2004). Developing a Coherent Concept of Self A History of the Self Our understanding of the self has evolved throughout history: Ancient Greek Philosophy (6th century BCE - 3rd century CE) Socrates introduces the idea of the self as a distinct entity, emphasizing self-knowledge and introspection (Plato, trans. 2002). Plato's concept of the soul as the essence of the self, distinct from the physical body (Plato, trans. 1997). Aristotle's notion of the self as the unity of body and soul, with the soul being the form or essence of the individual (Aristotle, trans. 1986). Medieval Philosophy (5th century CE - 15th century CE) St. Augustine's concept of the self as a reflection of God, with the inner self being the source of truth and self-knowledge (Augustine, trans. 2002). St. Thomas Aquinas' synthesis of Aristotelian and Christian concepts of the self, emphasizing the soul as the form of the body (Aquinas, trans.1981). Renaissance and Enlightenment (16th century CE - 18th century CE) Descartes' famous "cogito ergo sum" ("I think, therefore I am"), establishing the self as a thinking, conscious being (Descartes, trans. 1996). Locke's idea of the self as a blank slate shaped by experience and the continuity of consciousness (Locke, trans. 1975). Hume's skepticism about the self, arguing that it is merely a bundle of perceptions without a unified identity (Hume, trans. 2000). Romantic Era (late 18th century CE - mid-19th century CE) The self is seen as a creative, expressive force, with an emphasis on individuality and subjective experience (Berlin, 2013). The rise of the concept of the "self-made man" and the importance of personal growth and self-realization (Trilling, 1972). 20th Century Philosophy and Psychology Freud's psychoanalytic theory, which posits the self as composed of the id, ego, and superego, with unconscious drives and conflicts shaping behavior (Freud, trans.1989). Jung's concept of the self as the center of the psyche, integrating conscious and unconscious elements (Jung, 1959). Existentialism's emphasis on the self as a product of individual choices and actions, with the need to create meaning in a meaningless world (Sartre, trans. 1956). The rise of humanistic psychology, with its focus on self-actualization and the inherent potential of the individual (Maslow, 1968). Postmodernism's deconstruction of the self, challenging the idea of a unified, coherent identity (Jameson, 1991). Contemporary Developments (late 20th century CE - present) The influence of neuroscience and cognitive science on the understanding of the self as an emergent property of brain processes (LeDoux, 2002). The impact of social and cultural factors on the construction of the self, with the recognition of multiple, intersecting identities (Gergen, 1991). The rise of narrative theories of the self, emphasizing the role of storytelling in shaping personal identity (Bruner, 1990). The influence of Eastern philosophies and contemplative practices on Western concepts of the self, with an emphasis on mindfulness and interconnectedness (Epstein, 1995). Psychotherapy and the Concept of Self Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) - Psychoanalysis: Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, conceived of the self as being composed of three elements: the id, the ego, and the superego. The id represents the primitive, instinctual drives; the ego mediates between the demands of the id and the constraints of reality; and the superego represents the internalized moral standards and values of society. Freud believed that the goal of psychotherapy was to bring unconscious conflicts and desires into conscious awareness, allowing the ego to better manage the competing demands of the id and superego (Freud, trans. 1989). Carl Jung (1875-1961) - Analytical Psychology: Jung, a former collaborator of Freud, developed his own theory of the self, which he saw as the central archetype of the psyche. Jung believed that the self represented the unity and wholeness of the personality, and that the goal of psychotherapy was to help individuals achieve a state of self-realization or individuation. This involved integrating the conscious and unconscious aspects of the psyche, including the persona (the public face), the shadow (the repressed or hidden aspects of the self), and the anima/animus (the inner masculine or feminine) (Jung, 1959). Alfred Adler (1870-1937) - Individual Psychology: Adler, another former collaborator of Freud, emphasized the importance of social relationships and the drive for superiority in shaping the self. He believed that individuals develop a unique lifestyle or way of being in the world based on their early experiences and relationships, and that the goal of psychotherapy was to help individuals overcome feelings of inferiority and develop a healthy, socially-oriented way of living (Adler, trans. 1964). Fritz Perls (1893-1970) - Gestalt Therapy: Perls, the founder of Gestalt therapy, saw the self as an ongoing process of self-regulation and self-actualization. He believed that the goal of psychotherapy was to help individuals become more aware of their present-moment experience and to take responsibility for their thoughts, feelings, and actions. Perls emphasized the importance of contact between the self and the environment, and the need to integrate the different aspects of the self into a cohesive whole (Perls et al., 1951). Internal Family Systems (IFS) - Richard Schwartz (1950-present): IFS is a more recent approach that sees the self as being composed of multiple sub-personalities or "parts." These parts are seen as having their own unique qualities, desires, and beliefs, and the goal of IFS therapy is to help individuals develop a greater sense of self-leadership and inner harmony. The self is seen as the core of the personality, with the capacity to lead and integrate the different parts (Schwartz, 1995). As Schwartz writes in the introduction to his book on IFS, the model was heavily influenced by Gestalt therapy and the work of Carl Jung. Schwartz aimed to create a non-pathologizing approach that honored the complexity and wisdom of the psyche. IFS shares Jung's view of the self as the central organizing principle, surrounded by various archetypes or subpersonalities. It also draws on the Gestalt emphasis on present-moment awareness and the need for integration of different aspects of the self. However, IFS offers a more user-friendly language than classical Jungian analysis, without the need for extensive explanations of concepts like anima/animus. In IFS, a patient can quickly identify different "parts" - for example, a protector part that taps its foot and bites its nails to avoid painful feelings. By directly engaging with and embracing that part, the patient can access the vulnerable feelings and memories it is protecting against, fostering self-compassion and integration over time. The IFS model is an example of how contemporary approaches are building on the insights of depth psychology while offering more transparent, experience-near practices suitable for a wider range of patients and practitioners. It reflects an ongoing effort to develop a cohesive yet flexible understanding of the self that remains open to unconscious processes. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) - Aaron Beck (1921-2021) and Albert Ellis (1913-2007): CBT, developed by Beck and Ellis, focuses on the role of thoughts and beliefs in shaping emotional and behavioral responses. CBT sees the self as being largely determined by the individual's cognitions, and the goal of therapy is to help individuals identify and modify maladaptive or irrational beliefs and thought patterns. CBT places less emphasis on the unconscious or intrapsychic aspects of the self, and more on the conscious, rational processes that shape behavior (Beck, 1979; Ellis & Harper, 1975). Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) - B.F. Skinner (1904-1990): ABA, based on the work of Skinner and other behaviorists, sees the self as a product of environmental contingencies and reinforcement histories. ABA focuses on observable behaviors rather than internal states or processes, and the goal of therapy is to modify behavior through the systematic application of reinforcement and punishment. ABA has been widely used in the treatment of autism and other developmental disorders, but has been criticized for its lack of attention to the inner experience of the self (Skinner, 1953; Lovaas, 1987). What is Self? One of the key challenges facing psychotherapy today is the lack of a coherent concept of self. The self is a complex and dynamic entity that is shaped by a range of internal and external factors, including our experiences, relationships, and cultural context (Baumeister, 1987). Unfortunately, many contemporary models of therapy fail to adequately capture this complexity, instead relying on simplistic and reductionistic notions of the self as a collection of symptoms or behaviors to be modified (Wachtel, 1991). To develop a more coherent and holistic concept of self, psychotherapy must draw on insights from a range of disciplines, including psychology, philosophy, anthropology, and the humanities (Sass & Parnas, 2003). This requires a willingness to engage with the messy and often paradoxical nature of the human experience, recognizing that the self is not a fixed entity but rather a constantly evolving process of becoming (Gendlin, 1978). The psychoanalyst Carl Jung's concept of the self as the central archetype, connected to the divine and the greater unconscious, offers a useful starting point for this endeavor. Jung believed that by making the unconscious conscious and dealing with ego rigidity, individuals could embody a deeper sense of purpose and connection to the universe (Jung, 1959). While we may not need to fully embrace Jung's metaphysical language, his emphasis on the dynamic interplay between conscious and unconscious processes, as well as the importance of symbol, dream, and myth in shaping the self, remains highly relevant today (Hillman, 1975). Other approaches, such as Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy and somatic experiencing, also offer valuable insights into the nature of the self. IFS sees the self as a core of compassion, curiosity, and confidence that is surrounded by protective parts that arise in response to trauma and other challenges. By working with these parts and fostering greater integration and self-leadership, individuals can develop a more coherent and authentic sense of self (Schwartz, 1995). Similarly, somatic experiencing emphasizes the role of the body in shaping the self, recognizing that trauma and other experiences are stored not just in the mind but also in the muscles, nerves, and other physical structures (Levine, 1997). Models like IFS, somatic experiencing, and lifespan integration are appealing because they see the self as a dynamic ecosystem that is always evolving and striving for integration and actualization (Boon et al., 2011; Ogden et al., 2006; Pace, 2012). They don't try to label and categorize everything, recognizing that sometimes we need to just sit with feelings and sensations without fully understanding them intellectually. Lifespan integration in particular views the self as a continuum of moments threaded together like pearls on a necklace. Traumatic experiences can cause certain "pearls" or ego states to become frozen in time, disconnected from the flow of the self-narrative. By imaginally revisiting these moments and "smashing them together" with resource states, lifespan integration aims to re-integrate the self across time, fostering a more coherent and flexible identity (Pace, 2012). In contrast, the more behavioral and manualized approaches like CBT and ABA have a much more limited and problematic view. They see the self as just a collection of cognitions and learned behaviors, minimizing the role of the unconscious and treating people more like programmable robots (Shedler, 2010). If taken to an extreme, this is frankly offensive and damaging. There has to be room for the parts of the self that we can feel and intuit but not fully articulate (Stern, 2004). Ultimately, developing a coherent concept of self requires a willingness to sit with the tensions and paradoxes of the human experience, recognizing that the self is always in communication with the world around us, and that our sense of who we are is constantly being shaped by implicit memory and other unconscious processes (Schore & Schore, 2008). It requires remaining open to uncertainty and realizing that the self is never static or finished, but always dynamically unfolding (Bromberg, 1996). Good therapy helps people get in touch with their authentic self, not just impose a set of techniques to modify surface-level symptoms (Fosha et al., 2009). Understanding Implicit Memory Another critical challenge facing psychotherapy today is the lack of a shared language and understanding of implicit memory. Implicit memory refers to the unconscious, automatic, and often somatic ways in which our past experiences shape our present thoughts, feelings, and behaviors (Schacter et al., 1993). While the concept of implicit memory has a long history in psychotherapy, dating back to Freud's notion of the unconscious and Jung's idea of the collective unconscious, it remains poorly understood and often overlooked in contemporary practice (Kihlstrom, 1987). This is due in part to the dominance of cognitive-behavioral approaches, which tend to focus on explicit, conscious processes rather than the deeper, more intuitive and embodied aspects of the self (Bucci, 1997). To effectively address the role of implicit memory in psychological distress and personal growth, psychotherapy must develop a shared language and framework for understanding and working with these unconscious processes (Greenberg, 2002). This requires a willingness to engage with the body and the somatic experience, recognizing that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are deeply rooted in our physical being (van der Kolk, 2014). One way to think about implicit memory is as a kind of "photoshop filter" that our brain is constantly running, even when we are not consciously aware of it. Just as the center of our visual field is filled in by our brain based on the surrounding context, our implicit memories are constantly shaping our perceptions and reactions to the world around us, even when we are not consciously aware of them. This is why it is so important for therapists to be attuned to the subtle cues and signals that patients give off, both verbally and nonverbally. A skilled therapist can often sense the presence of implicit memories and unconscious processes long before the patient is consciously aware of them, and can use this information to guide the therapeutic process in a more effective and meaningful direction (Schore, 2012). At the same time, it is important to recognize that implicit memories are not always negative or pathological. In fact, many of our most cherished and meaningful experiences are encoded in implicit memory, shaping our sense of self and our relationships with others in profound and often unconscious ways (Fosshage, 2005). The goal of therapy, then, is not necessarily to eliminate or "fix" implicit memories, but rather to help individuals develop a more conscious and intentional relationship with them, so that they can be integrated into a more coherent and authentic sense of self (Stern, 2004). The Future of the Unconscious Many of the most interesting thinkers in the history of psychology understood this symbolic dimension of implicit memory, even if their specific theories needed refinement. Freud recognized the dynamic interplay of conscious and unconscious processes, and the way that repressed material could manifest in dreams, symptoms, and relational patterns (Freud, trans. 1989). Jung saw the unconscious as not just a repository of repressed personal material, but a deep well of collective wisdom and creative potential, populated by universal archetypes and accessed through dream, myth, and active imagination (Jung, 1968). Jung urged individuals to engage in a lifelong process of "individuation," differentiating the self from the collective while also integrating the conscious and unconscious aspects of the psyche (Jung, 1964). Reich connected chronic muscular tensions or "character armor" to blocked emotions and neurotic conflicts, pioneering body-based interventions aimed at restoring the free flow of life energy (Reich, 1980). While some of Reich's later work veered into pseudoscience, his core insights about the somatic basis of psychological experience were hugely influential on subsequent generations of clinicians (Young, 2006). More recently, emerging models such as sensorimotor psychotherapy (Ogden & Fisher, 2015), accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy (AEDP; Fosha, 2000), and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR; Shapiro, 2017) aim to access and integrate implicit memories through body-based and imagistic techniques. By working with posture, sensation, movement, and breath, these approaches help patients bring nonverbal, affective material into conscious awareness and narrative coherence. Process-oriented therapies such as Arnold Mindell's process work (Mindell, 1985) offer another compelling framework for engaging implicit memory. Mindell suggests that the unconscious communicates through "channels" such as vision, audition, proprioception, kinesthesia, and relationship. By unfolding the process in each channel and following the flow of "sentient essence," therapists can help patients access and integrate implicit memories and in turn catalyze psychological and somatic healing. These contemporary approaches build on the insights of earlier clinicians while offering new maps and methods for navigating the realm of implicit memory. They point towards an understanding of the self as an ever-evolving matrix of conscious and unconscious, cognitive and somatic, personal and transpersonal processes. Engaging implicit memory is not about pathologizing the unconscious so much as learning its unique language and honoring its hidden wisdom. At the same time, this is tricky terrain to navigate, personally and professionally. As therapist and patient venture into the uncharted waters of the unconscious, it is crucial to maintain an attitude of humility, compassion, and ethical integrity (Stein, 2006). We must be mindful of the power dynamics and transference/countertransference currents that can arise in any therapeutic relationship, and work to create a safe, boundaried space for healing and transformation (Barnett et al., 2007). There is also a risk of getting lost in the fascinating world of the unconscious and losing sight of external reality. While depth psychology and experiential therapies offer valuable tools for self-exploration and meaning-making, they are not a replacement for practical skills, behavioral changes, and real-world action. We must be careful not to fall into the trap of "spiritual bypassing," using esoteric practices to avoid the hard work of embodying our insights and values in daily life (Welwood, 2000). Ultimately, the future of psychotherapy lies in integrating the best of what has come before while remaining open to new discoveries and directions. By combining scientific rigor with clinical artistry, cognitive understanding with experiential depth, and technical skill with ethical care, we can continue to expand our understanding of the self and the transformative potential of the therapeutic relationship. As we navigate the uncharted territories of the 21st century and beyond, we will need maps and methods that honor the full complexity and mystery of the human experience. Engaging with the unconscious and implicit dimensions of memory is not a luxury but a necessity if we are to rise to the challenges of our time with creativity, resilience, and wisdom. May we have the courage to venture into the depths, and the humility to be transformed by what we find there. Empowering Individuals to Be Themselves The ultimate goal of psychotherapy, in my view, is to empower individuals to become more effective at being themselves in the world and, in turn, better at transforming the world for the better. This requires a fundamental shift in the way that we think about mental health and well-being, moving beyond a narrow focus on symptom reduction and towards a more holistic and integrative approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit. To achieve this goal, psychotherapy must embrace a range of approaches and techniques that are tailored to the unique needs and experiences of each individual. This may include somatic therapies that work with the body to release trauma and promote healing, such as somatic experiencing, sensorimotor psychotherapy, or EMDR (Levine, 1997; Ogden & Fisher, 2015; Shapiro, 2017). It may also include depth psychologies that explore the unconscious and archetypal dimensions of the psyche, such as Jungian analysis, psychosynthesis, or archetypal psychology (Jung, 1968; Assagioli, 1965; Hillman, 1975). And it may include humanistic and experiential approaches that emphasize the inherent worth and potential of each person, such as person-centered therapy, gestalt therapy, or existential psychotherapy (Rogers, 1995; Perls et al., 1951; Yalom, 1980). At the same time, psychotherapy must also be grounded in a deep understanding of the social, cultural, and political contexts in which individuals live and work. This requires a willingness to engage with issues of power, privilege, and oppression, recognizing that mental health and well-being are intimately connected to the broader structures and systems that shape our lives (Prilleltensky, 1997). It also requires a recognition that the goal of therapy is not simply to help individuals adapt to the status quo, but rather to empower them to become agents of change in their own lives and in the world around them (Freire, 1970). Therapists as Agents of the Post-Secular Sacred One way to think about this is through the lens of what depth psychologist David Tacey calls the "post-secular sacred" (Tacey, 2004). Tacey argues that we are moving into a new era of spirituality that is grounded in a deep respect for science and reason, but also recognizes the importance of myth, symbol, and the unconscious in shaping our experience of the world. In this view, the goal of therapy is not to strip away our illusions and defenses in order to reveal some kind of objective truth, but rather to help individuals develop a more authentic and meaningful relationship with the mystery and complexity of existence. This requires a willingness to sit with the discomfort and uncertainty that often accompanies the process of growth and transformation. It also requires a recognition that the path to wholeness and healing is not always a straight line, but rather a winding and often circuitous journey that involves confronting our deepest fears and vulnerabilities (Jung, 1959). Therapists of Agents of the Post Secular Sacred Riddle in the Garden by Robert Penn Warren My mind is intact, but the shapes of the world change, the peach has released the bough and at last makes full confession, its pudeur had departed like peach-fuzz wiped off, and We now know how the hot sweet- ness of flesh and the juice-dark hug the rough peach-pit, we know its most suicidal yearnings, it wants to suffer extremely, it Loves God, and I warn you, do not touch that plum, it will burn you, a blister will be on your finger, and you will put the finger to your lips for relief—oh, do be careful not to break that soft Gray bulge of blister like fruit-skin, for exposing that inwardness will increase your pain, for you are part of this world. You think I am speaking in riddles. But I am not, for The world means only itself. In the image that Penn Warren creates in "Riddle in the Garden" is a labyrinth leading back to the birth of humans in the garden of Eden. Life itself is a swelling of inflammation from a wound or a need in both blisters and in peaches. You cannot have one part of the process without accepting all of it. The swelling in the growth of the fruit is also the swelling in the growth of a blister of pain. The peach must swell and become a sweet tempting blister or else no one would eat it and expose the "inwardness" of the seed to grow more trees. exists to be eaten to die. We eat the peach to grow the next one. Not to touch the “suicidal” peach is not to touch life itself. For to live is to be hurt and to grow. To touch the peach is to become part of the world like Adam and Eve found out. It hurts it blisters us turning us into fruit. For Penn Warren it is the separation of the self from the world of divine connection with nature that creates our need for meaning. This need is the reason that patients come to therapy. God tells us that “I am the lord your God” but Penn Warren tells us “I am not”. For “The world means only itself”. This process only has the meaning that we allow ourselves to give it. This is not a riddle, Penn Warren tells us. It is only something we have to deal with but cannot not solve. The world means only itself. There is no gimmick or solution to the problem of being human. In other words, the process of becoming more fully ourselves is not always easy or comfortable. It requires a willingness to confront the pain and suffering that is inherent in the human condition, and to recognize that growth and healing often involve an alchemical kind of death and rebirth. But it is precisely through this process of facing our fears and vulnerabilities that we can begin to develop a more authentic and meaningful relationship with ourselves, with others, and with the world around us. Ultimately, the goal of psychotherapy is not to provide answers or solutions, but rather to create a space in which individuals can begin to ask deeper questions about the nature of their existence and their place in the world. It is to help individuals develop the tools and capacities they need to navigate the complexities of life with greater courage, compassion, and wisdom. And it is to empower individuals to become more effective at being themselves in the world, so that they can contribute to the greater whole and help to create a more just, equitable, and sustainable future for all. The Future of Psychotherapy The corporatization of healthcare and academia poses a serious threat to the future of psychotherapy, undermining its ability to effectively address the complex realities of the human experience. To remain relevant and effective in the face of these challenges, the field must embrace a more holistic and integrative approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of the mind, body, and spirit. This requires a renewed commitment to developing a coherent concept of self, a shared language and understanding of implicit memory, and a vision of psychotherapy as a means of empowering individuals to become more effective at being themselves in the world and, in turn, better at transforming the world for the better. It also requires a willingness to engage with the full complexity and paradox of the human experience, recognizing that growth and healing often involve a kind of death and rebirth, and that the path to wholeness is not always a straight line. As the psychologist Carl Jung once wrote, "The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are." Psychotherapy and the Dialectic of Self and World As we have explored throughout this essay, the self does not exist in a vacuum, but is always in dynamic interaction with the world around it. Our sense of who we are, what we value, and what is possible for us is shaped by a complex interplay of internal and external factors, from our earliest experiences of attachment and attunement to the broader social, cultural, and political contexts in which we are embedded. In many ways, psychotherapy can be seen as a process of exploring and working with the dialectical tension between self and world, between our innermost longings, fears, and aspirations and the often harsh realities of the environments we find ourselves in. When we enter therapy, we bring with us not only our own unique histories, personality structures, and ways of being, but also the internalized messages, expectations, and constraints of the world around us. For many individuals, these internalized messages and constraints can feel suffocating, limiting their sense of possibility and agency in the world. They may find themselves feeling stuck, trapped, or disconnected from their authentic selves, playing roles and wearing masks that no longer fit who they really are. In the face of external pressures to conform, to achieve, to fit in, the self can become fragmented, disempowered, or lost. The task of psychotherapy, then, is to help individuals rediscover and reclaim a sense of self that feels vital, authentic, and empowered, while also developing the skills and capacities needed to navigate the complexities of the world with greater flexibility, resilience, and integrity. This requires a delicate balance of supportive and challenging interventions, of validating the individual's unique experience while also gently questioning and expanding their assumptions about what is possible. On one end of the spectrum, an overly supportive or myopic approach to therapy can run the risk of enabling individuals to remain stuck in limiting patterns and beliefs, reinforcing a sense of helplessness or dependence on the therapist. While providing a warm, empathic, and nonjudgmental space is essential for building trust and safety in the therapeutic relationship, it is not sufficient for fostering real growth and change. Individuals need to be challenged to step outside their comfort zones, to experiment with new ways of being and relating, and to take responsibility for their choices and actions in the world. On the other end of the spectrum, an overly challenging or confrontational approach to therapy can be experienced as invalidating, shaming, or even retraumatizing, particularly for individuals with histories of abuse, neglect, or marginalization. Pushing individuals to "toughen up," to adapt to oppressive or toxic environments, or to simply accept the "reality" of their situation without questioning or resisting it can lead to a kind of false or forced adaptation, a loss of self that is no less harmful than remaining stuck. The key, then, is to find a middle path between these extremes, one that honors the individual's inherent worth, agency, and potential while also recognizing the very real constraints and challenges of the world they inhabit. This requires a deep understanding of the ways in which power, privilege, and oppression shape our experiences and identities, as well as a willingness to grapple with the existential questions of meaning, purpose, and authenticity that arise when we confront the gap between who we are and who we feel we ought to be. In practice, this might involve helping individuals to: Develop a clearer and more coherent sense of self, one that integrates the various parts of their personality, history, and identity in a way that feels authentic and meaningful to them. Identify and challenge limiting beliefs, assumptions, and patterns of behavior that keep them stuck or disconnected from their true desires and values. Cultivate greater self-awareness, self-compassion, and self-acceptance, learning to embrace the full range of their thoughts, feelings, and experiences with curiosity and kindness. Develop the skills and capacities needed to communicate effectively, set healthy boundaries, and navigate relationships and social situations with greater ease and confidence. Explore and experiment with new ways of being and relating in the world, taking risks and stepping outside their comfort zones in service of their growth and healing. Engage critically and creatively with the social, cultural, and political contexts that shape their lives, developing a sense of empowerment, agency, and social responsibility. Connect with a deeper sense of meaning, purpose, and spirituality, one that transcends the ego and connects them to something greater than themselves. Ultimately, the goal of psychotherapy is not simply to help individuals adapt to the world as it is, but to empower them to become active agents of change, both in their own lives and in the larger systems and structures that shape our collective reality. By developing a stronger, more integrated, and more authentic sense of self, individuals can begin to challenge and transform the limiting beliefs, oppressive power dynamics, and dehumanizing narratives that keep us all stuck and disconnected from our shared humanity. In this sense, psychotherapy is not just a personal journey of healing and self-discovery, but a deeply political and moral enterprise, one that calls us to envision and create a world that is more just, compassionate, and sustainable for all. As therapists, we have a unique opportunity and responsibility to support individuals in this process, to bear witness to their pain and their resilience, and to help them find the courage, clarity, and creativity needed to live a life of purpose, integrity, and connection. As the existential psychiatrist Viktor Frankl once wrote, "Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom." By creating a space for individuals to explore and expand their capacity to choose, to respond to the world with authenticity and agency, psychotherapy can play a vital role in the ongoing dialectic of self and world, of personal and collective transformation. 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For his 2017 PhD, John Hunter put forward a hypothesis that offers insights into both the “transformational” experiences associated with large group awareness training (LGAT) participation and the common claims of psychological harm and problematic behaviour associated with participation. Dr Hunter presented his work at the 2023 International Cultic Studies Association conference, and for this episode, he breaks down some of his findings – including where LGATs may or may not intersect with cults and cult-like behaviour.Full episode page here. You can support us on Patreon or with a one-off donation. Links:John Hunter PhD websiteStress-induced hypomania in healthy participants: the allostatic “manic-defence hypothesis” — Dr John Hunter's 2017 PhD DissertationRational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (Dr Albert Ellis)Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (Dr Aaron T. Beck)Robert J. Lifton's Eight Criteria for Thought ReformThe Book of est — Kirkus Reviews'We're Gonna Tear You Down and Put You Back Together" — by Mark Brewer, Psychology Today, August 1975Mindbreakers — by Roland Howard, The Daily Mail, 23 July 2001Cults in Our Midst — by Margaret Singer, 1995Psychiatric disturbances associated with Erhard Seminars Training — by L. L. Glass, M. A. Kirsch & F. N. Parris, American Journal of Psychiatry, 1977Psychological effects of participation in a large group awareness training — by Fisher, J. D., Silver, R. C., Chinsky, J. M., Goff, B., Klar, Y., & Zagieboylo, C., Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1989The Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion — by Richard E. Petty & John T. Cacioppo, Advances in Experimental Social Psychology Vol 19, 1986Thinking, Fast and Slow — by Daniel Kahneman, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping — Fishbowl Films, 2024 Subscribe and support the production of this independent podcast, and you can access early + ad-free episodes at https://plus.acast.com/s/lets-talk-about-sects. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
392 The Empty Nest Cure Featuring Jill Levitt, PhD Plus BIG NEWS! The Magical Annual Intensive Returns this Summer at the South San Francisco Conference Center August 9 -13, 2024 You can Review the Exciting Details Below Or click this link! Today we are proud to feature our beloved Dr. Jill Levitt. Jill is the Director of Clinical Training at the Feeling Good Institute in Mountain View, California, and co-leader of my Tuesday evening psychotherapy training group at Stanford. She is a dear friend, and one of the world's top psychotherapists and psychotherapy teachers. Today, Jill joins us to discuss the so-called “Empty Nest” syndrome. According to Wikipedia, this is the “feeling of grief and loneliness parents may feel when their children move out of the family home, such as to live on their own or to pursue a higher education.“ Jill emailed Rhonda and me to explain why she thought a podcast on this topic might be of some value. She wrote, Recently, I was working with two different women around the same age who were having similar feelings of guilt and shame about the choices they made around parenting versus working. Jane is a 60 year old high level executive with two boys who was super successful and is now retired. She is telling herself, “ I did not do enough for my boys. I should have worked less. I should have spent more time with them. I was selfish, and worked because I enjoyed it. I should have done more for them. I'm a terrible mother. Stephanie, in contrast, is a 60 year old stay-at-home mom of four adult kids, and now that her last kid has left for college, she is telling herself: I should have had a career. I have done nothing with my life. I am a smart woman so I should have done more. I am inferior compared to other women who have contributed to society in some way. Jane and Stephanie both struggled with feelings of guilt, shame, sadness and inferiority, and they were both telling themselves that they should have made different choices. I'm sure your life is very different from their lives, but you may have also looked in to the past and beaten up on yourself for what you should or shouldn't have done. Or, you may be beating up on yourself right now with shoulds, telling yourself that you should be better, or smarter or more successful or popular than you are. In fact, according to the late Dr. Albert Ellis, these “Should Statements” are responsible for most of the suffering in the world, and there are several different types, including: Self-Directed Shoulds, like “I shouldn't be so klutzy and shy in social situations. These self-directed shoulds trigger feelings of depression, anxiety, inadequacy, inferiority, guilt, shame and loneliness, to name just a few. Other-Directed Shoulds, like “So and so shouldn't be such a jerk!” Or, “You have no right to feel the way you do!” These other-directed shoulds trigger feelings of anger, blame, resentment, irritation, and rage, and can easily escalate into violence, and even war. I'm sure you can see that both women were struggling with Self-Directed Shoulds. What can you do about these shoulds and the unhappiness they trigger? Jill explains how both women experienced rapid recovery when she used simple TEAM methods systematically, including empathy and Positive Reframing as well as other basic techniques like the Double Standard Technique and the Externalization of Voices, and more. I, David, then described a woman he treated who fell into a depression when her two daughters went off to college. And she was perplexed, because she'd always had a super loving relationship with them, just as she'd had with her own mother when she was growing up. When I explored this with her, a Hidden Emotion suddenly emerged, as you'll hear on the podcast, and that also led to a complete recovery in just two sessions. Then Jill had a sudden “eureka” moment and realized that the Hidden emotion phenomenon was also central to the anxiety that one of her two patients was experiencing. One of the neat things I (David) really like about TEAM is that we don't treat people with formulas for “disorders” or “syndromes.” These three woman all had the same “Empty Nest Syndrome,” but the causes and the cures for all of them were unique, as you'll understand when you listen to this podcast. Our 400th podcast is coming up soon, and we want to thank all of you in advance for your support and encouragement over the past several years, which we all DEEPLY appreciate! We'll be joined by a number of our podcast stars from the past 100 shows, as well as our beloved founder, Dr. Fabrice Nye! And we have one VERY special event coming up this summer that might interest you if you're a shrink. I (David) have done very few workshops over the past five years because of the pandemic as well as the intensive demands of developing our Feeling Great App which will be available soon. The most fantastic work of the year was always the summer intensive at the South San Francisco Conference Center. Well, guess what! We're bringing it back this year. The dates will be August DATES, and it will have the same magic it has always had, but with some cool innovations. It will be Thursday to Sunday noon, 3 ½ days instead of four, but it will include two fantastic evening sessions, so you will get a MASSIVE amount of teaching. It will be sponsored by the Feeling Good Institute in Mountain View for the first time, Jill and I will teach together, just as we do in the Tuesday group. Of course, Rhonda will be hosting the event as well! There will be many expert helpers from the FGI to assist you in the small group exercises throughout, so you will LEARN from actual practice with immediate expert mentoring and feedback. There will be a live demonstration with an audience volunteer, as in earlier years, plus your chance to do live work in small groups on the evening of the third day. This is always the top rated event during the intensive. You can attend in person if you move fast (seating will be limited to around 100 or so) or online (for half price or so.) That will give people from around the world the chance to attend without the extra cost and time to come in person. The online people will have leaders guiding you in the same exercises we will do with the in-person group. You'll get intensive TEAM training in the high-speed treatment of depression and anxiety, so you can really “get it” all at once and see how all the pieces of this amazing approach fit together. You'll also have the chance to do your own personal work and healing, which is arguably the most important dimension of professional training. There's a whole lot more but I'm running out of steam. For more information, click this link! Here are the details: High-Speed CBT for Depression and Anxiety— An Intensive Workshop for Therapists with Dr. David Burns and Dr. Jill Levitt Join in person or online! Dates (3 ½ days) Thursday, August 8: 8:30am-8:30pm Friday August 9: 8:30am-4:30pm Saturday August 10: 8:30am-9:00pm Sunday, August 11 8:30am-12:00pm PT Location South San Francisco Conference Center (10 minutes from SF Airport) Cost In Person $895* Early Bird Price (only 100 seats) Online $495* Early Bird Price To receive the online price, you must enter the discount code: OnlineOnly when purchasing The $100 price increase for live and online starts on 6/3/24 Rhonda, Jill, and I hope to see you there! And thanks for listening today!
¿Sabes como eliminar creencias limitantes y pasar a creencias potenciadoras? En el podcast veremos como. CURSO GRATUITO Herramientas para la paz mental --> www.centrodepsicologiaintegrativa.com/regalo/ ️ Para SESIONES DE TERAPIA: www.centrodepsicologiaintegrativa.com Academia de CURSOS ONLINE y programa Valentia: www.antonimartinezpsicologo.com * ¡Suscríbete al podcast!* Palabras clave: cambiar creencias, creencias limitantes, creencias potenciadoras, terapia cognitiva, psicología cognitivo conductual, Albert Ellis, terapia racional emotiva, Antoni Martínez Monzo, centro de psicologia integrativa
In this lively episode, Risa Williams and Stevon Lewis discuss ways we get ourselves stuck with our own thinking and the narratives that we tend to tell ourselves about our ability to do things.They discuss: Catastrophizing and Future-Predicting, two cognitive "distortions" that are very common for people to do, different thoughts you can think to start getting yourself "unstuck," perfectionism and procrastination, and investigating your own past evidence about outcomes.Books discussed: The Acknowledgment Journal by Stevon Lewis, and The Ultimate Self-Esteem Toolkit by Risa Williams. Also, cognitive behavioral terms from Feeling Good by David Burns, and A Guide to Rational Thinking by Albert Ellis.Hosts: Risa Williams (risawilliams.com) and Stevon Lewis (stevonlewis.com).Support the showFor info on books, workshops, guests, and future episodes, please visit: risawilliams.com.*All tools discussed on the show are meant for educational purposes only and not as a replacement for therapy or medical advice.
Dr. Debbie Joffe Ellis: Psychologist, Writer, and adjunct Professor of Psychology at Columbia University joins us today, and explains her husband's and her groundbreaking work "Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy" or REBT. She discusses "the fact that it is not circumstances, but our beliefs about them, that create our emotions. By being willing to think in healthy and rational ways when bad things happen, we create healthy emotions, minimize suffering and maximize tranquility and stability within." Dr. Ellis also talks about the power of gratitude. BOOKS: "Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy" by Albert Ellis and Debbie Joffe Ellis. "A Guide to Rational Living" by Albert Ellis and Robert Harper. "How to Stubbornly Refuse to Make Yourself Miserable About Anything, Yes Anything" by Dr. Albert Ellis. "How to Hug a Porcupine" by Dr Debbie Joffe Ellis. FOLLOW DR. DEBBIE JOFFE ELLIS: Website: https://www.debbiejoffeellis.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-debbie-joffe-ellis-45b29853 Email: debbiejoffeellis@gmail.com FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/ASMALPodcast VISIT OUR WEBSITE: http://www.asmallmediumatlarge.co Show Produced by Green Valley Production Studio Music by DJ Booda: http://www.djbooda.com
Do we have a "Self"? Or "Personality"? What's the best way to combat Should Statements? Is TEAM effective without a therapist? What's the Difference between Positive Reframing and Positive Thoughts? Note: The answers below were written by David prior to the podcast, just to give some structure to the discussion. Keep in mind that the actual live discussion by Rhonda, Matt and David will often go in different directions with different information and opinions. So, please listen to the podcast for the more complete answers! Questions for today's Ask David Podcast: Stefan asks if we have a “self” or a “personality.” Slash wants to know how to combat a “Should Statement.” Magellan asks about the effectiveness of TEAM without the guidance of a therapist. Werner asks about the differences between Positive Reframing and the Positive Thoughts you record on the Daily Mood Log. 1. Stefan asks if we have a “self” or a “personality.” What is the so-called “Great Death” of the “self,” referred to in Buddhism? Hi David, I really love your work, both the books and the podcast you've created. Lots of great tools there. I think your down-to-earth approach is effective and great in de-mythologizing mental health care. Still, one thing has been bugging me about your approach: the fact that you quite casually seem to discount the existence of the self. As a theologian I understand this position. In discounting the self as a construct, you'll open the way to less resistance and more acceptance. I studied both Christianity and some Buddhism, and in that tradition the self is essentially something to let go of as an illusion. I think you called this the death of the ego, and it's common in many mystical currents both within and without the major religious traditions. However, by embracing this tradition in a therapeutic setting, I think there's a great risk to gloss over long-held implicit beliefs or patterns in the construction of a personality that might hold people back from reaching their full potential. More specifically, I'm talking about schemas or Lifetraps (in the terminology of Jeffrey E. Young and Janet S. Klosko). I know Aaron Beck supports their work to address these “chronic self-defeating personality patterns” that are usually considered the be part of the self. What's your take on their work? Kind regards, Stefan David's reply Hi Stefan, Personality, like "self" is not a "thing," but just the observations that different people have different behavioral patterns. So, some are more outgoing, for example, while others are more introverted and shy and insecure. The only meaning of "self" is the context in which the word appears. So, "behave yourself" simply means that you are misbehaving and need to stop! Can you come to the Sunday hike is a question. It does not need the add on, "and do you plan to bring you 'self.'" The only meaning of any word is the context, and many uses in the English language, or any language. Nouns do not always refer to "things." Words are just sounds that come out of our mouths. I don't go into this much because few people "get it." Thanks so much, Stefan. Warmly, david PS The above is my take on Wittgenstein's Philosophical investigations, published after he died in 1950. . Second PS I had a random and fairly weak thought, but here it is. When doing my daily “slogging” a while back, I was going through a pleasant and familiar path and noticing how beautiful everything was, and had the thought, “This land is so valuable and expensive, and I'm SO GLAD I don't have to own it. It would involve a nightmare of paper work, taxes and all kinds of worries. But I can just enjoy it without any of those burdens of ownership. Then I thought of the “self,” and what a heavy burden it is to “have one,” and worry about whether or not it is “good enough,” or “inferior,” and so forth. Selves tend to be a bit overweight, and heavy to carry around. And how much more fun, beautiful, and rewarding life is without having to have a “self” to worry about. Rhonda found this helpful after a time feeling confused about the "self," and Matt added this: "Right, and if we own the 'land' one day, and it changes, the next moment, is it the same 'land'? Do we still own it?" Matt's "Self" Thoughts Wittgenstein is one of my favorite philosophers due to the elegance of his solution to philosophical problems, which is to recognize that they are not, in fact, ‘problems'. Instead of trying to answer the question, ‘is there a self', ‘do I have a self', he would point out that these questions are meaningless and can't be answered. One way to bring these questions into a form that could be useful and answerable, is to define the terms. What is the ‘self', and what can it do? How would I know, if I had a ‘self'? If the definition was in the form of a testable hypothesis, we'd be a step closer to arriving at a meaningful answer. In some cases, this answer is incredibly meaningful, in terms of our mental state and relationships. Let's try on a few possible definitions of ‘self' and consider some experiments that could be done to test whether these hold water. ‘Self': (from Meriam Webster): one's essential being, which separates them from others. (I don't find this definition useful, because now I just have to define what is an ‘essential being'? What are we talking about? ‘Self': The subject of our experience; the thing that is thinking our thoughts, and feeling our feelings. (This is also problematic for many reasons. First, it's based on an unproven assumption that experience requires an experiencer. Descartes believed this but Nietsche retorted that this logic was highly flawed as it smuggles the ‘self' into the equation without any justification. Further, there are many ‘nondualistic' philosophies that challenge the ‘separateness' of ‘self' and experience. Meaning, the presence of thought doesn't mean anything other than the presence of thought. We ought to be skeptical of introducing additional complexity into the situation according to the principle of ‘Occam's Razor', that the simplest hypothesis that explains all the observations is more likely to be correct). ‘Self': The ‘CEO' of your mind, the aspec of yourself that is directing your body, attention and decision-making. (This is problematic in many of the same ways as the above definition. It's also the most readily falsifiable definition. We can experiment with our ability to control our decision-making in a variety of ways, one of which is to see if you can ‘choose', with your ‘self' not to understand the words on this page. Or to sit quietly and not think. If our ‘self' can't use its ‘free will' to control the brain's activities in such simple ways, why would we imagine that we have a self, controlling our brain, at all? In fact, most of us believe in a ‘self', which, if we attempt to define it carefully, it can be proven NOT to exist. However, this is an unacceptable conclusion for many people, even though it results in a form of enlightenment. This form of enlightenement is slightly different from ‘self acceptance'. It's more like ‘waking up from a dream of a self' than ‘acceping a flawed self'. All that said, yes, it's often incredibly useful to inspect our assumptions about our ‘self', in terms of our ‘roles' and ‘rules' in our relationships. David offers the ‘Interpersonal Downward Arrow' to do this in a single session. There, we might discover we are stuck in a belief system that is counterproductive, like, ‘we must be perfect', ‘we should never have conflict', etc. There are countless ways people think about their ‘self' which can be productive or a ‘trap'. Obviously, if we had no sense of our identity, purpose, role, etc., it would be hard to know what to do with our ‘selves' on a day-to-day basis! 2. Slash asks how she can combat her “Should Statement.” Hi David I did some exercises and found I a believe that I should play guitar effortlessly or else I should enjoy the process of learning. My disadvantages are greater in CBA. Now what thought should I replace with so that I could have the advantages too. Slash David's reply Thanks, Slash! It is a should statement. Essentially, your “should” doesn't make sense since there is no rule that says you should, must, or ought to enjoy something you don't enjoy right now, so you are just putting pressure on yourself unnecessarily. I once had a patient who had previously been treated briefly by Dr. Albert Ellis when he was in New York. He was on vacation, and was feeling depressed and telling himself that he SHOULDN'T be unhappy since he was on vacation. He thought he SHOULD be enjoying himself. He said that the thing that helped the most was when Dr. Ellis said, “Where the F__K is it written that you are obligated to enjoy being on vacation?” (Ellis used that word a lot!) He said he immediately gave himself permission to feel miserable on vacation, and instantly felt better! This is an example of what I call the Acceptance Paradox. When he accepted his unhappiness, instead of struggling in shame to make it go away, it disappeared. I have a similar story. I used to have a keen interest in collecting coins from around the world, and when I was an intern at Highland Hospital in Oakland, I used to enjoy going to the local coin stores to see if I could find some interesting foreign coin to purchase for a few dollars. This was always exciting, but one day I was in the S & D Coin store just a few miles from our apartment, realized I was totally bored and had lost my interest in collecting foreign coins. I told the friendly dealer, and he said, “Oh, don't worry about it. Just do something else in your free time for a few weeks and your interest in collecting will probably come back.” So, I did that, and that's just what happened. Essentially, he was also giving me “permission” to feel the way I was feeling, and not the way I thought I “should” feel! And when I accepted my negative feelings, they ran their course and disappeared. That worked for me, but there are a lot of methods in TEAM, and you sometimes have to try quite a few before you find the one that works for you, since we're all different. The “go to” method for Should Statements is called the Semantic Technique. Using this method, you could tell yourself, “Right now I seem to have lost interest in music. It would be great if it comes back again, and probably will. But it's natural not to feel excited about music all the time.” Notice that I used “it would be great if” in place of the “Shoulds.” As an aside, we just completed a new class for the Feeling Great App entitled “Your PhD in Shoulds.” You might want to check it out. There's also a lesson on perfectionism at the end of the class. Best, david Cost-Benefit Analysis If I make mistakes, then I am not talented enough to play guitar.(associating my self worth with talent of playing guitar.) Advantages of Believing This Disadvantages of Believing This 1.It will push me to work harder. 1.There is lot of internal pressure. 2.It will motivate me to try different things until I find any solution. 2.It makes me depressed. 3.It can help me to be perfect/achive skills like my idol guitarist. 3.It ruins my currently playing technique I want to master. 4.People will admire me. 4.It makes me stuck at particular point from where I am not able to move forward. 5.It shows that I am one cut above others. 5.It hinders my progress with respect to guitar playing skills. 6.People who think I am not enough I can prove it to them. 6.It makes me frustrated irritated. 7.It can help me to be confident. 7.Endless cycle which I feel I am stuck in the moment and cant get out of it. 8.The quest to achieve will take forever which will make me hopeless and which further decreases my tolerance to make mistakes/which will further make me vigilant to see my mistakes as fault which cannot be corrected. 9.My moral goes down. 3. Magellan asks: Can you do TEAM-CBT without a shrink? Dear David, Could you tell us about studies of the effectiveness of any written TEAM or other therapy materials offered without therapist guidance (for example when people are on a waitlist to see a therapist)? I think I heard of one done with Feeling Good. I wonder if one may be done with Feeling Great. Thanks, Magellan David's response: We have impressive results with our app, which I can describe. It is completely automated without therapist guidance. It is kind of like my first book, Feeling Good, on steroids! I also have precise data on waiting list controls. The waiting list do not improve until they start the Feeling Great App and then they experience rapid and dramatic changes with a couple days. There's no doubt about the effectiveness of the app. Also, there's extensive research proving the effectiveness' o my first book, Feeling Good. There's no question about the effectiveness of these self-help tools. I have many questions about the effectiveness of human shrinks, however! 4. From Werner Spitzfaden: Positive Reframing vs Positive Thoughts I periodically come across clients who get confused by the concept of the Positive Reframing vs Positive Thoughts on the DML. The question they pose is if the Positive Reframe is similar to the Positive Thoughts on the DML? After some explanation I focus on Positive Reframing as a way of seeing that even the most difficult and painful thoughts and feelings reveal something powerful and awesome about us and then ask if that's true about them. This focuses on Outcome Resistance. The positive thoughts on the DML focus on defeating their negative thinking with 2 conditions needing to be present: their new positive thought needs to be believable and it has to drastically reduce the distress resulting from your negative thought. This focuses on the early stages of Methods coming after looking at Distortions followed by the Straight Forward Technique. I would love to hear David's take on this. David's Response Yes, Werner, you are right! The goal of Positive Reframing is not to “Cheerlead” or to persuade the patient that their negative thoughts are not correct, but rather to help them see why they may fight to hang on to their negative thoughts and feelings, because they are beneficial and helpful in many ways. This is the latest list of questions you can ask when doing PR with a negative thought. Most will also apply to a negative feeling. What is the truth in this negative thought? (This is essentially the Disarming Technique applied to your own self-criticism) Why might this negative thought or feeling be healthy and appropriate, given my circumstances. Why might this negative thought or feeling be helpful to me? What does it show about me and my core values that's positive and awesome? What might be some negative consequences of giving up this negative thought or feeling? You were spot on about Positive Thoughts. To be helpful, they must fulfill two conditions. They must be 100% true. Half-truths and rationalizations are rarely or never helpful/ They must drastically reduce your belief in the distorted negative thought. Hey, Werner, we miss you like crazy in the Tuesday group and in our (now small and humble) Sunday hikes. Hope you're doing well.
Descubriendo las 5 Claves de Albert Ellis para Manejar la Ansiedad: En este episodio de "La Teoría de la Mente", exploramos el enfoque revolucionario del psicólogo Albert Ellis para comprender y gestionar la ansiedad. A través de una conversación profunda y reveladora, desglosamos las cinco claves esenciales que Ellis propone para enfrentar efectivamente la ansiedad. Estas técnicas, arraigadas en la Terapia Racional Emotiva Conductual (TREC), ofrecen herramientas prácticas y accesibles para quienes buscan aliviar el estrés y mejorar su bienestar mental. Aceptar la Incertidumbre: La ansiedad a menudo surge de nuestro deseo de controlar lo incontrolable. Ellis nos enseña la importancia de aceptar la incertidumbre como parte de la vida, reduciendo así la ansiedad que proviene de luchar contra lo inevitable. Desafiar Pensamientos Irracionales: Muchas veces, la ansiedad se alimenta de creencias y pensamientos irracionales. Aprende a identificar y cuestionar estos patrones de pensamiento, reemplazándolos por otros más realistas y saludables. Fomentar la Autoaceptación: Ellis enfatiza la importancia de la autoaceptación incondicional. Descubre cómo aceptarte a ti mismo, con todas tus fortalezas y debilidades, puede ser un poderoso antídoto contra la ansiedad. Enfrentar en lugar de Evitar: Evitar situaciones que nos causan ansiedad solo las hace más intimidantes. Aprende cómo enfrentar tus miedos de manera gradual y controlada puede ayudar a reducir la ansiedad a largo plazo. Practicar la Tolerancia a la Frustración: La vida está llena de contratiempos y desafíos. Ellis nos enseña cómo desarrollar una mayor tolerancia a la frustración, lo que nos permite enfrentar las dificultades de la vida con mayor calma y resiliencia. En este episodio, no solo exploramos estas claves en profundidad, sino que también compartimos ejemplos prácticos y consejos para integrarlas en tu vida diaria. Únete a nosotros en este viaje hacia una mejor comprensión y manejo de la ansiedad, inspirado en las enseñanzas de uno de los psicólogos más influyentes del siglo XX. Enlaces Útiles: Nuestro nuevo libro: www.elmapadelaansiedad.com Nuestra escuela de ansiedad: www.escuelaansiedad.com Visita nuestra página Web: http://www.amadag.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Asociacion.Agorafobia/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amadag.psico/ Youtube Amadag TV: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC22fPGPhEhgiXCM7PGl68rw ansiedad, Albert Ellis, terapia racional emotiva, manejo del estrés, salud mental, autoayuda, autoaceptación, enfrentar miedos, tolerancia a la frustración, pensamientos irracionales, bienestar emocional, psicología, terapia
LicensureExams.com What if your emotions and behaviors are not a product of circumstances but of your beliefs? Welcome back to another episode where we journey through the fascinating world of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). Coined by Dr. Albert Ellis, REBT is a cognitive-behavioral therapy that seeks to transform your life by addressing the deep-rooted beliefs that influence your emotions and behaviors. We'll dissect REBT's basic assumptions and walk you through a life-altering five-step process - identifying irrational beliefs, debunking them, fostering rational ones, and reinforcing their impact on your emotional and behavioral wellness. To see how powerful REBT can be, we'll discuss its application in a case study on anxiety and panic attacks.But we're not stopping there. In the second half, we'll equip you with the tools to overcome irrational beliefs that often hinder self-acceptance and personal growth. You'll learn about techniques like deliberate embarrassment, Socratic questioning, and evidence examination used in REBT. We'll discuss cognitive distortions and the role they play in irrational thinking. You'll also learn how to break free from secondary disturbances that often fuel these irrational thoughts. The beauty of REBT lies in its action-oriented approach to improving psychological functioning, utilizing philosophical persuasion and the practice of rational alternative beliefs. So, get ready for an enlightening discussion packed with insights into the principles and techniques of this impactful therapy that could just be the key to a healthier, happier you.If you need to study for your national licensing exam, try the free samplers at: LicensureExamsThis podcast is not associated with the NBCC, AMFTRB, ASW, ANCC, NASP, NAADAC, CCMC, NCPG, CRCC, or any state or governmental agency responsible for licensure.
Deck the Halls with Hope and Healing: The RMA Christmas Recovery Special Welcome to the RMA Christmas Special! Join us as we dive into the spirit of the season while continuing to plumb the outer limits of the recovery universe for content and laughs. We play some listener voice-mails, tell a few bad jokes, and reflect on the ghosts of Christmases past and present. Are you setting any intentions for the new year? So are we! Next we dive into the therapeutic world of Albert Ellis and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Learn how this approach can be a gift in the recovery process, especially during the holidays. A short reflection on the complexities of narcissism and its impact on personal growth and recovery follow. This topic reminds us of the importance of self-awareness and empathy during this festive time. On 'Recovery in the News, we're analyzing the New York Times opinion piece 'Help and Hope for People With Addiction.' Join us as we discuss this comprehensive view on addressing America's addiction crisis. If you're seeking a dose of Christmas warmth and wisdom, this episode is your stocking stuffer, filled with hope, advice, and holiday spirit. *This podcast does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.* Please remember to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast on your favorite platform to get the latest episode delivered right to your devices as soon as it's released. LINKS: www.soberliningsplaybook.com The New York Times Tackles the Addiction Crisis We are a listener-supported podcast. If you like what we're doing here at RMA and want to support the show, JOIN THE RECOVERY IN THE MIDDLE AGES PATREON Our sole mission is to help other people achieve sobriety and become their best, most authentic selves. As little as $3 a month makes a big difference and helps us keep the lights on. https://www.patreon.com/RecoveryintheMiddleAges Visit www.soberlink.com/middle-ages to sign up and receive $50 off your device. As always, we thank you for your support. RMA ON YOUTUBE FOLLOW US ON TWITTER Facebook Page We also have a Facebook Group! Request to join the group. It's a private space for continuing the discussion of what Nat and Mike talk about on the podcast. Hope to see you there. PLEASE leave us a 5 star review on I-Tunes if you're enjoying the show and SUBSCRIBE to get the latest episodes. Email: MikeR@middleagesrecovery.com Natx@middleagesrecovery.com Check out the website: www.middleagesrecovery.com We all have a story. Tell us yours and we'll share it on the show! E-Mail your story to miker@middleagesrecovery.com If you're in trouble with substance abuse and need help, reach out. There are thousands of people who have put problems with addiction in their rear-view mirrors and you can be one of them. While we neither endorse nor condemn any particular program, the sheer number of available AA and NA meetings suggest that reaching out to those organizations would be a good first step, (but maybe not the last step), on your road to recovery. https://www.aa.org/ https://www.na.org/meetingsearch/ Marijuana Anonymous (just in case): This Naked Mind
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), as elucidated by its founder, Dr. Albert Ellis, is more than a therapeutic technique; it's a philosophy for living. Dr. Ellis, a trailblazer in the field, introduced REBT well ahead of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), laying the groundwork for Aaron Beck, CBT's originator, with whom he shared a professional relationship. Having Dr. Debbie Joffe Ellis, the late-Dr. Albert Ellis' esteemed wife and a dedicated practitioner of REBT, join us was enlightening. Her role as an adjunct professor at Columbia University and her therapeutic practice embody the essence of REBT. Central to REBT is the identification and challenging of irrational thoughts that lead to emotional imbalance. In a world brimming with stressors and irrationality, mastering REBT's techniques equips us to navigate life more effectively and healthily. Tune in to my conversation with Dr. Joffe Ellis to discover why REBT is a pivotal tool for cognitive and emotional regulation, essential for anyone's mental arsenal.
Edward is a consultant in Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing, EMDR, accredited by the professional body that oversees this treatment: EMDRA, UK and Eire, emdrassociation.org.uk.Edward Sim trained in the United States with the founders of Cognitive Therapy and Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy, Dr Aaron Beck and Dr Albert Ellis. His training in EMDR came from Dr Francine Shapiro, who pioneered EMDR, now recognised by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence as the leading treatment for chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD. In Toronto, Edward trained in Neurofeedback with Dr Michael and Linda Thompson, the leaders in this field.Edward Sim specialises in treating people living with PTSD, and also those who live with phobias, complex grief, panic attacks and stress. If you have psychological problems resulting from physical or sexual abuse, there's confidential help at hand. Edward Sim can see you at his clinic on Harley Street in London, in Brighton or in Uckfield, East Sussex. If you're unable to leave your house, home visits are easily arranged.Edward Sim is ready to help you transform your life. Your recovery starts today.Connect with Ed: Website | InstagramEnjoy a free month of the Ed Can Help App: For iOS devices, click here. For Android devices, use code “podcast” when clicking on the monthly subscriptions.* The Baby Dust Fertility Podcast is hosted by Hannah Bowers. Follow her on Instagram for tips, insight, and encouragement.* New to TTC? Download our FREE eBook.* Want to improve your fertility? Enroll in Hannah's course, “The Fertility Roadmap,” where she walks you through identifying peak fertility, which pregnancy tests to use, proven lifestyle shifts for better fertility, and so much more. Sign up here.The Tempdrop makes charting your basal body temperature a breeze! Enjoy 10% when you order with code blissberrywellnessClick Here to Order NowDisclaimer: This email is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please speak to your care provider before making any changes to your diet, lifestyle, or currently prescribed medications. *This email contains affiliate links. You will not be charged extra for purchasing through one of our links, but a small portion of the proceeds will go to support Baby Dust. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit babydust.substack.com
Where Do Feelings Come From? Getting Unstuck from Apathy Ancient Stoic Philosophers--and More! Ask David Questions for Today Bystad: Why is it so helpful to write down your negative thoughts when you're upset? Anyinio: Do we have to have a thought every time we have an emotion? What if I see a car coming fast and about to hit me? Would I have to have a fast automatic thought? Raghav: How can I get unstuck from apathy? Anita: What are the necessary and sufficient conditions for emotional distress as well as escape from emotional distress? Louisa: Can you tell us some more about the ancient and modern Stoic philosophers who influenced the development of CBT and TEM-CBT? Answers to today's questions. The following answers were written before the podcast. The information on the podcast may be quite different in some cases, and will typically provide much more information than the brief answers below. David Bystad asks: Why is it so helpful to write down your negative thoughts when you're upset? Dear David! I have practiced the paradoxical approach where I just write down my thougts / worries without challenging them. I think I learned that approach from your great book «When Panic Attacks». This is something that really works for me, especially for worries. It is almost like I «get the worries out of my head». Can you talk about this approach in your lovely podcast, why is it so effective for some people?? Best regards from Martin David's reply Great question. Will address it the next time we record an Ask David podcast! Anyinio asks: Do you ALWAYS have a thought before you can experience an emotion / feeling? David's response The word “thought” is just a form of shorthand for perception. Perception can take many forms. When you see a car about to hit you, you already HAVE a negative and alarming thought! If you like, you can check out the railroad track story in my Feeling Good Handbook. It is a story about a man who became euphoric after his car was hit by a train going 60 MPH because of his thoughts about it! When a deer spots a pack of howling wolves, it runs in terror. It does not have a “thought” in English, but it DOES have the perception of being in imminent danger, and it DOES experience intense, sudden fear. However, the deer did NOT feel fear / anxiety until s/he SAW and correctly interpreted the pack of wolves. Thanks, best, david Raghav asks: How can I get unstuck from apathy? Hi Dr. Burns, I hope you're doing well and thank you so much for all of your incredible work! It has really helped me pull myself out of some of the deepest depressions and anxieties I've had. I wanted to ask for your help with a problem I've been facing recently: I seem to get stuck in depressive cycles at times where I don't want to do a DML even though I know it will make me feel better. When I start doing the positive reframing, it helps melt away this resistance, but I still mope around for a while before I start the positive reframing. My thoughts during this time are generally “There's no point to getting better,” “Doing a DML is like forcing myself to cheer up,” “I should care about getting better more than I do right now,” and “There's no meaning to life.” How would you recommend I go about dealing with this apathetic state? I would greatly appreciate any help in this matter! Thanks, Raghav David's reply: You could perhaps list: All the really GOOD reasons NOT to do a DML. What the procrastination / avoidance shows about you and your core values that positive and awesome. How the avoidance helps you. Something along those lines. I might make this an Ask David question if that's okay with you. Could use your first name only, or a fake name if you prefer. Thanks! Good question, as so many can relate to it! Best, david Raghav's response to David Here's the answers I came up with: Good Reasons NOT to do a DML Doing a DML might be difficult and take a long time. I might not be able to answer some of my thoughts. Even if I do a DML, I might not be able to change my mood. Even if I change my mood, there's no point in being happy. There's no sense of meaning in doing a DML. It feels inauthentic to try to change my mood. Even if I do a DML now, I will return to this state again. Doing a DML is like forcing myself to cheer up and I don't want to be forced to do anything. I want to be able to get better without doing a DML. I might have to confront really negative and distressing thoughts. Core Values it shows about me I care about doing things successfully — I don't want to half-ass it. I want to put my best foot forward when doing tasks — i.e. not do them when I'm tired. I want to be self-reliant and be able to solve all my problems myself. I care about being able to change my mood. I care about having meaning in life. I care about being authentic to my emotional states — I can honor my apathetic/bored side. I can sit with my sadness and apathy rather than trying to escape it. I care about having lasting solutions rather than short-term fixes. I'm my own man — I'm not going to be forced to do something I don't want to do. I care about being able to deal with my emotional problems without “crutches.” How the Avoidance Helps Me It means that I don't have to do the hard work of doing a DML. I don't have to engage in the ups and downs of life if I'm apathetic/avoidant. I can keep engaging in avoidance and distracting myself. It feels like there are no consequences to my actions so I feel more free. I don't have to do the hard work required to build meaning into my life. I can fully engage and honor my apathy and boredom. I'll push myself to search for lasting solutions to my problems. It pushes me to improve my mental capabilities of solving my problems. It helps me avoid the pain and anguish of actually addressing really negative thoughts. It pushes me to find more interesting things to fill my life with. Raghav David's reply Great work, thanks! So now my question is this: Given all these positives, it is not clear to me why you'd want to do a DML. What's your thinking about this? Best, david Anita asks about the necessary and sufficient conditions for emotional distress as well as escape from emotional distress? Dear David While revisiting Feeling Great I was thinking further about the interplay of necessary and sufficient conditions that are correlated to emotional distress. Necessary condition: You must have a negative thought Sufficient condition: You must believe in the negative thought I was thinking of another sufficient condition that may account for the behavioural component of emotional distress: Sufficient condition: You must act in way that reinforces your negative thought. For me this additional sufficient condition unlocks another philosophical underpinning why exposure is a key to overcoming anxiety. For example, if I have a negative thought I'm going to screw up in a presentation and then I believe it 100%. I can still summon up the courage to go ahead and do the presentation. Thus, I'm behaving in a way that doesn't fulfil the second sufficient condition, and therefore another way to reduce emotional distress. More often than not, the presentation is not as calamitous as I anticipated anyways. Thanks for reading. Warm Regards Anita David's reply Hi Anita, Great question, thanks. I greatly appreciate folks who think more deeply about these things. Exposure is a desirable tool in the treatment of anxiety, for sure, but if you point is “necessary and sufficient” for emotional distress, then the action thing is an unnecessary and erroneous, to my way of thinking, add-on. For example, many people who are severely depressed and believe themselves to be worthless do very little, and others do a great deal, but both feel the same severity of distress. Could we use this for an Ask David, with or without your first name? If so, we could also discuss the “necessary and sufficient” for emotional change. Here the sufficient condition is that you no longer believe the negative thought, or your belief has gone down significantly. You can respond, too, if you like to my comments. Warmly, david Anita's Response to David Thanks David, sure I'd be pleased if you find any of what I wrote useful for your listeners. Feel free to use my first name. I'm also curious to know more about the depth of belief in a negative thought as a sufficient condition for emotional distress. Is there a particular intensity or tipping point that might lead to the emotional distress? David's Response: The greater you belief in a negative thought, the greater the emotional impact. There's no “tipping point.” I loved the premise of your book: “When you change the way you think, you can change the way you feel” It got me pondering about the possibility other things such as some behaviours in addition to thoughts that could be associated with emotional distress. David's Response: Your own or someone else's behaviour won't have any effect on you until you have a thought, or interpretation, of what's happening. This is the basic premise of CBT, going back 3500 years or more. An example I'm thinking of is workplace procrastination. Let's say I have been given two weeks to tackle a laborious project. I might initially have thoughts there is plenty of time and I can procrastinate for the first week doing things I find more satisfying at work. Towards the end of the second week, panic sets in as I rush through the project so I can still meet the deadline. After the event, I start ruminating and believing self-critical thoughts such as “I shouldn't have been so lazy” and “I'm never able to handle projects well.” Is it to say, the behaviours before the event has little to no bearing on the negative thoughts or belief after the event? And if so why is it really the case that the negative thinking comes into play after the event happens? David's Response: Negative thinking can happen before, during, or after an event. I really have gained much from many of your books. I'm inquiring to deepen and refine my own thought processes. Thankyou Warm Regards Anita David's Response Thanks so much for you kind and thoughtful comments. Louisa asks: I'd like learn more about the ancient and modern Stoic philosophers who influenced the development of CBT and TEM-CBT. Hello Rhonda and David, I am a Belgium based listener thoroughly enjoying the podcast and sharing it far and wide! I love the TEAM CBT structured approach. I find in particular that many of the methods are (relatively) easy to remember and administering self-help feels much easier than I ever imagined. Well-done, David! I wonder if David could talk one time about the different influences various figures in the development of CBT right from its inception with (it seems to me) the Roman Stoics until this century. Some names that come to mind are Seneca, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, to Albert Ellis, Aaron Beck & William Glasser (these last three all since passed away.) Are they any particular names that stick out as having been particularly useful in the development of TEAM CBT and why or how? Do the Roman Stoics still have anything to offer us? Thanks for the great show! Louisa David's Response Hi Louisa, Thanks, will include in the list of questions for the next Ask David, depending on time constraints. Best, david PS Albert Ellis documents much of the history in his book, Reason and Emotion in Psychotherapy. I believe that Karen Horney, the feminist psychiatrist of the first part of the 20 th century, discuss lots of the current ideas as well, especial the “need” for love, success, etc. and the idea that we have an “ideal” self and a “real” self. We get upset when we realize that the two don't match! David and Rhonda are grateful that Matt can join us often on the podcast.
Shoulds and More with our Beloved Fabrice! Three little words that will make your life miserable are “shoulds,” “wants,” and “needs,” says Dr. Fabrice Nye, the father / creator of the Feeling Good Podcast several years ago. But for the purpose of this episode, we'll add a fourth word, “Musts,” which was popularized by Dr. Albert Ellis, who referred to it as “Musterbation.” Fabrice says that, “Shoulds are a trap. . . . There's no such thing as a should, except for the laws of nature. For example, if I drop my pen, it “should” fall to the floor because of the effects of gravity. And sure enough, it does! “But when I say, ‘I should get an A on my upcoming exam,' i may just be setting myself up for frustration. That's because there's no laws of the universe saying that people will always get As on their exams. "Similarly, if I say it SHOULDN'T be raining today, I'm involved in fiction, not reality. The clouds don't obey our whims, they are just obeying the laws that govern the weather.” Fabrice explained that when you apply shoulds to some past event, telling yourself that your shouldn't have made some mistake, you just make yourself guilty because it sounds like you're scolding yourself. Again, you're living in some fictitious reality where things are always the way you want them to be, because it's impossible to change the past Fabrice reminded us that the Anglo-Saxon origin of the word, “should,” is “scolde.” So when you “should” on yourself, you're actually scolding yourself. Fabrice also explained that the concept of “needs” can also get us into emotional hot water, since we sometimes tell us that we “need” things that we may want but don't really “need.” So, if you tell yourself that someone “needs” to do something for you, you are simply applying pressure to the situation. For example, you might want or prefer for the person to be on time for appointments or planned activities, but you don't “need” them to be on time. Similarly, you might want to find someone to love, or someone to love you, but you don't “need” love, according to Fabrice. . . . and David agrees! It has been shown in research studies that infants and young children need love to grow and develop in a healthy way, but love is not an adult human need. According to the Buddhists, “needs” are not real. They're just cravings, or intense desires that we've elevated to some godly state. Of course, there ARE things that we really do “need.” For example, we “need” to breathe to stay alive, and we “need” to have gas in the car if we want to drive to San Francisco. Those things are needed to fulfill a particular goal. So the key to an actual need is adding the phrase, “...in order to...” Fabrice also described some “want” traps. For example, you may sit at your computer cruising the internet or playing digital games, all the while telling yourself “I really want to get to work on my paper,” or taxes, or whatever. But in point of fact, you DON'T want to get to work on the thing you're putting off. You WANT to be doing exactly what you are doing. Fabrice explains that we “trick ourselves into thinking we want something (like doing our taxes) when we really want to be doing something else (watching TV, playing computer games.) So, once again, we are telling ourselves stories that don't map onto reality." Our real “wants” are the result of an unconscious cost-benefit analysis we make in our head, where the choice that comes out on top is our real want. It's only when I really start doing my taxes that I'll know this is what I want to be doing (probably because the urgency of the matter made the cost-benefit analysis tip in that direction). David was trying to see if this concept of “wants” can be helpful in therapy but had trouble seeing how this might help someone who's procrastinating. Fabrice explained it like this: First, we need to realize that we are doing what we want in the moment; so, it's a choice. Next, we can make our cost-benefit analysis conscious and see that we're only considering short-term factors (e.g., it's a lot more comfortable right now to be watching TV than doing taxes). Finally, we can develop some empathy for our future self (the one who will be pulling an all-nighter three weeks from now, or who will have to pay late fees) to reevaluate our cost-benefit analysis with more complete data. Fabrice also explained that procrastination can sometimes be difficult to treat because it's an addiction. Rhonda also commented on the use of these concepts in therapy. Fabrice concluded the podcast by saying that he watches out for those three little words in his own thinking: “should, need, or want.” Thanks for listening today. Fabrice, Rhonda, and David
Welcome back to another powerful episode of Warriors Unmasked. If you're seeking an inspiring figure in mental health and empowerment, meet Craig Ball, an Australian mentor with a rich history of transforming lives. With over two decades of experience, Craig's unique approach combines traditional and holistic techniques to help individuals realize their utmost potential. His belief? Every individual has the inherent ability to bolster their mental health and create their life's narrative. Craig isn't just an advocate; he's a testament to his methods. His experiences from being deployed to Afghanistan twice with the regular army put his theories to the test, and his triumphs over personal mental health challenges speak volumes. Alongside mentoring, he's a seasoned speaker, and his book, "Reclaim Your Power," offers a pragmatic look into his system. The "Warriors Unmasked" podcast recently hosted Craig, delving into his background, journey in the mental health sector, and his experiences as an Army reservist. He shared about his introduction to Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), which now forms a cornerstone of his work. The discussion underscored the importance of therapy as a testament to strength and also an insightful dialogue about the stigma around mental health in sports. When Craig faced a dire financial crisis, he chose to pen a book, both a personal testament and a guide to resilience. Written as a conversation, Craig's narrative demystifies mental health complexities. He stresses the importance of remaining open to change and understanding cognitive distortions like overgeneralization, where one's self-worth is wrongly tied to success or failure. Craig's central message: true resilience isn't just recovery, but thriving through adversity. He encourages recognizing emotions, leading to healing and empowerment. For a heartening chat filled with wisdom and perspective, don't miss Craig Ball on the "Warriors Unmasked" podcast episode. Grab your preferred beverage, and settle in for a conversation that promises to inspire. So, what are you waiting for? Hit play now to learn more! Trigger warning: In this episode, our guest shares his journey with the loss of friends and co-workers to suicide. If you or someone you love has recently experienced the tragic loss to suicide, please feel free to skip this episode during your healing process. We have 100+ other powerful conversations to enjoy at www.warriorsunmasked.com GUEST LINKS: Reclaim Your Power: Creating Better Mental Health and Happiness for Life: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reclaim-your-power-craig-ball/1141347854 Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/askcraigball/?originalSubdomain=au YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alL39_Zy97I Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/askcraigball/ LINKS: malarchuk.com/book malarchuk.com www.thecompassionateconnection.com www.warriorsunmasked.com Join Chuck's Text Community: 251-418-7966 Follow us on Instagram Like us on Facebook Subscribe To Our YouTube My Community Contact Episode Minute By Minute: 0:02 What to expect inside of episode 116! 02:47 Welcome special guest, Craig Ball, military veteran, author, and speaker 05:29 Craig shares how he became intrigued with working in the mental health space 07:20 An inspirational psychologist was Albert Ellis and has adopted his teaching style 08:57 Craig talks about rational emotive behavior therapy 10:46 Craig talks about the stigma in Australia of not opening up about anxiety 12:24 Craig opens up about his time in the military and the emotional trauma that comes with it 15:48 The power of speaking to someone and having a safe place to talk 20:31 Craig talks about consulting veterans and allowing space do deal with emotion 25:36 How depression and anxiety are not fixed, but have to be managed daily 30:07 Craig shares about his book and a sneak peak of what's inside 38:57 Craig talks about the power of learning to empower ourselves 43:46 Craig shares the difference between the internal and external focus of control 47:24 How to follow Craig, find his book and keep up with all that he is doing 51:17 Craig's advice to someone who needs to get their power back in their life
To access our full conference library of 200+ fascinating psychology talks and interviews (with certification), please visit: https://twumembers.com. In this episode, I'm joined by Professor Windy Dryden. Professor Dryden is a therapist, trainer, academic and author who has published more than 240 books. In many ways, Windy could be described as a pioneer in the field. He was one of the first in the UK to be trained in CBT, having learned directly from Albert Ellis and Aaron Beck, and has since trained therapists all over the world in the approach. He is best known for his work in Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT), which will be the focus of today's conversation where we discuss: — Windy's "general-specific" philosophy of psychotherapy — The foundational principles of REBT and its benefits compared to other approaches — The A B C's of REBT, and how understanding this simple concept can enhance emotional intelligence — How Windy helps clients drop rigid attitudes and develop a more flexible and compassionate relationship with themselves. And more. You can learn more about Professor Dryden's work by going to www.windydryden.com. --- This session was recorded as part of our Holistic Psychotherapy Summit in January 2023. To access the full summit package, as well as supporting materials, quizzes, and certification, please visit: https://theweekenduniversity.com/membership. --- Windy Dryden is one of the leading practitioners and trainers in the UK in the Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) tradition of psychotherapy. He is best known for his work in Rational-Emotive Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (RECBT), a leading CBT approach. He has been working in the field of counselling and psychotherapy since 1975 and was one of the first people in Britain to be trained in CBT. He is Emeritus Professor of Psychotherapeutic Studies at Goldsmiths University of London. Interview Links: — Windy's website: https://www.windydryden.com — Windy's books: https://www.windydryden.com/books 3 Books Professor Dryden Recommends Every Therapist Should Read: — Reason And Emotion In Psychotherapy - Dr Albert Ellis- https://amzn.to/3A2qecq — Embodied Theories - Ernesto Spinelli and Sue Marshall- https://amzn.to/3pl0QcE — Single Session Therapy - Moshe Talmon- https://amzn.to/3QqS48X
Albert Ellis, a trailblazer in cognitive-behavioral therapy, introduced the Three Musts: the demands we place on ourselves, others, and the world. Keilani and James skillfully unravel the layers of these musts and uncover their direct connection to our emotional well-being.Drawing from Ellis's wisdom, the hosts provide listeners with actionable tips on identifying and challenging these destructive thought patterns. By adopting a rational and compassionate approach, they guide you on a journey to reframe your thinking and find liberation from the tyranny of the Three Musts.Remember to subscribe and leave a review if you enjoy this episode. Stay delightfully dysfunctional, and keep embracing the beautifully flawed individuals you are!
Ask David: Burn Out; When Challenging Thoughts Doesn't Work; and more! Featuring Dr. Matthew May In today's podcast, Matt, Rhonda and David discuss four challenging questions from podcast fans like you: 1. Joseph asks if it's okay to take a break when you get “burned out.” Below, David expands on this and describes the difference between “healthy” and “unhealthy burnout.” 2. Joseph also asks why your feelings might not change when you challenge your negative thought with a positive thought that's 100% true. 3. Dan asks about Step 4 of the Relationship Journal, which is the most difficult and important step in the TEAM interpersonal model—see exactly how you're forcefully causing and reinforcing the very relationship problem you're complaining about. For example, if the person doesn't “listen,” you'll see that you're forcing them not to listen. If she or he doesn't open up and express feelings, you'll see that you prevent them from opening up. And if you think your partner doesn't treat you in a loving and respectful way, you'll suddenly see exactly why this is happening—if you have the courage to take look and see: But if fact, this is one of the “Great Deaths” of the “self” in TEAM-CBT, and very few folks are willing to “die” in this way. 4. Finally, Clay asks about EMDR. He's been treated with it without success. David and Matt weigh in with their thoughts about EMDR. This question was not addressed on the podcast, since some practitioners of EMDR might be offended by David and Matt's thinking, but they did describe their thoughts in the show notes below. If you are an EMDR enthusiast, you might prefer NOT to read our comments. Joseph writes: Thanks, David, for sharing so much on the podcasts! I have a couple questions. Personally, I find that when I'm burnt out, I get a lot more anxious automatic thoughts. While it's definitely good to combat these distorted thoughts by replacing them with realistic ones, my takeaway is that it's also sometimes wise to change our lives / circumstances (e.g. to take a break). By the way, I also wanted to ask if you've ever faced a situation where you are convinced that a thought is distorted and irrational (and you know what the realistic thought is), but you still can't shake it off? I sometimes get stuck when I already know the "right answer" (ie. what the realistic thoughts are based on the methods you've taught), but I just can't seem to get my brain to fully believe it. For example, I was recently on vacation and a small blip made me think "my vacation is ruined!". I immediately identified it as all-or-nothing thinking, and replaced it with "my vacation is still going very well even if it's not perfect" (and I'm convinced this thought is true), but somehow my mind kept going back to the automatic thought again and again. Curious if you've ever experienced this. Thanks again so much for your time and your teaching; just wanted to say I really appreciate it! :) Regards Joseph David's Reply to Joseph. Thanks for the great questions. We address both of them on an upcoming podcast. Here's the quick response. Yes, it is okay to take a break when you feel “burned out.” However, you can get “burned out” in a healthy or unhealthy way. For example, after I edit for two or three hours, which I love, my brain gets “burned out.” So I take a break and come back later, maybe even a day later, and I feel refreshed and filled with enthusiasm about writing and editing some more, because I love these activities. When I was in private practice in Philadelphia, I saw 17 patients back to back on Wednesdays. That way, I could have a three day weekend. Actually, I loved it and as the day went on, I got higher and higher. At the end I was exhausted, but exhilarated. I was never “burned out” because I loved what I was doing, and the clinical work was SO rewarding! However, sometimes I made a mistake and a patient would get very upset, sometimes angry with me, or felt hurt. THAT was when I got suddenly burned out and exhausted. But it wasn't because of my work, or the conflict, but rather my thoughts about it, which generally involved a combination of self criticism and frustration with the patient, both the result of distorted thoughts, generally Self-Directed and Other-Directed Should Statements. And THAT kind of “burned out” won't improve with a break. The answer is challenging and changing your own inner dialogue, as well as your dialogue with the other person, using the “failure” in the relationship as an opportunity to listen and support and create a deeper and more meaningful relationship. With regard to your second excellent question, we explored that in depth in the podcast, and also made it a problem for our listeners to think about. So tune in for the answers! This is a popular question I've been answering for more than 40 years, and the answers tell us a great deal about how cognitive therapy actually works. Thanks so much, Joseph! Subject: Relationship Journal Gem I Found Dan (a former participant in David and Jill's Tuesday training group at Stanford) writes: Hello to the Dynamic Duo (David and Jill), I came across this doc for Step 4 of the Relationship Journal, but I don't really understand it and I don't remember the context. I know it was from the Tuesday Group years ago. It says it's about conceptualizing the problem, just not sure how to utilize this in step 4. Thanks. (You will find this document in the show notes below.) ~Dan (Daniel C. Linehan, MSW, LCSW) David's Reply Hi Dan, Great question. In this document, I am trying to make it a bit easier for folks to see how they are triggering the very problem they are complaining about. So, I have listed three categories of common complaints. For example, an Empathy complaint would be that “My partner doesn't listen,” or “always has to be right.” Then you ask, “If I wanted to force my partner to behave like this, how could I so?” Well, one good way would be to interrupt when your partner is trying to talk, or argue and insist your partner is wrong when they're trying to make a point, and so forth. This would force your partner to argue and insist that they are right! It is pretty basic and obvious. But most human beings don't “get it,” and in part that's because a great many don't want to. Blaming the other person seems way more popular than looking at your own role in the problem these days. Good to hear from you on this important topic! People can usually “see” how step 3 of the Relationship Journal works—you simply examine what you wrote down in Step 2, and you can almost always see no E (Empathy), no A (assertively sharing your feelings with “I Feel” Statements, and no R (conveying respect or liking to the other person, even when you're angry.) But most people don't seem to have the natural mental aptitude or the stomach for Step 4, where you go beyond Step 3 and explain EXACTLY how you FORCE the other person to behave in the exact way you're complaining about. The document in the link is an attempt to help people with Step 4—IF you are willing to examine your own role in the problem. In Step 4, you ask yourself what category you see the other person in, and there are three choices to make it fairly simple. You might feel that they don't listen or try to see your point of view. This would be an E = no Empathy complaint. Or you might feel like they can't, or won't, share their feelings. Instead, they might just keep arguing, or they might refuse to open up. This would be an A = no Assertiveness complaint. Or, you might complaint that they don't treat you with warmth, love, or respect. That would be an R = no Respect complaint. This makes it much easier to “see” how your response to the other person in Step 2 actually causes and reinforces the exact behavior you're complaining about. Lots of people get defensive or annoyed at this step of the RJ, and refuse to continue! That's because Step 4 is all about the third “Great Death” of the “self,” or “ego,” in TEAM-CBT. Most of us don't want to “die” in this way. It can feel humiliating, or shameful, to pinpoint your own role in the problem. But, there's usually a big reward—you're suddenly “reborn” into a far more loving and satisfying relationship. In the podcast, brave and wonderful Rhonda provided David and Matt with an example when she was visiting her son and daughter in law in Germany last month to help out with their twin baby girls. This example really brings this “Great Death” to life, and we are grateful to Rhonda for helping us in this very vulnerable and real way! Feel free to ask again if I have not made it clear. To me, this phenomenon of causing the very problems we are complaining about in our relationships with others is incredibly fascinating. However, change involves the “death of the self,” which is painful, because you have to see, usually for the first time, your own role in the problem you're complaining about. It is based on the Buddhist idea that we create our own interpersonal reality at every moment of every day. In other words, we CREATE our enemies, and then whine and complaint about it! Most people don't want to see this! They want the therapist (or friend they're confiding to) to agree that the other person REALLY IS a jerk, or to blame, or whatever. They just want to complain and blame and feel superior! In my book, Feeling Good Together, I think I said something to the effect that we “want to do our dirty work in the dark.” In other words, we don't want to turn the lights on so we can “see” how we're actually causing the conflict. The person asking for help can nearly always be shown to be the 100% cause of the conflict. This technique is one I recommend when working with an individual, and not a couple. Other less confrontational techniques are probably more effective when you are working with both partners at the same time. Warmly, david (David D. Burns, MD) Here's the document: Conceptualizing the Patient's Complaint in Step 4 of the Relationship Journal (RJ) By David D. Burns, MD* Problem Area Specific Complaint—S/he Complaints about the other person's lack of E = Empathy Won't listen Does not understand me Always has to be right Always criticizes me Constantly complains and ignores my advice Constantly brags and talks about himself / herself Doesn't value my thinking or ideas. Is defensive and argumentative Doesn't care about my feelings. Complaints about the other person's lack of A = Assertiveness Cannot (or will not) express his or her feelings Cannot deal with negative feelings Expects me to read his or her mind Clams up and refuses to talk to me Won't be honest with me pouts and slams doors, insisting s/he isn't mad! won't tell me how she / he is feeling. isn't honest with me. suddenly explodes for no reason, out of the blue. Complaints about the other person's lack of R = Respect Always has to get his or her way Is stubborn Is controlling Does all the taking, while I do all the giving Uses me Puts me down Is judgmental Does not care about me or respect me Only cares about is himself / herself Constantly complains and ignores my advice. Explanation. When you are using the Relationship Journal, you will usually have a complaint about the other person. For example, you may complain that she or he “never listens,” or “is always si critical,” or “constantly complains but never listen to my advice.” If you write down one thing the other person said in Step 1 of the RJ, and exactly what you said in Step 2, you can usually easily analyze your response with the EAR Checklist. That shows what you did wrong, and why your response was ineffective. You can also use the Bad Communication Checklist to pinpoint your communication errors, and some people prefer this format. In Step 4, you go spell out precisely why your response will FORCE the other person to keep doing the exact thing you're complaining about. One easy way to conceptualize the nature of your complaint about the other person is with our convenient EAR algorithm. This document can help you “see” the problem you're complaining about when you do Step 4 of the RJ. That makes it much easier to discover exactly how you are triggering and reinforces the exact problem you're complaining about. LMK what you think! Clay writes: Hello David, I know you no longer practice, but could I please get an opinion from you on EMDR? So far I have done about six sessions of EMDR and I feel worse than when I began. Does one typically feel worse before one feels better with EMDR? I know you are for Team CBT, and I think it has a lot of merit and science behind it! It just seems a little magical to me that by alternately tapping that I am going to resolve traumas or anxiety issues that happened a long time ago and maybe even recently, but I am going into it with an open mind and the possibilities. Best to you and your family, David, and thank you for the revolution in cognitive therapy you started with Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis! Kind regards, Clay Wilson Hi Clay, I've never been an EMDR enthusiast. To me, it's just cognitive exposure, which definitely can have value in anxiety, coupled with “eye jiggling.” Many of it's proponents seem to think that they have found the holy grail, and I have no doubt that a few will slam me for me non-supportive response! And please remember that I'm a cynic, so take it with a grain of salt. In TEAM, we use more than a hundred M = Methods, and only after doing the T, E, A steps, which are absolutely crucial to success in most cases. Best, david PS I'm copying Rhonda and Matt. If we used your question on an Ask David, would you be open to that, with or without your correct first name? Happy to disguise your name. David D. Burns, MD Dear David, I greatly value your ideas and that you are a cynic. In 6 sessions of the EMDR, I have not felt any better. You are absolutely free to use my name and you don't need to disguise it at all. I live in Columbus, Montana and as far as I know, there is only one person in Bozeman who does Team CBT. I sent her an email but didn't hear back but it's 100 miles from us anyway. Thank you very, very much for your view on EMDR! I was thinking something similar myself. All the very best to you and your family! Most Sincerely, Clay David's Response HI Clay, You're welcome. My website is full of free resources, anxiety class, depression class, more than 300 TEAM podcasts, and more. My book, When Panic Attacks, is pretty cheap in paperback. Also, beta testing of thee Feeling Good App is still free. T = Testing, E = Empathy, A = Addressing Resistance, and M = Methods (more than 100.) A is likely the most important step! Thanks, best, david Matt's Response Hi Dan and David, My guess is that EMDR showed some early results due to the tendency of most therapists to avoid exposure techniques and try to 'smooth over' anxious thinking and trauma, rather than just dive in and explore it, fearlessly. I suspect this created a large cohort of anxious and traumatized patients, waiting in the wings, for such treatment, so it showed immediate favorable data. However, this method is only one of dozens, and the setup is key. Why would you want to overcome something traumatic? Wouldn't it be more useful to remember it and avoid anything that resembles it? Meaning, there may be powerful methods, including exposure and (usually) less-effective methods, like 'eye-jiggling' and other distraction techniques out there for anyone, but why bother with these if the symptoms are helpful and appropriate? This is the main idea in TEAM . People recover when they want to recover, not when someone applies the correct methodology. -Matt Hi Dan, David, and Matt: In addition to being a TEAM therapist, I also practice EMDR. I find it to be very effective, especially when used within the TEAM structure. It may not be for everyone, but it's great to have many options for our clients. -Rhonda David's comment. Yes, and here Matt's is pointing out some of the paradoxical “Outcome Resistance” strategies we use with anxious patients when doing TEAM therapy. We become the voice of the patient's resistance to change, and verbalize all the really positive things about the anxiety symptoms: how they protect us from danger and express our core values as human beings. Paradoxically, this often reduces resistance and opens the door to change. In TEAM, we treat the human being with systematic TEAM therapy. We do not treat symptoms with techniques. The meaning of this may be hard to “see” if you haven't seen or experienced it. But there are a large number of actual therapy sessions your can listen to in the podcasts. Best, David Thanks for asking such terrific questions and for listening! We all greatly appreciate your support. Keep your questions and comments (negative as well as positive) coming! Rhonda, Matt, and David
It is easy to take credit for our successes, and look down on others for their 'failings', without acknowledging the huge number of interrelated factors and events that first had to happen for them to come into being. We don't choose our parents, our genetics, our personality traits, our talents, the time and place where we are born, or the experiences that shape us. If we really consider all of these things – and truly recognise how little say we have in the formative elements of our life – it is inevitably humbling.And on the flipside, it can allow us to have more understanding and empathy for people who have lost their way. The famous psychologist Albert Ellis spoke about judging behaviour as good or bad – but not judging people, and that really points to this.One person who powerfully illustrates this point is the Nike sponsored endurance athlete John McAvoy – who previously was sentenced to life in prison in his early twenties for armed robbery, before turning his life around.Full Length Episode: https://www.simonmundie.com/blog/john-mcavoy-the-power-of-environmentMyTwitter: https://twitter.com/simonmundieInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-mundie-89379114/And for the 'Mundie on Monday' newsletter - featuring three of the best Life Lessons from four years and 200 of these conversations - head to simonmundie.com (where you can also drop me an email)Please do share this episode - it makes a big difference in helping people find this podcast.Thank you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
From the time Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis recognized the importance of addressing unhelpful cognitions and cognitive processes in the treatment of depression in the 1960's, cognitive behavioral therapy has become a driving force in the world of evidence-based practice. Initially, Drs. Beck and Ellis focused on the content of thoughts as the primary target for psychological interventions. Similarly, modern behavioral psychology has emphasized the importance of addressing cognition as a key aspect of successful psychotherapy. However, B.F. Skinner's focus on verbal behavior as a generalized operant and modern contextual behavioral scientists' work on Relational Frame Theory tend to emphasize the importance of addressing contextual factors that influence the function or impact of language over the content of thoughts. In this wide ranging episode, Drs. Jeff Mann, Andy Santanello, and Kevin Holloway discuss places of convergence between these two great traditions and look toward the future of process-based approaches to cognition. Make sure you grab some coffee and a snack: this is a LONG one!Jeffrey Mann, Psy.D., is a Military Behavioral Health Psychologist at the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) with the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Dr. Mann provides support Navy mental health training programs and is a Veteran of the United States Air Force (USAF) where he served as a psychologist from 2009 to 2013. In 2013, he deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.Dr. Mann received his bachelor's degree in computer science from DePauw University and his master's and doctorate degrees in clinical psychology from the Adler School of Professional Psychology, Chicago, with a specialization in primary care psychology. He is a 2010 graduate of the Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center Psychology Residency Program.Dr. Mann's clinical work has focused on the assessment and treatment of trauma-related mental health conditions, anxiety disorders, insomnia and the use of Telebehavioral Health.Calls-to-action: Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice PodcastSubscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email
In this special episode of the show called "The Daily Tune-Up,"guest co-host Stevon Lewis and Risa Williams talk about the subject of "overworking" and how people tend to beat themselves up with their own unexamined beliefs about what "success" means.They explore:-Examining your definition of "success" and why it feels like you never get stuff done-Challenging your ideas of other peoples' success and learning to see it from a different perspective that can help you feel better about yourself and others-Learning to celebrate little things you do each week as a way to boost your feelings of self-esteem and accomplishmentBooks/tools discussed: The Ultimate Self-Esteem Toolkit and The Ultimate TIme Management Toolkit by Risa Williams and The Acknowledgment Journal by Stevon Lewis, books by Albert Ellis, and Deborah Tannen.Host: Risa Williams, LMFT., www.risawilliams.com, @risawilliamstherapyGuest Host: Stevon Lewis, LMFT, www.stevonlewis.com, @stevonlewismftIf you're enjoying these episodes, come to Risa's Time Management Master Class on May 20th! Sign up at www.risawilliams.com.Check out future episodes of The Daily Tune-Up where Stevon Lewis will return as a guest co-host!**Tools discussed on the show are meant for educational purposes only and are not a replacement for therapy or medical advice.Support the showFor info on books, workshops, guests, and future episodes, please visit: risawilliams.com.*All tools discussed on the show are meant for educational purposes only and not as a replacement for therapy or medical advice.
In this episode of the MM Podcast, Risa Williams celebrates the worldwide release of her newest book, The Ultimate Self-Esteem Toolkit, with special guest, Stevon Lewis, and they discuss self-esteem boosting tools. Stevon Lewis is a licensed therapist, the author of "The Acknowledgment Journal" and the podcast host of "How to Talk to High Achievers About Anything." They discuss how to challenge negative thoughts and beliefs by investigating them with a few practical tools and techniques.Learn a few new strategies to turn your mindset around and get back on track faster...Tools mentioned: Thoughts on Trial (from Stevon's book, The Acknowledgement Journal) and The Evidence Investigator (from Risa's book, The Ultimate Self-Esteem Toolkit).Other episodes mentioned: The Daily Tune-Up (future segments of the show which Stevon and Risa co-host).References mentioned: REBT Therapy (Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy) and Dr. Albert Ellis.Host: Risa Williams, LMFT, risawilliams.com, @risawilliamstherapy, theultimatetoolkitbooks.com.Guest: Stevon Lewis, LMFT, stevonlewis.com, @stevonlewismft.Support the showFor info on books, workshops, guests, and future episodes, please visit: risawilliams.com.*All tools discussed on the show are meant for educational purposes only and not as a replacement for therapy or medical advice.
Many young people who first claim to be bisexual will later identify as pansexual and then trans. Sasha and Stella discuss this common but contemporary pathway to trans identification and analyze why this might be happening and what it could mean subconsciously. They offer parents some ideas for how to engage their child during this time of exploration.Sasha and Stella both have parent coaching membership sites that offer an expansive catalog of resources curated to support and empower parents of gender-questioning teens and young adults. Depending on the membership level, you have access to full-length in-depth topic videos, articles, book recommendations, and live Q&A sessions.Links:Sasha Ayad's Parent Coaching Membership Group (SubscribeStar)https://www.subscribestar.com/sashalpcStella O'Malley's Parent Coaching Membership Group (Substack)https://stellaomalley.substack.com/Sasha & Stella's Conversation with Helena:Helena Part I: Social Justice, Fandoms & FTM Gay Boyshttps://gender-a-wider-lens.captivate.fm/episode/45-helena-part-1-social-justice-fandoms-ftm-gay-boysHelena Part II: Advice for Parents from a Former Trans Kidhttps://gender-a-wider-lens.captivate.fm/episode/46-helena-part-ii-advice-for-parents-from-a-former-trans-kidSasha & Stella's Conversation w/ Lisa Duval:https://gender-a-wider-lens.captivate.fm/episode/75-borderline-personality-distorted-attempts-to-integrate-a-conversation-w-lisa-duvalUpcoming GETA Webinars https://genderexploratory.com/events/Albert Ellis's REPT philosophies, and The Three Basic Mustshttps://www.rebtnetwork.org/whatis.htmlIf you liked this episode, more episodes you might find interesting:Episode 1 — Trans: Identity vs Dysphoria https://gender-a-wider-lens.captivate.fm/episode/trans-identity-vs-dysphoriaEpisode 2 — Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria. https://gender-a-wider-lens.captivate.fm/episode/rapid-onset-gender-dysphoriaEpisode 32 — Stereotypes https://gender-a-wider-lens.captivate.fm/episode/32-stereotypesEpisode 35 — Communicating About Gender: Translating Between Parent & Child. https://gender-a-wider-lens.captivate.fm/episode/35-translationsEpisode 39 —...
En Ivoox puedes encontrar sólo algunos de los audios de Mindalia. Para escuchar las 4 grabaciones diarias que publicamos entra en https://www.mindaliatelevision.com. Si deseas ver el vídeo perteneciente a este audio, pincha aquí: https://youtu.be/c7yo7IDNu_8 Esta entrevista estará basada en Platón y en las investigaciones del Dr. Albert Ellis (1913-2007), quién, como decía la filosofía clásica, descubrió que existen once ideas o creencias irracionales básicas que causan y sustentan los trastornos emocionales y la mayor parte del sufrimiento humano. Estas creencias pueden observarse, desactivarse y transmutarse. Descubre cómo en esta charla de Hector. Hector Gil García Terapeuta transpersonal, director de su propia escuela, profesor de Filosofía y escritor. Es especialista en procesos del perdón y Psicosomática Integrativa. http://www.hectorgilgarcia.com https://www.instagram.com/hector_gil_... https://www.facebook.com/hector.gilga... Infórmate de todo el programa en: http://television.mindalia.com/catego... **CON PREGUNTAS AL FINAL DE LA CONFERENCIA PARA RESOLVER TUS DUDAS *** Si te parece interesante.... ¡COMPÁRTELO!! :-) DURACIÓN: 45m Aproximadamente ------------INFORMACIÓN SOBRE MINDALIA----------DPM Mindalia.com es una ONG internacional sin ánimo de lucro. Nuestra misión es la difusión universal de contenidos para la mejora de la consciencia espiritual, mental y física. -Apóyanos con tu donación en este enlace: https://streamelements.com/mindaliapl... -Colabora con el mundo suscribiéndote a este canal, dejándonos un comentario de energía positiva en nuestros vídeos y compartiéndolos. De esta forma, este conocimiento llegará a mucha más gente. - Sitio web: https://www.mindalia.com - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindalia.ayuda/ - Twitter: http://twitter.com/mindaliacom - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindalia_com/ - Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mindaliacom - Vaughn: https://vaughn.live/mindalia - VK: https://vk.com/mindaliacom - Odysee: https://odysee.com/@Mindalia.com *Mindalia.com no se hace responsable de las opiniones vertidas en este vídeo, ni necesariamente participa de ellas. *Mindalia.com no se responsabiliza de la fiabilidad de las informaciones de este vídeo, cualquiera sea su origen. *Este vídeo es exclusivamente informativo.
Go to thewalledgarden.com/events to register for this week's events. David Alexander is an American psychotherapist and philosopher. On his podcast, Between Two Ravens, David explores the heights and depths of Norse mythology. David is interested particularly in Jungian psychology, classical Stoicism, and mythology, and he now brings these interests to The Walled Garden Philosophical Society as an official contributor in our community. The Walled Garden Philosophical Society now offers one-on-one philosophical mentoring with our stellar philosophers from around the world. Go to thewalledgarden.com/mentoring to apply today. Philosophical Mentoring, simply put, is a service of soul doctoring wherein the philosopher and mentee engage in meaningful and thoughtful dialogue concerning the most effective ways to deal with the various challenges and opportunities faced by the client. Go to thewalledgarden.com/mentoring to apply today. Go to thewalledgarden.com/join to become a caretaker in The Walled Garden Philosophical Society. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
"Virtue is a restraint of harmful actions and words" - Rabbi Finley Rabbi Mordecai Finley, PhD is the worlds only Rabbi who is also a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He is a self described existential counselor. In this episode, I have a wide ranging conversation with the Rabbi about a 10 year plan to end gun violence in the United State, using his model of Virtue, Rationality, and Wisdom, then we move into a discussion of the different ways to achieve connection with your soul through the practice of depth. Rabbi Mordecai Finley is the rabbi and co-CEO of Ohr HaTorah Synagogue. He co-founded the synagogue with his wife Meirav Finley in 1993. Rabbi Finley received his doctorate in Religion-Social Ethics from the University of Southern California. In addition to his work at Ohr HaTorah, he served as a Professor of Jewish Thought at the Academy for Jewish Religion, California Campus , where he taught Liturgy, Jewish Mysticism and Spirituality, and Professional Skills. He is former president and former provost of the AJR. He currently on hiatus from his teaching at the AJR/CA Rabbi Finley also has a small counseling practice, where he focuses on wisdom, virtue, and managing consciousness. He specializes is interpersonal relationships. As Rabbi Finley does not do traditional psychodynamic counseling, his clients are typically short term and see results immediately if they work the teachings. Rabbi Finley integrates into his counseling practice insights from many schools and traditions, most notably: Philosophy, Stoic and Neo-Platonism) Jung and neo-Jungians (especially James Hillman) plus a range of modern psychological schools of thought, especially Roberto Assagiolli, William Glasser, Albert Ellis and Byron Katie. He also has background in object relations theorists as well as existential and humanist psychology. Through his doctorate in Religion, as well as his own spiritual search, he has familiarity with other religious-spiritual traditions: Hindu (especially Patanjali and Raja Yoga), Tibetan Buddhism, Zen Buddhism, and Sufi Mysticism. Noted for his unique teaching skills, his eloquence and ability to simply and clearly articulate truths about the human condition through teaching Bible, mysticism, Kabbalah, spirituality, and moral psychology, he has changed many people's lives. What you'll learn in this episode: Rabbi Finley and Derek come up with a 10 year plan to end gun violence in the United StatesHow to apply Vitue, Rationality, Wisdom, and Depth in your lifeNew ways to think about poetry, magic, the soul, and spiritual experiencesHow martial arts relates to spiritualityHow to identify your spiritual personalityThe use of the willParenting practice and problem solving Quotes "Virtue is a restraint of harmful actions and words" - Rabbi Finley "I'm interested in changing the culture of conflict with de-escalation"- Rabbi Finley "There is no short cut to human transformation"- Rabbi Finley "It is very un fulfilling to lead an accommodating life"- Rabbi Finley "In a way, you have to know your spiritual personality"- Rabbi Finley "Connecting with the world of the soul takes work"- Rabbi Finley "Holy words name experiences"- Rabbi Finley "Training has to be rigorous and specific"- Rabbi Finley "Never abandon your gift"- Rabbi Finley Continue the adventure: Rabbi Mordecai Finley's website Rabbi Mordecai Finley's Instagram Rabbi Mordecai Finley's Facebook Rabbi Mordecai Finley's Twitter Rabbi Mordecai Finley's YouTube Channel You'll also love these episodes: Jon Jandai | Life Can Be So Easy: Farming, Earthen Building, Community, Seed Saving, and more… Joel Salatin | Regenerative Farming, Community Building, Templates of Abundance, and more Michael Thornhill | Founder of Casa Galactica, Ayahuasca Retreat Center, on Healing Trauma and Channeling Interdimensional Beings Robert Michael | Know Your Rights – Freedom,