Quote:
Originally Posted by banananutmuffin
That type of thing has always been too touchy-feely for me, and I am a very pragmatic person.
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Hope this reaches out to your pragmatic side...
Does it work? Yes. What does that mean?
"Work", in this case, means that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been shown through peer-reviewed, carefully controlled studies to be effective for depression, anxiety, weight loss, and a number of psychological / behavioral issues.
Does this mean it will "work" for you? Not necessarily. Think about it this way... Does aspirin "work" for headaches? It has certainly been shown to be clinically effective. However, it doesn't "work" for everyone, and, even in the same person, it doesn't always "work". Just like aspirin, CBT's documented effects are based on averages. Thus we *know* it works *on average*. Whether it works for you likely depends upon a number of factors, but one of them is certainly whether you take it seriously and accurately apply it. For some, CBT may not work as a self-help, book-style recipe approach, but instead may require some sessions with a clinical psychologist trained in CBT.
What we know for sure:
* If you keep doing what you've always done things won't change.
* CBT is more likely to work than *many* other purported solutions that have no scientific support behind them. There are now hundreds of published studies documenting CBT as safe and effective relative to placebo, sham therapy, and, in some cases, pharmacological therapy (for some disorders, CBT + pharmo therapy is better than either alone).
Note 1: I have a Ph.D. in experimental psychology but am not a CBT therapist nor have a vested interest in whether Dr. J. Beck's version of CBT is effective (or makes her money). It is undeniable that Drs. A. Ellis and A. Beck, the fathers of CBT (and one of whom is the father of J. Beck), caused a paradigm shift in psychology / psychiatry.
Note 2: Anyone interested in science-based psychology that is life-changing and accessible should consider reading "Learned Optimism" from Martin E. P. Seligman. Again, no monetary or other interest in Marty's work, just a fan of science-based work that improves our lives.
KP