Posted by Dinah on May 10, 2009, at 9:51:29
In reply to CBT is not very popular around here. Why?, posted by SLS on May 10, 2009, at 7:01:16
I'm not sure it's CBT that is unpopular exactly. My therapist is (or was) primarily CBT. He just sandwiches it into a more palatable relationship based package. In the early days he did send me home with homework, study sheets, and a manual. But he found it wasn't the best approach with me. Now he's more subtle.
I think most of us could analyze the CBT aspects of our behavior, though we might not put it in the terms of core beliefs, dysfunctional automatic thoughts, etc.
My own personal opinion of CBT was that it didn't give enough credit to the amygdala. The model that first you think the thoughts then you had the reaction never seemed right to me. But my therapist modified what he said to take that into account and once he did that, and once he was more conversational in style, I was more receptive.
I *do* think there may be a greater number of interpersonally based therapies represented on Babble. Part of that is that some people find Babble by googling "I hate my therapist" or "I love my therapist". And that CBT therapy is often fairly short term in this insurance environment, so people may not have as much time to think about therapy.
But partly it's because I think many people who come here with a results oriented short term therapy model in mind may be disapproving or lack understanding of what they see here and might say so directly or indirectly. And people already here might find it difficult to relate to a teacher/student unattached relationship, so there is no large quantity of replies that are on spot for the poster who does not have a therapy based on relationship.
So my thought is that the split isn't CBT/non CBT but more relationship based/not relationship based. If both types of posters managed to adopt a "to each his own" attitude and if enough nonrelationship based clients started to post here, I think the self selection bias could be reversed. But those are pretty big obstacles to overcome.
I mention to Dr. Bob sometimes that it might be a good idea to start a sort of Psychology Board Lab (probably not in those words) for a more concrete results oriented practice or discussion. So that even those of us who post there could post on a second board about the practical stuff like those CBT or DBT steps. And posters who aren't believers in relationship based therapies can feel more comfortable.
But Dr. Bob is interested in fewer boards, not more, so it seems unlikely. Plus, it might take some nurturing to get off the ground and develop momentum.
Just my ramblings and observations. I could be wrong.
(You know, a lot of the angst in my therapy relationship came from the fact that my therapist at one time seemed mildly disapproving of very long term therapy and very intense therapy relationships. He isn't anymore, and I think his whole therapy style has changed from what he's told me. He says he's matured as a therapist. I suppose that means he's more flexible now.)
poster:Dinah
thread:894981
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20090421/msgs/894997.html