MainerMikeBrown
11-11-2019, 01:23 PM
Back in 2000, I started seeing a psychotherapist for the first time. She specialized in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
However, working with this therapist didn't work out for me, as I didn't think she was a good counselor.
Many people with mental illness have irrational beliefs. CBT focuses on replacing those irrational beliefs with rational thinking, such as a depressed client who only sees the bad in life, or a person with extreme anxieties who worries too much and has anxieties that are out of proportion to the situation. CBT helps depressed people see the good in life, and helps those with excessive anxieties become more calm. It helps with those with other forms of mental illness as well.
The issue I had with this therapist is that, during our sessions, I'd tell her what my beliefs and issues were at the time. And when she'd give me advice to combat my negative irrational beliefs, she'd often struggle to come up with answers. It felt to me that I was winning the discussions half the time. That's a huge problem when you're seeing a CBT therapist who's job it is to convince you that that their beliefs are more rational than yours.
Thankfully after I stopped seeing this therapist, I worked with new therapists who I felt did a better job of convincing me that their beliefs are more rational than mine were back then. It made a huge difference in my life. It can help you too.
However, working with this therapist didn't work out for me, as I didn't think she was a good counselor.
Many people with mental illness have irrational beliefs. CBT focuses on replacing those irrational beliefs with rational thinking, such as a depressed client who only sees the bad in life, or a person with extreme anxieties who worries too much and has anxieties that are out of proportion to the situation. CBT helps depressed people see the good in life, and helps those with excessive anxieties become more calm. It helps with those with other forms of mental illness as well.
The issue I had with this therapist is that, during our sessions, I'd tell her what my beliefs and issues were at the time. And when she'd give me advice to combat my negative irrational beliefs, she'd often struggle to come up with answers. It felt to me that I was winning the discussions half the time. That's a huge problem when you're seeing a CBT therapist who's job it is to convince you that that their beliefs are more rational than yours.
Thankfully after I stopped seeing this therapist, I worked with new therapists who I felt did a better job of convincing me that their beliefs are more rational than mine were back then. It made a huge difference in my life. It can help you too.