CBT: On the other hand…

Pet Peeve # 2:

On the other hand, I am also peeved when cognitive therapy is practiced in a cookbook fashion!  Some of the popular, simplified versions of cognitive therapy make it sound superficial, like a mere set of “cheer-up” techniques or affirmations, or workbook exercises.

Truth be told, CBT techniques can be applied to symptoms in a mechanical way, but that doesn’t always get the best results, and it’s not what people are looking for when they entrust their personal issues to a therapist.

That’s why, in my thinking about my work, and especially when I teach and supervise young professionals, I always emphasize that it isn’t about trying to treat symptoms with techniques.  I tell my students that if they aspire to become expert cognitive-behavioral therapists, they should first and foremost aspire to become expert, caring therapists, who treat whole people, and who use the cognitive-behavioral approach because it's the gold standard.

Feel free to use the above as a guide for how to find a good therapist!