CBT: Crappy Bunkass Therapy

I went to the bar again after class tonight, partly to see some school chums who are "regulars" there and partly to celebrate the birthday of a classmate. I had one beer and one burger. So I am stone-cold sober and was for the entire evening.

It seems that, even sober, I have a tendency toward these "bold statements" one of my classmates pointed out last week. This time around, I said: I hate Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. And then I added, One of my classmates said CBT is likely to insult intelligent people, and I totally agree with that. I certainly find it insulting.

I especially love how I got to imply my own intelligence. Truth is, I *am* especially intelligent. But so are some of my classmates, and that doesn't seem to stop them from liking this shit.

At the end of the table toward which I directed my comments (starting with, You seriously want to be a CBT-ologist? I have lost all respect for you.), I drew a crowd of disbelieving looks. One of my classmates asked, "Are you serious?"

Damn straight, I am. I'm not saying CBT doesn't have some worthwhile *techniques,* because it does. But as a treatment modality, as the core of therapy, I don't like it at all. I love being a rebel, and there's no question that I was in a teeny tiny minority at the table.

However, a thoughtful man with whom I engaged in a lengthy conversation about this topic, said to me, "I imagine you're right about CBT not working with people who are intelligent. Intelligent people spend a lot of time in their heads, so it makes sense that for any significant shift to occur, you'd have to move them into their body and their emotions."

Very well said.

Just down the way, however, my classmate who was celebrating her birthday was saying, "But I *love* evidence-based practices. I'm totally for empirically validated therapy."

I was reminded of something I read last week in an article on infidelity, where in response to someone saying they were "for fidelity," the author wrote, "I am for honest politics and immortality, too."

In other words, there is no such thing. Or, as we from The South would say, That's nice.

It is with a small note of irony that I announce I will be giving a presentation on "advanced skills" to my Practical Skills class later this week. Guess what those "advanced skills" include? CBT.

Let me tell you something. If you want to seee ADVANCED skills, check out Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy. That is some hardcore shit, my friends. Makes CBT look like ... well, what it is: a collection of boring techniques designed to fix the glitches in your robotic dog's behavior.

I'm just saying.

Other than that, I would like to add: People of Earth, I come in peace.