Letters to the Editor
damnthatxanadu
Published Letters: 481 Editor's Choice: 14
-
Hey Bebop-o
[Read the article: Bill Clinton: The Chris Matthews of South Carolina]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]So you read my rants? I'm always surprised to find, when I do read too, that a person's opinion in one area doesn't find them totally the opposite of what I thought in another. In other words, finding them a bastard in one set of letters, they're something altogether human in others.
You know, people who say they are for peace and love and zen and then whisper behind other's backs, well, I would say that they're not what they believe themselves to be. But then, I would say there are few of us who are. But we should be. I imagine that is relativism at it's worst, but then I do believe humans to be relativistic in their nature and ideal in their souls.
So, we smile and let them whisper and know a thing or two.
Night.
-
Not Until We Say
[Read the article: Bill Clinton: The Chris Matthews of South Carolina]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Anon 7:08
Hillary is done when we, the people, say that she is done. Or she quits.
You may think there isn't a dream that sustains us, those who support her, but there is. Oh, there is. So, Ted Kennedy and Caroline aside, it's not over until it's over.
-
CBT is Very Limited
[Read the article: Don't be happy, worry]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]As a therapist, my experience has been that the problem with CBT IS that people have to be very committed and willing to do what it takes to change AND TO DO THE HOMEWORK. And sorry, IT IS NOT the only therapy that works. Usually, most therapists MUST integrate it with other talk therapy and other techniques. Some people do not do well with CBT and others do very well. It depends upon the person.
But I have also found that CBT works well only if the person has already explored and acknowledged the hurts/pain/trauma of their past. If they haven't done that work, you end up going around and around and around in circles utilizing just CBT.
And actually, I have found that using "happiness" techniques (finding strengths, values and positive experiences with meaning) is sometimes far more effective with people in my psychotherapy practice than CBT.
The reason you see CBT mentioned so much in research literature and being successful is because it was developed to be researched and tested. Research subjects are carefully selected who will work well with it and are expected to follow-through with assignments. As a matter of fact, it works very well for social anxiety...AFTER they have processed/explored the basis of the fear in their past and when the person DOES THE HOMEWORK.
But I have people come in and they want to just talk and you can't get them to do much else and sometimes, sometimes that's actually better than any technique... or drug for that matter.
-
FredrickBernanke
[Read the article: Don't be happy, worry]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Bullshit, psychotherapy doesn't work. Sorry, bub, I have clients who have transcended PTSD, sexual abuse, social anxiety, depression and general anxiety with the help of therapy who will tell you otherwise. And I DO mean "successfully" in that they no longer were depressed or anxious or bowled over sick because of PTSD.
As a matter of fact, I have had several clients with trauma symptoms from PTSD and sexual abuse that I utilized EMDR and other trauma protocols with, who transformed completely from very severe complications (depression, obsessive compulsive, severe anxiety) to complete recovery. Recovery where they were truly happy, relieved, and that they had let go of a terrible burden. A few of them this was the first time they had felt this way since they were young children. And these people now live full happy lives, thank you very much.
You do NOT KNOW what you are talking about and to make an peremptory statement like that diminishes the accomplishments of what so many people in therapy have achieved.