Comments on: Cognitive restructuring (CR): The ABCDE way to change automatic negative, self-defeating beliefs into more affirming messages http://www.counselinginchicago.com/2008/08/04/cognitive-restructuring-a-way-to-change-your-thoughts-feelings-and-behavior/ Exploring counseling & psychotherapy, what works, and the research that supports it. Bill Martin, LCSW 312-409-0632 Bmartin222@aol.com Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:15:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 by: cbtish http://www.counselinginchicago.com/2008/08/04/cognitive-restructuring-a-way-to-change-your-thoughts-feelings-and-behavior/#comment-288 Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:55:27 +0000 http://www.counselinginchicago.com/2008/08/04/cognitive-restructuring-a-way-to-change-your-thoughts-feelings-and-behavior/#comment-288 "Identify a belief you hold about yourself" makes little sense. The beliefs that cause you problems are not obvious beliefs that you can easily identify. Even if you happen to identify them, they seem perfectly rational to you—that's the whole point. Identifying relevant maladaptive beliefs is the key skill that distinguishes effective therapists. Learning to change yourself is certainly worth a try, but it's not cognitive behavioral therapy. If it doesn't work well, get a specialist to help you, just like you would if removing your own appendix or growing your own penicillin didn't work well. “Identify a belief you hold about yourself” makes little sense. The beliefs that cause you problems are not obvious beliefs that you can easily identify. Even if you happen to identify them, they seem perfectly rational to you—that’s the whole point. Identifying relevant maladaptive beliefs is the key skill that distinguishes effective therapists.

Learning to change yourself is certainly worth a try, but it’s not cognitive behavioral therapy. If it doesn’t work well, get a specialist to help you, just like you would if removing your own appendix or growing your own penicillin didn’t work well.

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