Posted by mattdds on December 26, 2003, at 18:25:13
In reply to question » mattdds, posted by Medusa on December 26, 2003, at 13:28:16
>>>Matt, how would you categorize family systems therapy?
Actually, I'm not familiar with that type of therapy, so I wouldn't know how to categorize it.
>>>Based on therapy duration and session structure, I'd place it more in the behavioral camp, but it probably depends on the practitioner. Then again, a lot of the theories, such as differentiation of self, have root in psychoanalytic thinking.
Sounds like a "blend" of the two?
>>>I went through years of psychodynamic therapy, and it didn't get me what I wanted.
>>>(Nor did I get to experience the thrills of transference/countertransference, so I must have been doing something wrong.)
I bet this experience (transference) is overrated ;).
I hear this all the time - people doing years of psychodynamic therapy and not getting any measurable symptomatic relief. I'm a big believer in measuring progress of symptoms, with charting and stuff, to make sure it's working. Otherwise, why bother with something if it's not working? Often people waste so much time and money in therapy with no measurable success. I think therapists should be held accountable for this!
Of course people have different goals. Some psychodynamic (especially the "old-school", Freudian type therapists) will freely admit that it may take years for symptoms to go away, if at all. For me, this would be unacceptable, especially when meanwhile there are therapies available (namely, CBT and interpersonal therapy) that have been shown in studies to rapidly alleviate symptoms - no aimless subconscious groping of ones traumatic childhood necessary!
In medicine (and CBT) the chief complaint is addressed first. Specific problems are identified, and a treatment plan is generated to specifically target the problems. Why is it so different with psychotherapy? Why so much time wasted in techniques that aren't working to solve the chief complaint?
>>>I'd be really interested in discussing this more (as well as more about CBT/DBT) - I've felt discouraged, a real outsider, by the slant of this board, but I don't know of other discussion boards.
I feel like an outsider too! I check this board very often, but I just can't relate to issues of transference, countertransference, the unconscious, exploring childhood trauma, etc. That's why I suggested splitting the board, but this is not going to happen for the sheer lack of people interested in CBT.
I hold out hope for more talk of CBT here, and sometimes even try to start threads, but they usually wind up fizzling out quickly or people just argue about whether it works or not, rather than working on solutions or giving each other suggestions. However, I have had some good exhanges here, especially with Dinah and Larry.
I've searched far and wide for a board that deals with CBT exclusively, but I don't believe there is one :(. I agree, the board is heavily slanted in terms of orientation.
Thanks for listening to my rambling :).
Take care,
Matt
poster:mattdds
thread:293462
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20031221/msgs/293603.html