http://thesydneypsychologist.com/cognitive-therapy/503/ Creating clarity, purpose and success through effective communication. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:57:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://thesydneypsychologist.com/cognitive-therapy/503/comment-page-1/#comment-60 Clare Mann Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:51:11 +0000 http://thesydneypsychologist.com/?p=503#comment-60 I absolutely agree! The positive aspect really refers to empowering individuals to see they have control over how they respond to life's events. Society implores us always to be upbeat, looking for happiness when, in and of itself, seemingly negative emotions like depression, anger or despair are not invaluable or even undesirable. Often such emotions are powerful indicators of what is happening in our lives and in response to existential realities of being human. Becoming mindful and present to our emotions allows us to understand their language, process what is happening and choose how to move forward. Thanks for clarifying something very important in your post. I absolutely agree! The positive aspect really refers to empowering individuals to see they have control over how they respond to life’s events. Society implores us always to be upbeat, looking for happiness when, in and of itself, seemingly negative emotions like depression, anger or despair are not invaluable or even undesirable. Often such emotions are powerful indicators of what is happening in our lives and in response to existential realities of being human. Becoming mindful and present to our emotions allows us to understand their language, process what is happening and choose how to move forward. Thanks for clarifying something very important in your post.

]]> http://thesydneypsychologist.com/cognitive-therapy/503/comment-page-1/#comment-58 CBTish Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:03:19 +0000 http://thesydneypsychologist.com/?p=503#comment-58 A fair summary, except that you're confusing "negative" with "maladaptive". For example, suppose you're being bullied at work, but your maladaptive belief is that you have to be cheerful and put up with it. It's your "positive" thinking that's the problem here. In a situation like that, you need to learn to react negatively. Effective CBT is not about having positive feelings all the time, it's about having appropriate feelings all the time, so that you can take charge of your own life — its happiness and also its sadness. A fair summary, except that you’re confusing “negative” with “maladaptive”. For example, suppose you’re being bullied at work, but your maladaptive belief is that you have to be cheerful and put up with it. It’s your “positive” thinking that’s the problem here. In a situation like that, you need to learn to react negatively. Effective CBT is not about having positive feelings all the time, it’s about having appropriate feelings all the time, so that you can take charge of your own life — its happiness and also its sadness.

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