What Is Third-Wave Behaviorism?
Strap yourselves in! Prepare to recalibrate your definition of excitement! Why? Because I’m going to oversimplify and possibly misreport the history of behaviorism. There’s no need to thank me. It’s what I do. …
Strap yourselves in! Prepare to recalibrate your definition of excitement! Why? Because I’m going to oversimplify and possibly misreport the history of behaviorism. There’s no need to thank me. It’s what I do. …
When I was about 26 years old, I was offered a tattoo as a gift. This particular tattoo would have conveyed the type of thrilling message that young men imagine they will want emblazoned across their rippling biceps until the end. I planned to go out in a blaze of glory, rescuing women and children, and that tattoo was going to look great! …
We all have those lazy days we look back upon with regret. Today, for example, I donated a paltry four hours to the animal shelter, wrote only two chapters of my book on pre-Renaissance psychiatric interventions, and barely finished reshingling my roof. Some days I just can’t get myself moving. …
Q: If I feed my brain with a certain positive thought every time it wanders in a negative direction, does it eventually believe the thought? For example, suppose my mom tries to stop me from playing video games by telling me that it wastes time. My mind doubts her, and and I have thoughts that she’s just being overly protective. But if I keep repeating to myself that she’s right, would my mind eventually believe it and have no more doubts? – Michele …
The mind seems to be wired for negative thoughts. Common wisdom says that pessimism is a problem. The anti-pessimists warn us: “don’t think like that or you’ll doom yourself to failure!” But common wisdom can be wrong, and pessimism can be helpful – if it is done correctly. So cinch up your belt and suspenders, and let’s find the positive side of negative thinking! …
Q: While we’re bumping up awareness for borderline personality disorder (BPD), perhaps you could help us understand dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). I’ve heard that it’s the only effective therapy for BPD, but I don’t know much about it. I’m often skeptical of magic bullets, and I’m wondering what your take is on this. Thanks! -Ariel P. …
Does DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) Cure Borderline Personality Disorder?Read More »
In Part One, we looked at one of the handy cognitive shortcuts that separates humanity from other non-verbal earthlings: relational framing. We have the ability to derive relationships that aren’t explicitly taught; other animals don’t, for the most part. That means that our knowledge can increase exponentially whenever we learn a single new piece of information. …
Q: What is ironshrink’s take on relational frame theory? Is it controversial as voodoo? There are no chickens involved, are there? – Sponge …
Re: What’s the Deal With Inkblot Tests? i 4/1 would like to hear your explanation of “functional behavior analysis” … someday has come, grandpa! Enjoy reading IronShrink.com. – Head Like a Sponge …
Q: I keep hearing about antidepressants having terrible side effects. Are there any real cures for depression? – JT …