Read the whole article.Seven Questions for Judith Beck
Internationally renowned cognitive therapist Judith Beck shares her thoughts on the Seven Questions. Considering she wrote the book on Cognitive Therapy, sharing thoughts is a pretty big deal.
Judith S. Beck (Ph.D. University of Pennsylvania, 1983) is Director of the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research, past president of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy and Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. She is also the daughter of Aaron T. Beck, M.D., the influential founder of Cognitive Therapy.
(If I had an eighth question, I'd ask if she ever gets tired of being mentioned as "the daughter of..." She has a noteworthy track record of her own without the mention of her famous father. Some kids who follow their prominent parent's footsteps bristle when lineage is mentioned - names like Dylan and Bush come to mind. But here I go, thinking about psychodynamics. If she ever did have a problem with it, I'm sure it was resolved through thought stopping or systematic desensitization long ago.)
If you are a cognitive therapist, chances are you've read Judith Beck's Cognitive Therapy: Basics and Beyond. If you've been a client in cognitive therapy your therapist probably read it. The bestselling text is a graduate school standard that has been translated into 18 languages. Through the miracle of Youtube, you can see her cognitive therapy in action here. Recently, Dr. Beck has applied her considerable CT knowledge to the world of diet and weight loss. Her New York Times bestselling The Beck Diet Solution was recently joined by The Complete Beck Diet for Life in a popular new approach to wellness. The cognitive component to weight loss is a crucial element, apparently. According to Beck:
...dieters needed a complete program for weight loss, that incorporates a psychological approach (e.g., what to do when you're feeling discouraged, disappointed, or deprived), dieting skills, an enjoyable eating plan, and techniques for keeping motivated for life. Most people think that just following a diet will be enough. I had previously thought that just learning essential skills was enough. But now it's apparent-you need both.
This quote comes straight from her blog right here on PT named Thinking Thin. I actually invited her to participate before I knew we were blolleagues. Welcome, Dr. Beck! PT is proud to count you as a member.
Dr. Beck generously donated her time to the Seven Questions project. CBT is often misrepresented as an aloof, technical business transaction, but Dr. Beck's responses show that warmth and empathy are central elements of any therapy. She even chides therapists for not being personable and collaborative enough in session (Q3). Enjoy this response from a highly respected therapist and author who happens to have a famous last name.
Seven Questions for Judith Beck:
1. How would you respond to a new client who asks: "What should I talk about?"
Clients don't usually ask me that question, because as a cognitive therapist, I spend a little time early in the first session describing cognitive therapy and how treatment usually proceeds. (Then I make sure the process of therapy makes sense to them and feels right.) I say something such as: "Toward the beginning of every session, I'm going to ask you what problem or problems you want my help in solving. I'll also ask you whether there's anything else that's important to you that you want to discuss. That's what we call ‘setting the agenda.' How does that sound to you?"
Here is the video of her talking about CBT and using it.
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