Posted by Dena on April 15, 2005, at 10:12:24
In reply to Re: Williams: CBT Didn't Work for me..., posted by psycjw on April 14, 2005, at 3:37:09
Thank you, Dr. Williams, for your well thought out reply. We agree about much of what you wrote. My purpose is not to argue about the superiority of one methodology over another...
Only to relate my personal experience, which, in the end, is all I have.
What I experienced with CBT was this:
- I received good "information" that entered my cognitive mind, and gave me something to think about. But the proverbial "journey from the head to the heart" proved to be a far-too-difficult one to make. When faced with temptations, I had to mentally wrestle with them, try to remember the "coping techniques" (or find the piece of paper upon which they were written), and then struggle to apply them. Given that I had multiple daily temptations assaulting me (even after 18 or so months of "abstinence"), this proved to be exhausting, and a lousy way of life.
- I discovered that all the mental energy I'd put into being bulimic (planning my binges, gathering food, carrying it out, purging, cleaning up, covering up the lies, etc.), was merely transferred into "maintaining recovery". I had to make a daily decision to "do the right thing", deal with temptations as they arose, take care to keep myself out of places that caused me difficulty, attend numerous support-group meetings, and "manage" my recovery by thinking about it, just as much as I'd previously thought about carrrying out my addiction. I'd merely switched my focus from one all-consuming thing to another.
- When I received Christian-based CBT, I also received definite messages of shame, when I inevitably failed... after all, these people gave me the best they had to give -- and if it didn't "work", well, then it must be my fault (not enought faith, not enough obedience, etc.).
By contrast, this is what I experienced with Theophostic Prayer Ministry:
- I received God giving me a "knowing" that I'd believed lies about myself, and then He gave me a "knowing" about the truth instead. This was NOT condemning -- it wasn't my FAULT that I'd believed lies, just a result of processing painful/traumatic experiences through a child's mind. There was NO message of shame.
- This "knowing" completely replaced the "lies" -- with no effort on my part. It was as if the light bulb went off. Rather than operating from the basis of the lies, I now could freely operate from the basis of the truth. Another term for this is "mind renewal".
- There have been zero temptations to deal with. None. Bingeing and purging have never once occurred to me. Whereas, they used to rule my every waking thought.
- There has been nothing for me to "maintain". No support group has been necessary. I'm simply no longer bulimic. My weight is normal and healthy (I've been most *thoroughly* examined by medical and psychological specialists).
- I'm free to live a "normal" life. I don't have to do anything to "keep" my healing. A permanent transformation occured within me. At a deeper than cognitive level.
- I expend no mental energy in "not being bulimic". I just live life as it comes to me. I enjoy eating, enjoy living, enjoy (finally!) being who I am.
Now, it may be that others find complete freedom through CBT ... but I haven't run into them. Nor have the counselors with whom I previously received CBT. What most of the CBT-recipients find is a "better way of coping", a way of "tolerable recovery". But they don't find complete healing - complete freedom.To me, it's the difference between hearing Jesus say, "Take up your mat, and limp as best as you can -- and here's a crutch to assist you.",
AND: "Take up your mat and WALK".
I believe - I KNOW - that He still heals like that. And, just as He never turned anyone who asked Him directly for healing away -- He never turns away anyone who comes to Him in this manner -- because it's not about physical healing -- it's about replacing deception with Truth - which He Himself said He came to do.
For me, the choice was either:
- learn how to limp better; or,
- be transfsormed so that I could walk, even dance!
The people who are most skeptical about Theophostic are those who have been trained in other methodologies, and who never try Theophostic - for themeslves - first-hand. Those who do receive it, those who do taste of the transformation that results, are never the same. And they just don't go back to the former.
And, amazingly (to some), one doesn't even have to believe in Jesus to be healed by Jesus... (which is quite Biblical).I don't mean to stir up controversy. I don't mean to sound as if I have some sort of superiority. It's not about me...
I commend anyone who tries to help others find relief from their suffering. And, yes, CBT has helped many, many people to cope better..
But there's SO MUCH MORE!
Shalom, Dena
poster:Dena
thread:482701
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faith/20050312/msgs/484605.html