In this Podcast, David and Fabrice discuss the fourth powerful model in the treatment of anxiety—the Motivational Model. The key here is bringing the patient’s subconscious resistance to conscious awareness, and melting it away with paradoxical techniques. This is absolutely critical if you are hoping to see a complete elimination of symptoms in any type of anxiety.
You may recall that the Outcome Resistance for anxiety disorders usually results Magical Thinking—the anxious patient may be suffering intensely and asking for help, but secretly believes that something terrible will happen if the treatment is successful and the anxiety disappears. In other words, most anxious individuals are convinced that the anxiety is protecting him or her from some catastrophic event.
David brings this concept to life with a dramatic description of his treatment of a young man named Sam who’d been struggling with intense PTSD—Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder— for six months following a traumatic interaction with two sadistic gunmen.
David and Fabrice also discuss metaphors for understanding how healing actually occurs. Most therapists think of depression and anxiety as mountains that have evolved slowly, over years or decades. They sometimes also believe that treatment and recovery will also requires years and years of treatment, with very slow progress. Of course, if the therapist and patient believe this it will function as a self-fulfilling prophecy.
In sharp contrast, David describes a new way to think about recovery, as something extremely rapid, a personal transformation that happens suddenly, within a very brief time period within a therapy session. But this remarkable phenomenon is only possible when the patient’s resistance to change has been skillfully and compassionately addressed by the therapist. At that point, the patient and therapist are on the same TEAM, working together collaboratively. Then, amazing changes can often unfold quickly.
Plans for future Feeling Good Podcasts will include a series of fascinating podcasts that will feature an actual live therapy session, with David and his colleague, Dr. Jill Levitt, acting as co-therapists, including commentaries on how each step of T.E.A.M. is being implemented. This will give you the unique opportunity to look behind closed doors so you can observe actual healing taking place.
In addition, a future “Ask David” podcast is planned, as well as a podcast on “The Truth about Benzodiazepines,” plus podcasts featuring more treatment methods for anxiety such as Interpersonal Exposure Techniques and Cognitive Flooding. Dr. Burns also promises a fascinating Feeling Good Podcast on the use of the Five Secrets of Effective Communication with violent individuals who are threatening, hostile, and dangerous.
Brilliant as always. I really needed to hear this today. I am dealing with an issue where I have every right to feel angry, bitter, hurt and used. After listening to this podcast, I realize I don’t want to feel that way.
Thanks, Rob, always great to hear from you. And yes, it is so easy to feel angry, bitter, hurt and used! You have the rather unusual ability of popping back into enlightenment, instead of getting stuck in it! david
Dr David, very nice podcast, I have a query. Well I gave up my anger, hurt and bitterness. Then after doing so I started having low self esteem, feeling helpless and low and unable to deal with clever people. So Plz help me as to how to come out of this state
Since I’ve written books / step by step guides on that exact problem, I am assuming you don’t want me to duplicate all of that just for you! Read Feeling Good and / or Feeling Great and do the written exercises while reading. Then ask a question if you have one. Thanks! And hope you understand! I also have a free depression class on my website. david
Just listened to this episode and you talked about the A in TEAM confusing people as they think of an Agenda as something else. How about “Addressing resistance”? Just a thought!
It’s early days for me (just an anxious member of the public), but I think your podcast is really helping me change my perspective. Thanks for sharing your work in this format.
Not a bad idea, Rebecca, I’ll toss it around for a while and bounce it off some folks! Thanks. david
My resistance comes into play to give up crazy irrational fears and anxiety, states of minds to be my real self. I do see that I really like my real self and that hanging on to the bad ways isn’t good for me Plus I do get alot of attention from my family for this in the form of reassurance and continually talking about it. I believe I don’t need or really want all that attention and that I can be me without all the pathology. I would be relieved and happy. The interesting part is that I will have to find healthy things to do instead of harming myself in these ways. I will, also, have to let go and move on.
Goog thinking, debby, thanks! david