Why does therapy feel less effective the better you understand the cognitive approaches used by psychiatric professionals to treat patients? Also, how can professionals themselves seek effective treatment if this is the case?

Question

Why does therapy feel less effective the better you understand the cognitive approaches used by psychiatric professionals to treat patients? Also, how can professionals themselves seek effective treatment if this is the case?

In: Other

Answer 1

Because it is. The practical side of therapy involves some manipulation and trickery to get people to do things they aren’t doing on their own. When you know you are being manipulated you are naturally more resistant to it.

In order to get the help they need, someone with a greater understanding of psychology needs to make a concerted effort to be humble. Providing therapy is about objectivity as much as it is about diagnosis and treatment, the patient has to accept their therapist knows better can do a better job than can on their own, and try to avoid kibitzing as much as possible.