# Any interest in CBT books assignment & discussion?



## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

tom suggested I discuss Dr B. Bolen's book Breaking the Bonds of Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Dr Burns' book Feeling Good on CBT. He wanted a course but since I am not an expert, it doesn't seem to be the appropriate thing to call it. But I would really like to have a few threads discussing the CBT aspects of IBS with questions which I hope people will answer- sort of like assignments. It might benefit everyone. We will advertise it in all the forums. I will set the topic and facilitate the threads. Would anyone be interested? If many people are I could do it. I need to check with Dr Bolen too as to how much of her material I can directly use.


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

This is my review of Feeling Good by David Burns.Senior Member Member # 5810 posted 08-11-2003 04:43 AM --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Feeling depressed? Or just blue? Feeling overwhelmed? Or are you a perfectionist? One or more of these would fit into a profile of an IBSï¿½ers. Will you have to pay sky rocketing fees for a psychotherapist? Despair no more. Help is around the corner. As easy as a click on the Book of the Month Link. ï¿½Feeling Goodï¿½ by Dr David Burns is here. The book is based on cognitive therapy. He says, ï¿½We are also beginning to learn more about how cognitive therapy works. One important discovery is that self-help seems to be the key to recover whether or not you receive treatment. In a series of five remarkable studies published in the prestigious Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology and in The Gerontologist, Dr Forest Scogin and his colleagues at the University of Alabama studied the effects of simply reading a good self-help book like Feeling Good- without any other therapy. The name of this new type of treatment is ï¿½bibliotherapyï¿½ (reading therapy). They discovered that Feeling Good bibliotherapy may be as effective as a full course of psychotherapy or treatment with the best antidepressant drugs. Given the tremendous pressures to cut healthcare costs, this is of considerable interest, since a paperback copy of the Feeling Good book costs less than two Prozac pills- and is presumably free of any troublesome side effectsï¿½It is true. I have spent years in psychotherapy and have primarily focused on my feelings. What this book accomplished for me in one week I have spent years in psychotherapy trying to accomplish to no avail. Cognitive therapy is based on the concept that by correcting distorted thoughts you can change feelings. These thoughts are automatic and we rarely question them when we think them but, if allowed to persist, can be a factor in feeling just blue as well as deep depression. Learn to detect these distorted thoughts- there are ten of them- all-or-nothing thinking, overgeneralization, mental filters, disqualifying the positive, jumping to conclusions, magnification and minimization, emotional reasoning, labeling and mislabeling, and personalization. There are plenty of examples and exercises with answers in the books which make all these errors easy to detect and correct. Lift your spirits up easily.Are you a perfectionist? Yes We IBSerï¿½s have a need to be perfect in social situations, donï¿½t we? That is what causes half the anxiety. Beat perfectionism by daring to be average- you will learn you have not much to lose. There are ways in this book to overcome anger and guilt, build up self esteem, stand up to criticism and much more. This book is worth every cent of the $7.99 you pay to purchase it. I highly recommend it. It gives you a very positive outlook on life. And it gives you a good handle on cognitive therapy! What more can you ask for?A must for those considering suicide.


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## trbell (Nov 1, 2000)

Go for it bonniei. Just don't let them know I suggested it.Bada


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## nmwinter (May 31, 2001)

bonniefirst, yes, I am interested. I'll probably ask more questions than anything since I'm not well read in this area (ok, not read at all), but I would like to learn more. I am more interested in pursuing this type of therapy to any medication since as your review says, there are none of those nasty side effects. by the way, very well done review.now my questions/slash comments


> quote: The name of this new type of treatment is "bibliotherapy" (reading therapy). They discovered that Feeling Good bibliotherapy may be as effective as a full course of psychotherapy or treatment with the best antidepressant drugs


does this apply to any self-help book or those in the area of anxiety/depression. Because I know in the past, I've read books on self-help for IBS and not found it really helpful. sure they confirmed what I was going through but no real help. I know at least one was on the mind body connection. as far as the perfectionism goes, well I'm not perfectionist. in some things like numerical analysis I am, but in most things I am not. however, I do overcommit at times. I like to be the go to person. so perfectionist no, but dependable. to me its similar but maybe not the sameok, not sure if all this was on topic so I'll let you direct me one way or the other







nancy


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## trbell (Nov 1, 2000)

I think feeling good and CBT books differ from other self help books because they actually try to get you to change your thinking.Sorry, Bonniei, couldn't resist.Bada


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## Guest (Aug 14, 2003)

I am in the process of doing just this right now, Bonniei. It isn't easy to effect changes in thinking when you have a malfunctioning limbic system, but by golly... I'm giving it the best shot that I've got !!







Evie


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## trbell (Nov 1, 2000)

You might want to ask k if she's interested. She was in the CBT for IBS study that was just published.Bada


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

nm they are talking about how cognitive therapy works and the self help books related to CT. I too have read many self -help books but Feeling Good is the best I have read so far. I read this self-help book 15 years afterI read the other ones so I wondered if it was because I was older the book helped me so much. But on reflection I realize David Burns has a special talent of communicating his field effectively. The book is 700 odd pages unlike most self-help books which are a hundred odd. This fact helps him to expand on his ideas and hence the book is much more useful and convincing. The book by Dr Bolen has the same ideas but covers them in less than 15 pages. However it is more targeted for IBS and hence worth reading too. But the nuts and bolts of CT are in Feeling Good. The two books Feeling good and Breaking the Bonds read consecutively will be the most effective. Since I have read both the books my threads will be a mixture of the two.Further Feeling Good is different from most self help books in that it has many examples and assignments. The examples help us see what a therapist would do and after reading the book we really get the hang of it. However I have not done many of the assignments and I feel if wee do the assignments openly on the threads we could benefit from each other.As far as perfectionism goes it is little things- like when we blame ourselves for something which goes wrong- maybe you would like to think of what you say to yourself when you make a mistake with your meds- how hard are you on yourself? It is a matter of degree of course- some of us may be more perfectionists than others. Another example of perfectionism would be feeling you couldn't enjoy something if you made mistakes. Perhaps it ties in with IBS when you cannot enjoy outings for fear of having accidents. I haven't thought about perfectionism and IBS, I have only read in books that IBS is tied to perfectionism in many patients- how exactly it is may be something worth discussing on the threads we have. On this thread I basically wanted people who are interested to do a show of hands and yes certainly ask questions if they had any.Thanks for your interest nm and evie. Maybe the three of us could keep it going and if we see people who need help in the other forums we could get them to come to this forum and discuss.


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

bada or eric, what is Dr Bolen's address?


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## trbell (Nov 1, 2000)

there should be one on the website for her book? I don't have any other one/Bada


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

What is the website of her book?


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## chrisgeorge (Feb 28, 2003)

Bonniei,put me done to join the group. I know very little about CBT so this will be a good start for me. Good luck.


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## trbell (Nov 1, 2000)

http://www.irritablebowel.net/BreakingtheBonds.htm Bada


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## AZMom (Oct 13, 1999)

I'll join too. I've done CBT through the Midwest Center for Stress and Anxiety, and it was helpful to an extent. I certainly learned a lot, and it did help me change some of my thinking, especially in regards to letting the fear and panic get out of control. It's one more tool in our arsenal to fighting IBS.AZ


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

Thanks chrisgeorge and AZ for your interest. Bada I hsave the same problem as I had with the UNC email. Can someone please click on the Contact us link of this site http://www.irritablebowel.net/BreakingtheBonds.htm and tell me what email address shows up? My internet isn't set up to do this right.


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## trbell (Nov 1, 2000)

you can PM me. I hate to post her email publically without permission even though it's probably in the member directory?Bada


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

Tom I have Pm'ed you.


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## Jay (Jan 1, 1999)

As one has has experienced the humiliation of having accidents yet continues to function normally, I am happy to contribute if I can


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

Thanks Jay! I responded to yur D thread not knowing you had responded here. I am going to Chicago for a couple of days and I hope to have Dr B's permission by then. Then those who want maximum effectiveness out of these discussions might want to buy these books. I might refer you to certain pages in the books in the discussions. Jay I realize you are helping out, so I am just counting on your experience. I don't expect you to buy the books. Have a great weekend, folks!


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## nmwinter (May 31, 2001)

a qeustion on the Feeling Good book. Which one - there are two that I see (both published in 1999). One is Feeling Good - The New Mood Therapy; the other is The Feeling Good Handbook. Are they companions or is one sufficient. I assume if you want to do the exercies, the handbook is the way to go (I like that idea since I'm better at action than just reading).thanksnancy


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

To really benefit from the thinking behind CBT, you need to read up on Feeling Good:The New Mood therapy. Also there are a number of examples in the Newood Therapy which will give people the hang of CT.I don't want to tell people to buy too many books as it will make less people participate. If you can afford it all three books will be great. But if you can't how about if I buy the handbook and propose exercises based on that? Then if you feel you are benefiting from them for maximum effect you might want to buy the hand book. I hope that is a satisfactory answer.


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## Serenity (Feb 6, 2002)

I have read both "Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy" and "The Feeling Good Handbook". The handbook also provides a lot of background on CT, and in it, Dr. Burns gives you lots if opportunities to practice. Personally, I found the handbook to be more useful. If you have to choose between the handbook or the original, I would go with the handbook. It repeats most of the information found in "The New Mood Therapy"; it's not just an exercise book, but I think it is also a little more practical.


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## nmwinter (May 31, 2001)

thanks for the info. I have one or the other on hold at our local library to check out. of course if its a workbook, I would get my own copy. I did read a review on amazon.com that said essentially the same thing as serentity - there is much of the same stuff in the handbook. site is really slow for me. i'm assuming it ahs something to do with the huge power outage on the east coast....


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## Guest (Aug 15, 2003)

Since I've had years of CBT experience in the presence of live therapists, and have read multiple books focusing on various aspects of "feeling good"... I feel I am ready to participate here with you Bonniei without buying any more books.Perhaps the biggest hurdle to accepting CBT, is being able to acknowledge that different perspectives can change the outcome of any situation. We don't like to be told that we should change our thinking, but in effect, that is just what we often need to do.Changing my thinking has been a monumentally difficult thing for me to do, given my limbic system malfunction, but I've never given up and I continue to try no matter what.Bonniei.... how do any of the books that you have read tell you to deal with "failure" ? (Note that the word, "failure", is in quotes because sometimes it is a perceived concept.)Evie


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## millicent (Jul 21, 2003)

Hi Bonnie,I had a terrible experience of CBT a while ago which put me off ever trying again with a different therapist, but reading this thread and hearing about your suggestion to discuss CBT on here sounded a good one. I think I would like to be a part of that. I don't know a huge amount about it but I know some and would like to learn more. I figure at the moment that anything is worth a try.Hayley


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## Guest (Aug 15, 2003)

Hi Millicent, I'm not Bonniei but I want to welcome you and tell you that I have had a lousey experience with a therapist before as well, but I didn't let it stop me from continuing to try. I think being able to trade experiences and information here on this bb might be a less invasive way for us to interact a bit and possibly retain some good ideas from what is posted here. Evie


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

Welcome millicent. We drove down to Chicago yesterday so I got to the compouter just now.Evie do you mean failure in a particular task? Yes failure should be used in quotes or something as one can find many positives even in what we might have done in the task we failed at. It is called disqualifying the positives when we don't do that- a common error in thinking. Evie, it is not failure at a particular task which bogs us down but what we think about the failure. What do you tell yourself. Do you say, "I am a failure" or perhaps, "I will *never* succeed at anything" - These are errors in thinking. Perhaps you define your woth by your work. There is an entire chapter in The New Mood therapy titled Your Work Is Not Your Worth. It is a topic worth discussing in our threads. I am waiting for Dr B's permission and for me to get back home tomorrow then I will start this thing a little more formally.Ok, off to call my sis. Will check back later this evening


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## trbell (Nov 1, 2000)

Hurry back. It looks like we can go on with things now. I would appreciate thoughts on the issue of my participating. I think you're realy better off without an expert but I could also use some help, it looks like. On the other hand it's almost impossible for me to hold back from commenting as an expert. I need some 'boundaries'.Bada


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

tom I would appreciate your comments as an expert so you are most welcome to join it. If you have suggestions on how I should conduct it feel free to PM me so it doesn't look like we are arguing in front of everyone. But sure if you have comments for the others with anything psychological, feel free to do sk I got my hands on The Handbook. I looked at the contents and it seems to have a chapter on Anxiety which the other book doesn't have. However it does not have everything The New Mood Therapy has. Listed below are the contents of The New Mood Therapy. Part 1: Theory and research1. A breakthrough in the treatment of mood disorders2. How to diagnose your moods: The first step in the cure3. Understanding your moods: You feel the way you thinkPart 2: Practical Applications4. Start by Building Self Esteem5. Do- Nothingism: How to beat it6. Verbal Judo: Learn to talk back when you're under the fire of criticism7. Feeling Angry ? What's your IQ(irritability quotient)?8. ways of defeating GuiltPart 3: "Realistic depressions9. Sadness is not depressionPART 4: Prevention and Personal Growth10. The Cause of It All11. The Approval Addiction12. The Love Addiction14. Your Work is not your WorthPart 5: Defeating Hopelessness and Suicide15. The Ultimate Victory: Choosing to LivePart 6: Coping with the Stresses and strains of daily Living16: How I practice what I teachPart 7: The Chemistry of Mood17. The search for "Black Bile"18. The Mind-Body Problem19. What you need to know about commonly prescribed Antidepressants20. The Complete Consumer's Guide to Antidepressant Drug Therapy.In my next post I will give the contents of The Handbook.


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

The Contents of the Handbook areI. Understanding Your Moods1. You can change the way you feel2. How to measure your moods.3. How to diagnose your moods4. Should you change the way you feelII. Feeling Good About Yourself: How to conquer depression and build self esteem5. How to change the way you feel:The four steps to happiness6. Ten ways to untwist your thinking7. How to Develop a Healthy Personal Value System8. Cognitive Therapy in Action: Hows to Break out of a Bad Mood9. Why People Procrastinate10. A Prescription for procrastinatorsFeeling Confident: How to conquer anxiety, fears and phobias11. Understanding Anxiety12. How to Fight your fears and win13 Dealing with the fear of death14 Social anxiety:the fear of people15 Public speaking anxiety16 How to give a dynamic interview when you are scared stiff17 Test and performance anxietyIV. Feeling Good Together: How to strengthen relationships through better communication18 Good and bad communication19 Five Secrets of Good Communication20 How to change the way you communicate21 How to deal with difficult people22 Why people can't communicate with each otherPart V is about medsPart VI is for therapists.


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## trbell (Nov 1, 2000)

agreedBada


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## nmwinter (May 31, 2001)

bonniethanks for taking the time to post these contents! I have placed a hold on the handbook at the library so will look into that. although even if I get them, just not sure if I'll have much time in the next couple of months to read them. but I will enjoy this dicussion I think.nancy


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## trbell (Nov 1, 2000)

Have you talked with k about joining? I, for one, am interested in how this differs for IBS.Bada


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

OK People after looking at both the books itt seems to me either book you want to buy is fine by me. The most important principles of CT are in both books - the ten distorted ways of thinking ,how to untwist your thinking, and the vertical arrow technique which provides important insights. If you work better with a handbook it is fine by me. While I have both books I have read only the New Mood therapy so if it seems at times I don't know what is in the Handbook, please forgive me. I don't know when I will get the time to read the handbook. Another reason that you might find the handbook is because if the Anxiety chapter. Since anxiety is a common symptom of IBS patients, that might be useful. Would you all prefer to read the Handbook?And evie, do you know the ten types of distorted thinking and the ten ways to untwist your thinking.Because I plan to make that the first topic. Think of an event that upset you and another which made you anxious and post the events and what you told yourself and try to identify the distorted thinking. This is just so we have the basics of CT righT. That is the first 31 pages of the handbook and the first 45 pages of the New Mood therapy.I will start another thread just for that when I come back from Chicago


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## Nikki (Jul 11, 2000)

why ar eyou talking about being an expert again?Are you a sufferer, or an expert. Please decide.


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## chrisgeorge (Feb 28, 2003)

I'm thinking that Bonniei is going to be a discussion leader. Is this title OK with everyone?


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## trbell (Nov 1, 2000)

do they speak English over there, Nikki?:"Hurry back. It looks like we can go on with things now. I would appreciate thoughts on the issue of my participating. I think you're realy better off without an expert but I could also use some help, it looks like. On the other hand it's almost impossible for me to hold back from commenting as an expert. I need some 'boundaries'."It's not a simple black/white thing for me. so I'll ask you for boundaries if you are going to be a memeber of this forum or just an attacker.Bada


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

Nikki and everyone, I don't feel comfortable having a psychological discussion without feeling I could consult with someone if something tricky comes up. So yes tom would be the expert in these discussions. He has a Ph D in Psychology and that qualifies him as an expert, don't you think?


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

Unfortunately these book discussions can no longer be held without tom. I will miss him.


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