Dr. Ellis, a wounded psychotherapist (???)
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A Wounded Psychotherapist: The childhood of Dr Albert Ellis, and the limitations of REBT/CBT by Dr Jim Byrne
This book represents an attempt to deconstruct Dr Albert Ellis’s story of his childhood . . . |
Wow! This article by Dr Jim Byrne on the ABC-Counseling website sure stirred up a ruckus on the REBT-CBT Yahoogroup . And I do mean a ruckus! Dr Jim Byrne (not to be confused with David D. Burns, author of “Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy) who was originally very influenced by the thinking and theories of Dr Albert Ellis, sets out to explore the childhood of Albert Ellis, to see how this skewed the development of Ellis’s notion of rationality, and his resistance to the idea of human emotional needs.
The childhood of Dr Albert Ellis, and the limitations of REBT/CBT
by Dr Jim Byrne
Foreword
“If it was never possible for us to relive on a conscious level the rejection we experienced in our own childhood and to work it through, then we in turn will pass this rejection on to our children”. Dr Alice Miller[1]
This book represents an attempt to deconstruct Dr Albert Ellis’s story of his childhood, with a view to rescuing Little Albert, who has been ignored and discounted by Older Albert, just as he was ignored and discounted by his own parents. It also seeks to evaluate his theory of therapy, and to try to identify links between his childhood experiences and his adult theories of human behaviour.
Why do I want to do this? What is my goal?”
=> Read the complete article on the ABC-Counseling website
Here is my (Rex’s) reply.
Would love to read your comments as well. Don’t be shy!
It is hardly surprising to me that some psychologists and therapists are a little bit nuts . . . or a lot nuts . . . or even crazy as shit house rats. Just think abut it logically. People are (often) attracted to this field wanting some relief from personal troubles. Personally, I am not even sure that I would be in the market for some entirely well-adjusted pshrink. How could s/he empathize with me if that were the case?
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 All Out! |
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Maybe even more important, I think, is that in many, many cases it is probably better to know the work of “great” people rather than to know them personally. A lot of these people were not “nice.” Charles Dickens, the guy who wrote about Tiny Tim and Oliver Twist, and all those lovable, unforgettable characters, was a real bastard, or so the gossip would have. “God bless us, everyone!” Hehehehehe. . .
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I like Dr. Ellis’s salty personally as it expresses on paper on in interviews. However, I am not entirely sure he is someone i would have wanted to hang out with. In any event, I think that (psycho)analyzing great men and women posthumously is probably more interesting in a gossipy sort of way than it is useful, except as I am sure Dr. Gunars would say, to affirm that we are all forever, fallible, fucked up human beings (or however that expression goes).
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 How to Stubbornly Refuse to Make Yourself Miserable… |
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Disclaimer : My language here is not entirely “REBT Kosher,” due to limited time, and hoping to make some points in a colorful way.
Warm regards,
Rex
Khon Kaen, Thailand
http://REBTinfo.info
Rex@REBTinfo.com
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| Have you read any of these books? Please add a review or comment or question in the form at the bottom. We LOVE  hearing from you! Thanks! ~Rex |
Originally posted 2013-06-14 04:03:46.
Contact: Rex@REBTinfo.com
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