Very Bad Therapy 145. Patreon Selects: Book Review - All Therapy Books
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Aug 21, 2023 In this podcast, the hosts delve into therapy books and their claims of being the ultimate solution. They discuss the arrogance of authors who insist on absolute certainty in their approach's effectiveness. They also explore the limitations of therapy books and the unrealistic expectations they can create. Additionally, they tackle topics such as the role of case studies, therapist quality, and the biologically based nature of mental illnesses. The hosts also share funny ideas like combining therapy modalities and using bilateral stimulation on children. A listener's efficient method for assessing traumatic brain injuries is also discussed.
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Therapy Books All Claim Exclusive Miracle Power
- Therapy books universally claim their method is uniquely transformative.
- Scott Alexander satirizes the pattern: acknowledge the dodo bird verdict then insist previous therapies were 'equally wrong' because they accidentally used our method.
Bob Case Study Satirizes Miracle Therapy Stories
- Scott gives the fictional 'Bob' vignette to lampoon therapy case studies that promise instant transformation.
- Bob laughs, cries, has a convulsive fit, then becomes CEO two weeks later—an absurd caricature of book case examples.
Sarah Vignette Mocks Therapeutic Resistance Tropes
- 'Sarah' is a second satirical vignette showing how books portray resistance as repression that resolves into instant recovery.
- Initially skeptical, Sarah 'gasps' then becomes Dalai Lama successor—mocking narrative escalation.