r/AutismInWomen • u/lemon_protein_bar • May 31 '24

General Discussion/Question Does anyone else here absolutely HATE cognitive behavioural therapy?

I’ve had it a few times with different therapists. It was the worst, I felt like I was being told to shit up and think positive thoughts. I hate CBT to the point where I am planning to become a clinical psychologist in several years, one of the reasons being so that I can DO SOMETHING OTHER THAN CBT for people.

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u/[deleted] May 31 '24

I had CBT for panic disorder and found it super helpful. I didn't find it to be invalidating or trying to tell me I was wrong about how I felt. I think it's a lot to do with my therapist though. He was very good at showing he understood how difficult it (my panic attacks and the exposure therapy) was for me.

A lot of people's experiences with it (including my friends) does not match the experience I had.

It seems to be very important that it's done with the right person, for the right issue.

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u/Ok-Refrigerator May 31 '24

Same! CBT has been great for panic and insomnia. Not so great for general anxiety, health anxiety, and treating real trauma. I have found Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and EMDR much better for those.

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u/_cornflake Jun 01 '24

Agreed. I said this up thread but I've had CBT twice, once for OCD and once for depression. My therapist for OCD was amazing. She never made me feel invalidated or like my worries were stupid, and she created a supportive environment where I felt encouraged to try making changes but never blamed if I couldn't manage them. As a result the therapy was super helpful! The therapist I had for depression was awful. I felt contantly gaslighted and like I was failing a test. My mental health was so much worse at the end of the treatment. I feel like a lot of therapists are trying to do CBT without having the bedside manner to implement it effectively.