The Institute for CENT Studies.

Hi, I have just posted an update to the Institute for Cognitive Emotive Narrative Therapy (CENT) Studies homepage, here:
http://www.abc-counselling.com/id112.html

It begins:

Integrating cognitive, psychodynamic and narratives approaches to counselling and therapy, in a social constructionist and moral philosophy framework.

Welcome to the Institute for Cognitive Emotive Narrative Therapy Studies, which was formed in April 2007, with the following aims:

AIMS

1. To build upon the early writings of Albert Ellis (especially his 1957 paper to the American Psychological Association, and his 1962 book, Reason and Emotion in Psychotherapy); to develop a more complex ABC model which includes the models of mind developed by Freud (id, ego, superego) and Berne ('Parent/Adult/Child' ego states); to explore some ideas from the Object Relations school (e.g. Klein/Fairbairn); to consider the role of narrative approaches to therapy, and a contextual constructionist form of Zen/Taoism.

continued here

Best wishes,
Jim

Dr Jim Byrne
ABC Coaching and Counselling Services
and
The Institute for CENT Studies

Jim's email address

The Complex Model of Albert Ellis's REBT

Hi,
I have just (2009, December) posted a defence of Dr Albert Ellis's complex ABC model of REBT, which was challenged by Windy Dryden and Frank Bond (1996), much of which was written by me in 2003.

http://abc-counselling.com/id184.html

CENT PAPER NUMBER ONE (A):

RETHINKING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL MODELS UNDERPINNING RATIONAL EMOTIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY (REBT)

Copyright (c) Dr Jim Byrne, December 2009

1. Introductory Comments

Cognitive Emotive Narrative Therapy (CENT) arose out of my attempts to reconcile Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy and certain other elements of therapy systems that I found useful: commencing with Transactional Analysis (TA), and Zen philosophy. It was also shaped by my discovery of some limitations of certain aspects of REBT therapy. However, much of the foundations of REBT still serve as important elements of CENT.

Over the period 1999-2005 I was in correspondence with Dr Albert Ellis, the creator of REBT, concerning my thinking about various aspects of REBT theory and practice, and I was always totally open about those aspects that I found most helpful, and those aspects that caused me some concern.

This paper takes up some elements of an argument mounted against certain aspects of REBT theory in 1996 by Windy Dryden and Frank Bond - Bond and Dryden (1996) - and shows that Albert Ellis had a much more complex model of mind than they had appreciated; and that I had identified some critical errors in the thinking of Bond and Dryden.

...more on Albert Ellis's complex model of REBT, here...

...more...

Dr Jim Byrne

ABC Coaching and Counselling Services

Jim Byrne's email address

PS: See the Happiness Blog

~~~

Christmas and Unhappiness

Happy Christmas to all my readers, and I hope you will not be facing emotional distress when things do not work out so well this Christmas. That is the subject of the latest update to my Happiness Blog, here:

http://www.abc-counselling.com/id143.html

This is how the update begins:

Christmas is coming, and the goose is (according to traditional belief) getting fat. If you listen to the radio, you will detect a definite cranking up of the commercial fantasy machine.

"Here it is, Merry Christmas, everybody's having fun..."

"Oh, I wish it could be Christmas every day..."

And in the shopping centres you will find lots of individuals rushing around trying to find "just the right present" that will "work the magic of Christmas" and produce unusual levels of happiness and good cheer.

The fantasy of Christmas will run until at least the New Year, and affect people from many different cultures other than the Christian and the former-Christian. But behind the tinsel and spray-on snow, there will be a good deal of angry conflict; hurt feelings; depression and loneliness; inappropriate guilt and shame; anxiety about how well the cooking will turn out; and about whether the 'present to end all presents' will work its magic on significant others.

More here.

Best wishes and seasons greetings to you all.

Jim

Dr Jim Byrne
ABC Coaching and Counselling Services

Email Jim Byrne here.

The Happiness Blog - An Update

REBT and CENT both consider that "shoulds" and "musts" are important, but the emphasis is different. CENT retains shoulds and musts as part of the moral discourse of society, while REBT does not concern itself with this issue. CENT tries to help clients to reforumulate their expectations of life, and to learn to look more flexibly at the problems that show up for them.

Take a look and see what you think.

The Happiness Blog Update, Friday 11th December 2009

Best wishes,
Jim

Dr Jim Byrne
ABC Coaching and Counselling Services

Jim's Email Address

Reviewing some of REBT's theories

The Happiness Blog - Friday 4th December 2009 - Reviewing Demandingness in REBT
and showing how this is understood in CENT

Copyright (c) Jim Byrne, 2009

In Albert Ellis's first paper on Rational Therapy, in 1957, he outlined a dozen ‘irrational beliefs', which also appeared in Chapter 3 of his first book on Rational Therapy[1]. (Rational Therapy was later renamed Rational Emotive Therapy [RET] and then Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy [REBT]). Those beliefs were clearly irrational, as indicated by the following two examples:

"Irrational Idea No.1: The idea that it is a dire necessity for an adult human being to be loved or approved by virtually every significant other person in his community.

"Irrational Idea No.2: The idea that one should be thoroughly competent, adequate, and achieving in all possible respects if one is to consider oneself worthwhile."

These are clearly nutty ideas, because of what is demanded or specified within them. However, Albert Ellis and his closest collaborators went on to draw a false inference from the fact that these statements are clearly irrational and indefensible. He, and they, concluded, that it was because of the demand - or ‘dire necessity', in the first belief - and the ‘should' (as a more specific demand) - in the second. However, this does not follow as logically as he, and they, concluded.

Why not?

Continued here, at The Happiness Blog

Take a look and see what you think.
Best wishes,
Jim

Dr Jim Byrne
ABC Coaching and Counselling Services

Jim's email address

The Happines Blog

The Hapiness Blog has been updated, with some interesting bits and bobs, on Friday 27th November, 2009.

Here are a couple of examples:

Friday 27th November 2009 – 8.00am

I had a little lie in (or sleep in) this morning, and got up at 6.30am. I had a light breakfast, followed by twenty minutes of (Zen) meditation, and thirty minutes of physical exercise: (Zham Zhong and Chi Kung). This is an important expression of my commitment to CENT (Cognitive Emotive Narrative Therapy) – because CENT is a holistic therapy, which sees the individual as a historical body and a cumulative mind. If I do not take care of my body, my mind will become ragged. If I do not take care of my body-mind every day, it will decline, degenerate and function sub-optimally.

Meditation is not just a “cognitive distraction” – or a diversion from your normal daily concerns. Done regularly, it is actually a cumulative experience of peace, calm and bliss. It mounts up, and changes the sense of the “ground upon which you stand”.

And regular physical exercise is essential for physical and mental wellbeing.

~~~

Saturday 28th November 2009 – 5.00pm

This is officially still my (secular) Sabbath, but I have a sense of the need to stay in touch with the readers of this blog. I don’t want to wait until late Sunday, or early Monday to get this written and posted.

Yesterday, at some point, I spotted that my health goals were not specific enough, and so I rewrote one in particular. Did you know that your can write goals for your physical and emotional wellbeing, just as readily and usefully as you can write goals for your material success? Once you have written some specific health goals, you will find that you start to think about how to achieve them. What can I do to shift this condition, and by what date do I want to achieve that result? What are the implications for my diet, exercise, and anti-stress activities? Are there any books, websites, or professionals who can help me to achieve these goals? Try this and see what happens. Your health is so important. Without your health, none of your material goals is worthwhile. You cannot enjoy money from an intensive care bed!

~~~


Take a look and see what you think, here: The Happiness Blog.
Best wishes,
Jim

Dr Jim Byrne
ABC Coaching and Counselling Services

Jim's Email Address

The Business Success Blog at ABC Coaching

Hi, I have jsut updated my Business Success Blog, here:

Principle 5: Take Control of Your Business

Please take a look and see what you think.

Best wishes,
Jim

Dr Jim Byrne
ABC Coaching and Counselling Services

Jim's email address

Why is this called the Happiness Blog?

Hi,
The Happiness Blog has been updated today, Saturday 21st November, here:
The Happiness Blog Update

It is quite brief this week due to other pressures of work, but there is a link to the text of a teleseminar that I presented to a group of students in Texas last night.

Stay well, and remember to smile!
Best wishes,
Jim

Dr Jim Byrne
Doctor of Counselling
ABC Coaching and Counselling Services

Dr Jim's email address

Build Success by Getting Things Done

Hi, I have now posted the updated new programme for personal success. It teaches how to cope with emotional resistance to life's difficulties and frustrations. How to get things done to achieve our goals. And how to be successful in a difficult world. Take a look and see what you think:

Build Success by Getting Things Done

Best wishes,
Jim

Dr Jim Byrne
ABC Coaching and Counselling Services

Jim's Email address

The Law of Attraction and The Law of Thrownness

Some weeks ago I saw this statement on Twitter:

"You create your own world!"

I remember being struck by the power and certainty of this claim. And the sense that this is a statement that has to be investigated. It is emotionally appealing, but what are it's merits? As it stands it is not 'an argument' in the critical thinking sense of a conclusion supported by evidential premises. It is merely an assertion! Indeed, on Twitter, there is not enough space for an argument, in just 140 characters.

Anyway I have been very busy, and have not had much time to even think about that statement, about how we might 'create our own world'. I did write that assertion in my notebook, with a reminder to do some work on it. But other priorities kept intervening.

Today, I am tempted to try to write some reflective thoughts on this assertion. The reason this came up today is that I found a new comment on Twittter, by Brandon Gilbert, to the effect that 'The Law of Attraction is a Lie'. I checked out his video clip, and found he was not saying it is a lie, but that it is not enough to 'intend' to become wealthy and/or successful. Rather, we must take new kinds of actions to make those intentions and goals into realities.

Combining the original assertion and Brandon Gilbert's claim, we get the claim that: 'We creat our own world by our thoughts and actions'. This is a new assertion; again not an argument, in that it does not contain any evidential premises for the bald conclusion.

My main argument against this assertion is this (where P = premise, and C = conclusion):

This blog is continued here: The Law of Attraction and the Law of Thrownness.

http://abc-counselling.com/id143.html

Hi,
Today I have been updating my Happiness Blog here: The Friday Happiness Blog.

I have been trying to distinguish and define 'frame theory' which is central to understanding the nature of Cognitive Emotive Narrative Therapy (CENT).

Please take a look and see what you think, here: The Friday Happiness Blog.

Best wishes,
Jim

Dr Jim Byrne

Email address: jim.byrne@abc-counselling.com.

~~~

Updating the Institute for CENT Studies

Hi, I have today updated the Institute for Cognitive Emotive Narrative Therapy's web page, here: Institute for CENT Studies.

I have added some new content, and appended a new paper, on the use of the Windows Model in resolving emotional and behavioural problems in CENT.

Take a look and see what you think, here: The Institute for CENT Studies.

Best wishes,

Jim

Dr Jim Byrne
ABC Coaching and Counselling Services.

Email: Dr Jim Byrne

Latest Post to the Happiness Blog

Take a look at the latest posting to the Happiness Blog.

The Happiness Blog

More and more detail is being added to our understanding of what Cognitive Emotive Narrative Therapy (CENT) is. We see that 'frame theory' is central to an understanding of this revolutionary new therapy, which was to some extent inspired by Dr Albert Ellis; but also by the post-Freudian 'Object Relations' school; by the Buddha; by Narrative therapists and social constuctionism.

Take a look and see what you think:

The Happiness Blog

Best wishes,
Jim

Dr Jim Byrne
ABC Coaching and Counselling Services.

jim.byrne@abc-counselling.com

http://www.abc-counselling.com/id143.html

http://www.abc-counselling.com/id143.html

Update to the Happiness Blog

Hi, I have now managed to find the time to write my next post for the Happiness Blog. This is the first one that makes my differences with Albert Ellis explicit - over the importance of preserving Moral Shoulds. See what you think, and please let me have some feedback on your thoughts.
Best wishes
Jim

Dr Jim Byrne

Jim's Business Success Blog - 18th September 2009

Third Post - 18th September 2009

If you are looking for the Third Principle, from Brian Tracy's 'Crunch Point', then this is it:The Third Principle for Handling Business Setbacks

The third principle is about finding a way, or making a way, to move forward in the face of setbacks. The Third Principle.

I hope you enjoy it.
Best wishes,
Jim

Dr Jim Byrne
ABC Coaching and Counselling Services

Jim Byrne's Email Address

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The Fourth Window - The Happiness Blog...

I have just posted the Fourth Window in The Happiness Blog

This is the most difficult Window to understand, because it deals with "transcendental" experience; that is to say, experience that goes beyond our normal 'conventional' understanding.

Do you want to be happy? Do you want to suffer less? If so, then please try The Happiness Blog

Best wishes,
Jim
Dr Jim Byrne
18th September 2009

Or take a look at my homepage, at ABC Coaching and Counselling Services

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Business Success Blog...11th September 2009

This is my Business Success Blog, which is distinct from my Happiness Blog:
Business Success Blog at ABC Coaching

~~~

So far, I have made two posts to my Business success blog, the latest being on how to remain confident in the face of business crunch points, crises, downturns, setbacks, etc.

Take a look and see what you think:

Business Success Blog

Best wishes,
Jim

Dr Jim Byrne
ABC Coaching and Counselling Services

Jim's email address


~~~
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http://www.abc-counselling.com/id143.html

If you think your life is totally about suffering, and you cannot seem to make yourself happy, you could benefit from reading this blog. It will show you that you can take control of your mind, and focus your awareness on balancing aspects of your life. This will help you to get rid of the extremes of suffering, and to enjoy balancing moments of happiness and bliss. I use Zen, REBT, CBT, TA and cognitive psychology to formulate my Four Windows model. See Window 3 today. Life is a mixture...

Best wishes,
Jim
Dr Jim Byrne
http://www.abc-counselling.com/id143.html

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Homepage: http://www.abc-counselling.com/

Email: jim.byrne@abc-counselling.com

http://www.abc-counselling.com/id143.html

Here's the description of 'looking through Window No.2' in order to get your emotional disturbance under control:

http://www.abc-counselling.com/id143.html

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More on the Four Windows model of Cognitive Emotive Narrative Therapy

Week Three: Developing the Four Windows Model of CENT

Looking at Window No.1

Introduction
Two weeks ago, and not for the first time, I outlined the four elements of the Four Windows model. These are ways of re-framing an existing problem or ‘source of suffering' in your life, so that you can feel a whole lot better about being stuck with that problem. Once you've calmed down, you can then look at whether there might be some way to reduce or eliminate the actual problem, as distinct from your emotional reaction towards that problem.

Last week I outlined an agenda for working on the development of this model. The first step in that agenda, which I will tackle today, is this:

1. I want to look at how to apply the Four Windows, one at a time, to a psychological problem, to see how it works in practice. I will, naturally, begin with Window 1, and continue through to the end. This could take four weeks, or eight weeks, or more. At the moment I have no way to estimate this process any more accurately than that.

Applying Window No.1
In 1992-93, I went through a major career crisis, when the cash flow in my company began to dry up, and I had to contemplate resigning in order to save the jobs of my business partner and our employees. I frequently felt anxious about my future financial prospects, and depressed by the loss of my office, salary and work status (which was the ‘Deputy Chief Executive' role). At the time, I used REBT to reduce my emotions to concern and sadness. That took a whole lot of effort, and went on for months and months.

...more here...

The Cognitive Emotive Narrative Therapy (CENT) Blog

Friday, August 21, 2009

Deciding on an Agenda for the Future
DEVELOPING THE 'FOUR WINDOWS' MODEL

For quite some time I have been unclear where this (therapy) blog was going. I jumped around from topic to topic as the mood took me. However, I have now found a direction for the next few weeks, and that is to develop the 'Four Windows Model' of Cognitive Emotive Narrative Therapy (CENT).

Last week I presented the description of the Four Windows in considerable detail. (See below).

What did you think of the 'Four Windows' model?

Today I want to outline the journey for the next few weeks.

...more here...

LINKING THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CRISIS WITH OPPORTUNITY

This is how I introduced my first posting to my Business Blog:

"The purpose of this blog is to help individuals to see that talking themselves into discouragement about the credit crunch, the recession, the world economy downturn, is just going to make life more difficult for themselves. We must remain optimistic in the face of adversity, in order not to become so discouraged that we give up trying to stay afloat. And we must try to become even more successful, despite the objective difficulties we face.

"The only difference between people who win and people who lose is that the people who win are those who get up one more time than life knocks them down. While the people who lose are the people who stay down after a few failures. Never, ever, ever, ever, ever give up!"

I have since added some detail on the first of Brian Tracy's Crunch Points.

...More here...

Linking to my main website

Hi
The purpose of this blog is to direct individuals who find me on Blogger to the blogs that I write on my own website, which are:

The Cognitive Emotive Narrative Therapy (CENT) blog - at http://www.abc-counselling.com/id143.html;

and

The Business Success blog, here: at http://www.abc-counselling.com/id164.html.

Please take a look - and I hope you find both blogs interesting.

Best wishes,

Jim Byrne
Doctor of Counselling
ABC Coaching and Counselling Services
Jim Byrne's email address

Introduction to the CENT Blog

The purpose of this blog is to direct individuals who find me on Blogger to the blog that I write on my own website, at http://www.abc-counselling.com/id143.html.

Jim Byrne
Doctor of Counselling
ABC Coaching and Counselling Services
Jim Byrne's email address