BBC Radio 4 - Acceptance and commitment therapy -feat Trudie Chalder Nov 2019

https://twitter.com/user/status/1199989796904591360

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000bmyf

not listened to this yet

 

Have listened to the bit with TC transcript below. She talks the usual twaddle.

Interesting that she mentions the research of ACT with muscular dystrophy

proving that you don't have to 'have looked at the data' [before any potential change in protocol, outcome switching etc] to know how the results might stack up.

 

Just seeing a counsellor/therapist and being able to talk about what’s going on is helpful. I’m not sure these specific techniques have much use beyond that.

It’s just a shame it’s so expensive to access regular long term therapy.

 

I agree with @Trish and @Diluted-biscuit.

It is likely that once a relationship is established, people don't want to really rock the boat. Especially in an unequal relationship: patient - therapist. One's disability eligibility may count on this as well. The patient will say, "Yes, this therapy really helped" or some such similar comment. And, just being able to talk about problems can be helpful - someone paying attention.

Nice work - to not be sure how the therapy works, but get to roll it out anyways.

Acceptance of things we cannot change is an old concept - not outmoded, but is used in other fields like addiction/Alcoholics Anonymous. ACT seems to be a re-bottling of this older concept previously developed by others.

"Always look on the bright side of life!"

ETA: removed the word "your"

 

Patients want to believe there is a way to get better. What easier way to get better than just thinking differently?

So patients and therapists reinforce each other's unrealistic hope that some mind trick can cure a horrible illness.

 

I would like to see TC and others 'Accept' that they got it wrong and 'commit' to changing their ways.

 

I particularly like how the description of ACT is basically the exact opposite of CBT, accepting vs challenging thoughts, and yet provides the exact same benefits.

Doing two mutually exclusive things and expecting the same outcome of "helpful" feelings, no numbers, just feelings. Hmmm... yes. "Science"

Also:

Bartenders have been providing this exact "this has been helpful" thing for millennia. Not even much need for being "highly qualified and skilled". I mean that literally, bartenders have long carried this exact same role, being merely "helpful" and probably doing it cheaper as well.

Giving $5 is helpful to ending world hunger, if we use that definition. Almost anything counts as that if we only go with feelings. The recent "sunbathe your taint" has pretty much been hailed as helpful as well. No numbers there either, it just "feels" right.

Must be hard to have built one's career on blatant pseudoscience and finding themselves painted in a corner but it's definitely not going to look good with hindsight to continue doing so despite always having to resort to "well, some people feel that it's good", which gurus of all types have also been doing for decades. Might as well swing a magic healing jacket while they're at it, same idea.

 

Coyne has tweeted about ACT. I can't remember the gist of it though.

 

Must confess I didn't listen. I have a new-ish TV, and I don't want it to go the same way ours did when my Dad saw Mrs Thatcher being interviewed about the miners' strike.

 

Hold on a minute is this a confession that CBT in the PACE trial didnt work and now ACT is the new hocus pocus?

 

ACT seems to be on the rise in the US
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/...ommitment-therapy-act/20002?sid=5ed8fa60ef64a

@dave30th