--- In [email protected], new.morning <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], "John M. Knapp, LMSW" > <jmknapp53@> wrote: > > > > In cognitive therapy attributing thoughts, feelings, and motives to > > others is called "mind reading." It's considered a "cognitive > > distortion." It's thought to lead to pain and > > dysfunction for a lot of people. > > Can you elaborate on that?
Hi, new.morning, I'll share what I know. I've written two articles on "cognitive distortions" and one on cognitive therapy itself: http://knappfamilycounseling.com/culttales.html http://knappfamilycounseling.com/tales.html http://knappfamilycounseling.com/cognitive.html There are some links in the last to Aaron T. Beck's Institute, the guy who founded cognitive therapy. You can learn acres more there. > > Its a key point that appears to me to be a root of the negative > harping that occurs here. In life also, but I find an unusually high > ratio here. > > And are you had formal training in or involved with cognitive therapy > professionally? Yes, I'm no expert, but I use cognitive therapy every day in my practice. It's particularly good for depression and anxiety. A further refinement, dialectical behavioral therapy, is very good for personality disorders, such as borderline personality. Many people who suffer from cult abuse are diagnosed with borderline or bipolarity. I have my doubts, since I've seen many recover from their "symptoms." Borderlines and bipolars don't typically recover, although they can learn to accommodate. Cognitive therapy is only one tool in my bag of tricks, but it gives quick relief for many challenges. I was trained in cognitive therapy in my masters work, have attended professional trainings, and done quite a bit of reading on it. > > Any thoughts on why those connected to TM and TMO past or present > still have these tendencies -- and perhaps more so than average > relative to the larger population? I don't know for a fact that deeply involved TMers -- or other people in cultic relationships -- display "cognitive distortions" such as mind reading more than the general population, but I certainly suspect this is the case. The belief systems in high-demand, high-intensity groups like TM institutionalize cognitive distortions, in my opinion and personal experience: Black/white us vs. them thinking, all-or-nothing thinking, overgeneralization, jumping to conclusions, emotional reasoning, etc. I have no idea if the Maharishi consciously included these ways of thinking in the structure he created. But I can see how these distorted ways of thinking would function to ensure loyalty, control, dependency. > > Education doesn't appear to diminish it -- surprisingly. Education and intelligence are somewhat overrated in my opinion. I think "emotional intelligence," independence/self-reliance, perseverance, and social skills are more predictive of health, happiness, and success in life. > > I wonder if the feeling of knowingness brings greater gullibility and > confidence that one actually cann accurately thoughts, feelings, and > motives of people that they have never met, have no serious > information on background etc. All from some posts. I think you are on to something here. I'd say that the indoctrinated feelings of superiority to nonmembers is an important factor, too. I wrote an article on my own struggle with "secondary narcissism" at http://knappfamilycounseling.com/2ndnardissism.html , if you're interested. A number of TMers and others have written to say they identify with my personal weakness in this area. > > Greater than average gullibility may be a common characteristic of > long termers in the TMO. I wonder if that characteristic -- if it is > actually greater than "normal", contributes to that SIMS assuredness > and even arrogance that one actually knows another's thoughts, > feelings, and motives without knowing the person well (and even then > its quite iffy). > > > Or do you find yourself becoming angry, even unhappy? > > When some are told their Kreskin like abilities to remotely read the > minds of strangers is corrected by the "subject" -- anger does seem > to arise -- name calling and even more mind reading -- imputing more > and deeper motives or internal ills to the person. > Yes, it seems to be an escalating spiral, doesn't it? Even articulate people seem to descend into self-righteous apoplexy. When you challenge a people's core beliefs, many will engage in irrational defensiveness. Here I'm speaking of people in general. It's a very human thing to do. I know I've done it when I've felt attacked. J.
