This special
podcast features one of our favorite people, Professor Mark Noble
from the University of Rochester in New York. Professor Noble is a
world-renowned neuroscientist and cancer researcher, one of the
pioneers in stem cell research, and all-around good guy. He
contributed a brilliant chapter on how TEAM-CBT interacts with the
brain for my book, Feeling Great. For the past two years
he has been avery beloved
member of the Wednesday TEAM-CBT Training group, adding his wisdom
and clarity to the teachings. Rhonda and my co-teachers,
Leigh Harrington and Richard Lam, and all of our students feel very
honored to have him in our midst.
This is our third podcast with
Dr. Noble, and the first podcast to usher in the new year. We’re
excited to speak with him again today. He will update us on his
latest thinking on how the molecular biology of stress and learning
are totally consistent with the rapid mood changes we see in
TEAM-CBT. He also describes his latest writing project, tentatively
entitled, The Brain User’s Guide to TEAM-CBT, and you can
download it for FREE if you click here! (LINK)
In this booklet Professor Noble
presents the “brainological perspective” on TEAM-CBT. He emphasizes
that this booklet is written at the 9th grade level so
as not to intimidate anyone. If you’re curious, take a look, and
feel free to share it with others who might be
interested.
Professor Noble explains that his
new booklet was inspired by patients who ask how TEAM differs from
traditional (aka “normal”) talk therapy. Of course, the differences
are many and profound, but one of the questions new patients and
therapists ask is whether the rapid recoveries we observe during
TEAM-CBT treatment are just superficial and temporary, or even
fake.
Mark asserts that nothing could
be further from the truth, and that the thing that makes TEAM-CBT
so special is how closely it is aligned with how the human brain
actually works. He explains that there are ten essential steps in
TEAM, starting with Empathy. He defines Empathy as “being in a safe
place, where you can share feelings without being
judged.”
Empathy allows the patient to
access the networks in the brain where the patient’s pain may be
stored as memories. The spoken and written language exercises used
in TEAM actively and rapidly modify the networks that generate the
feelings of depression, anxiety, shame, inadequacy and
hopelessness. Dr. Noble places a great importance on the written
Daily Mood Log, which he describes as arguably the “greatest
development in the history of psychology.”
He says that when you describe
the horrible and traumatic things that happened to you, and you
record your Negative Thoughts on paper in a systematic,
step-by-step way, you can look at your thoughts, feelings, and
painful memories as separate from your “self” and gain some
distance from them. Then, when you pinpoint the many cognitive
distortions in your negative thoughts, and substitute more
realistic interpretations, you gain freedom and relief because you
are actually re-wiring your brain.
He said that most of our human
thinking is called Fast Thinking. This is the automatic thinking
that we do 98% of the time as we go through our daily
lives.
Fast thinking is great, but
growth, learning and change can only result from Slow Thinking,
where we reflect and analyze things. Slow thinking takes
concentration and effort because you are changing actual networks
in your brain when you challenge and crush your negative thoughts
with powerful techniques like the Externalization of
Voices.
He says that we are not just
telling people to “Stop it!” or “Get over it!” Quite to the
contrary, we are teaching specific, powerful techniques that give
you the chance to pinpoint and modify the exact brain networks that
cause your negative feelings. He explains that “language is a
powerful tool for figuring out exactly how we see the world when
we’re feeling down, and TEAM gives us many tools in TEAM to modify
the errors in our perceptions that cause so much
suffering.
Mark laments on the excessive
misuse of medications for individuals, including children, who are
struggling with behavioral and emotional problems. He wishes more
people would simply sit down with the person who is upset and ask,
“What’s going on? How are you feeling? What are you thinking and
telling yourself?”
I have had the same thought when
thinking about how therapists not familiar with TEAM or Cognitive
Therapy use and promote dozens of presumably therapeutic approaches
without simply asking patients, “What thoughts go through your mind
when you are feeling depressed, anxious, ashamed, inadequate, or
hopeless?” The answers to this question provide direct and
immediate access to the brain networks that need
re-wiring!
Mark concludes today’s podcast by
saying,
“I
went into medical research on cancer and other serious problems
because I wanted to help people who are suffering. I’m convinced
that TEAM-CBT, and the powerful Daily Mood Log that David has
developed, have the potential to help millions of people around the
world!”
Rhonda and I are grateful for
Mark’s ongoing friendship and brilliance and want to wish all of
you a happy and healthy 2022!
We are both very grateful for
your support during the past year and hope you will continue to
mention our podcast to friends or colleagues who might be
interested in learning about TEAM-CBT.
We look forward to celebrating
the five millionth download of the Feeling Good Podcast around
July! Thank you!
Rhonda and David
About the Podcast
This podcast features David D. Burns MD, author of "Feeling Good, The New Mood Therapy," describing powerful new techniques to overcome depression and anxiety and develop greater joy and self-esteem. For therapists and the general public alike!