Beliefs are as important as biochemistry in addictions
For 30 years I have been contending that unlearning beliefs will change behavior, including addictive behavior. Despite the fact that many thousands of people have made radical behavioral changes as a result of eliminating beliefs, I continue to get emails from people who state: “There is clear scientific evidence that addictions are biophysical. They are the result of chemical responses and conditionings. Getting rid of a few beliefs can’t possibly cure addictions.” Well, a recent scientific study concluded, "… cognitive beliefs could be as potent as pharmacological interventions in terms of modifying biophysical processes in the brain and changing behavior [...]
Robin Williams died of depression
I was in the middle of writing this week’s blog post on the advantages and disadvantages of having a theory about human behavior when I received a breaking news story on my iPhone: Robin Williams was dead. “Oh, no,” I screamed in my mind. “That can’t be. I loved him.” A few minutes later additional news came in: A representative for Williams told Entertainment Weekly, "Robin Williams passed away this morning. He has been battling severe depression of late.” And then: According to a press release issued by the Marin County Coroner’s office, the Sheriff’s office suspects the death to [...]
How is TLM different from psychotherapy?
The Lefkoe Method (TLM) is very different both from most personal growth techniques and most forms of psychotherapy. To begin with, TLM is not merely about personal growth—although it does deliver that. It goes well beyond that in promising that specific behavioral and emotional problems—such as depression, eating disorders, a wide variety of negative emotions like fear and anger, and many dysfunctional behaviors—can be totally eliminated. Although personal growth products are all different in their claims, for the most part they offer emotional and behavioral improvements, not the total elimination of existing problems. In that respect TLM (which consists of [...]
The Lefkoe Method Is Not Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Often when I start to explain to someone how the Lefkoe Belief Process (LBP) works, they quickly respond, “Oh, you’re just doing Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)!” Although the LBP is similar in some ways to CBT (of which there are several variations), there are more things that are different than the same. (Because I am not trained in CBT, I have no first hand knowledge of it. But several people who are certified in CBT and who also are familiar with the LBP have helped me make the following distinctions between the two.) First, some versions of CBT attempt to change [...]
