A Gout Out for the Mix Tape Universe

Writing Assignment 11

From what I have read about cognitive therapy in the text book I think I’ve already been through this form of treatment. The definition as found on page 615 is: “Cognitive therapy is an insight therapy that emphasizes recognizing and changing negative thoughts and maladaptive beliefs.” The text book also goes on to describe cognitive therapy as short term and that is usually lasts from 4-20 sessions. It also says homework assignments are given to clients. I would think that a client would gain a sense of direction and some know-how in being proactive when attempting to solve his or her life’s issues after completing such treatment.

The Artist’s Way is a book written by Julia Cameron to aid people in uncovering their creative potential. She administers the content in a way that I would think a therapist would at attempting to subside negative and hindering thoughts within a patient. The book is a 12 week course that covers areas in which a person might need creative reinforcement and guidance. It touches on topics such as recovering a sense of identity to recovering a sense of faith. Each week’s chapter assign homework to the reader which meant to foster the understanding of the creativity concept discussed. There are also two consistent tasks meant to be a life long practice. The first is something called the “morning pages.” Cameron describes morning pages as meditation for westerners and basically they are three pages of stream of conscious to be written immediately after one wakes up. The second habit is called the “artist date.” The artist date is two hours one spends a week doing something for themselves by themselves. She describes the artist date as charging one’s batteries. The Artist’s Way is a 12-week long creative process and by the end a person can see that through affirmative thinking, discipline, re-evaluating old concepts, prioritizing and making time for one’s self he or she can live a fulfilling and creative life. I didn’t know it, but by buying a $15.95 book at Barnes and Nobel and sticking to its content I had administered my very own cognitive therapy treatment.