I/O Psychology Blog

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) tells us we’re responsible for virtually every action, thought and feeling that we experience — the S-O-R model taken to the max.

I’ve used this quote with clients who are struggling with building assertiveness and self-esteem while combating the anxieties associated with the judgments of others. For years I attributed it to Twain only to discover recently that Ann Landers is the source. Life is full of little surprises.

This is one of Hugh Prather’s blank verse observations in “Notes to Myself: My Struggle to Become a Person.” Starting in the late ’60′s Prather has written numerous works on the problems associated with being human. This is one of my favorites and one I recited to all the Psy. 101 classes.

I found this in a fascinating book on sociopaths, “The Sociopath Next Door,” by Martha Stout, Ph.D. Wish I had known something about this BEFORE a number of relationship and work-related nosebleeds starting in my 20′s. Her parenthetical observation about listening took me back to my counselor days and painted a familiar picture that may deserve a little reflection. -DAD

I used this with my Psychology classes as far back as the ’70′s. Anne Herbert is something of a poet and philosopher. Check her blog, “Peace and Love and Noticing the Details.” The widely used quote, “Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty” is attributed to Anne. -DAD