Using C-M with smokers after m.i.

    Control Mastery (Broitman)
    • Mission Statement by Jessica Broitman, 11/9/96
      • (...)
        • Access Points by Jessica Broitman, 12/10/96

    Using C-M with smokers after m.i.
    by Ellen Dornelas, 12/12/96

    Yes, many of the pathogenic beliefs you describe would in fact fit some patients who I have worked with although as you note, beliefs are highly individualized. When the session goes well, I do often feel as though a core issue is at least identified for the patient and this may promote change.

    This next example could fit a number of patients I have seen. Something I have observed a few times is that a patient will have some life stressor followed by a cardiac event. While seeing the patient in the hospital setting, I have felt as though the patient's perception shifted such that they now viewed smoking as being lethal for them, and felt more efficaous in their ability to abstain from smoking. I do follow up with our intervention patient group by telephone contact for six months, so I have a little more than one session, but not much! In some cases, patients are able to go on and make tremendous change in their lives (resolving interpersonal issues, changing very difficult dietary habits, taking up exercise). In other cases, some stressful precipitant such as losing a job, separating from one's spouse etc. clearly is related to a decision to smoke again after a period of successful abstinence. In my brief phone work, it seems hard to untangle beliefs, however identifying the dysphoric feeling often helps (i.e. you started smoking when you moved out of your house and you still seem very sad about this). I know this may sound too simple, but people that I see are often not able to even identify their feelings, let alone process them (I am generalizing quite a bit however) And by and large, they aren't receptive to referrals for counseling/psychotherapy, so I try to do what I can in the time that I have.

    I'm interested in exploring areas of psychotherapy (like C-M) without committing to taking a class or getting formal supervision. This is a good way to learn more. I spent a while learning (reading, workshops etc) more about short-term dynamic psychotherapy (e.g. Davanloo, Sifneos), but it seems to me that some of the techniques that can help make therapy brief also can be damaging to clients. I got a great deal from my exposure to STDP, but ultimately, I became turned off by it. I'm hoping to get a wider breadth of exposure to some different ways of approaching therapy...

    Looking more to hearing from you and others on the topic.


              No Replies
    [Prev] [Up] [Next]
    [Reply] [Home] [Help]