Stoicism and CBT: Is Therapy a Philosophical Pursuit?
“Man is disturbed not by things, but by the views he takes of them.” — Epictetus, 1st Century Stoic philosopher
“People don’t just get upset. They contribute to their upsetness.” — Albert Ellis, 20th Century psychologist
When you make the decision to seek counseling or therapy, you are in part making the decision to consult an applied philosopher — your therapist just may not know it! Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most well-known and well-regarded therapeutic treatment models for anxiety, depression, and substance abuse.
But CBT is also deeply indebted to the Stoic philosophers of ancient Greece, who knew, over two thousand years ago, the deep connection between the quality of our thoughts and beliefs and the quality of our lives.
In this article, we will explore the relationship between Stoicism and CBT.
Stoicism in Ancient Greece
Stoicism is a school of philosophy that rose to prominence in Greece during the 3rd Century B.C. No psychologists, psychiatrists, or therapists existed at this time; philosophers, instead, were the “physicians of the soul.” The Greeks found the guidance we now associate with therapy through philosophy alone, and Stoicism was a particularly useful tool for self-improvement.
Stoicism arose during the Hellenistic period — the time after Alexander the Great and before the rise of the Roman Empire. Stoicism, like all philosophies, is a method of understanding the world and how we relate to it. Stoics believed that when we align our thoughts and expectations with the natural way of things, we will improve mental well-being and protect against unnecessary emotional pain. Conversely, they believed that holding a belief that runs contrary to nature law will lead to unmet expectations and, in turn, suffering.
During the era of the Stoics, philosophy was accessible to all social classes, and was more important than ever in the daily lives of average citizens. More than wisdom for abstract purposes, Stoicism was practical, applicable, and effective. In fact, it was so useful that many of its core concepts are still in use today.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy in modern times
Fast-forward a couple thousand years. Psychologist Albert Ellis has just set forth the first cognitive-behavioral therapy, Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT). With REBT, Ellis proposed that we can relieve emotional and behavioral problems by identifying and changing faulty thoughts and beliefs. He called this cognitive restructuring, and it represented a major shift in psychotherapy. Before Ellis, Freudian psychoanalysis, which emphasized the bringing forward of subconscious thoughts as a way of changing behaviors, had reigned.
Where did Ellis get his ideas? Epictetus, the Stoic philosopher, was perhaps his biggest source of inspiration. Ellis drew on Epictetus’ notion that our interpretations of events have a greater impact on us that the events themselves. The more unrealistic — or out of line with nature — our interpretations are, the more we suffer when our expectations aren’t met. Conversely, when our beliefs and expectations align with nature, we will enjoy a well-adjusted life.
In the 1960s, another psychologist, Aaron Beck, identified fifteen specific ways in which our beliefs can drift away from reality and cause depression, anxiety, and other difficulties. He called these cognitive distortions, and he, too, believed that aligning one’s beliefs with natural order would reduce suffering. Sound familiar? He also built his work on the framework of the Stoics.
What do Stoicism and CBT have in common?
Stoicism and CBT overlap in several important ways, among them the focus on:
- Logic
- Acceptance
- Control
So, let’s take a look at each of these three tenets of Stoicism that form the framework of cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Logic
Stoics believed that the mind functions as an intermediary between our impressions (perceptions) and actions. A wise mind, they said, can successfully differentiate between accurate and faulty impressions through the use of logic. True impressions are based in observable laws of nature, and are to be assimilated into one’s worldview and acted upon. False impressions have no natural basis, and lead to destructive and painful emotions.
Therefore, logic is rooted in natural law. We are likely to experience preventable negative emotions when we hold false or illogical beliefs about natural law. These could be beliefs about the physical world, or human nature. Instead of trying to change nature — an impossibility — a Stoic would realign his or her thoughts to more accurately reflect nature. In finding this harmony, the Stoic would reduce suffering.
Acceptance
Stoics believed we should accept nature in its entirety — even its more tragic elements like death, loss, pain, and misfortune These things occur naturally, so they are a part of natural law. To live a well-adjusted life, we must accept our strengths and limitations, as well as the beauties and horrors of the world.
Stoics were skeptical of overly optimistic or pessimistic judgments. After all, nature isn’t all good, or all bad — we are recipients of good and bad fortune. Stoics sought to live mindfully and non-judgmentally, accepting life as it comes without forming rigid expectations about the future.
Critics of Stoicism have accused the Stoics of being too passive — too willing to accept injustices of the world as a fact of life. However, Stoics paid great attention to locus of control, or the extent to which one’s can influence one’s circumstances. They believed in taking action when it mattered.
Control
Stoics recognized we don’t have complete control over our circumstances– our reputations, the way people treat us, etc. But we do have some control over our own thoughts and beliefs. They believed we should concentrate our energy into these things, the things we can control, and that doing so will give us the best opportunity to influence our own lives and the world around us for the better.
These three things — using logical thought to identify unrealistic beliefs, accepting our circumstances, and making the distinction between the things we can and cannot control, are core tenets of cognitive-behavioral therapy as well.
Impediments to these goals are cognitive distortions, or thought-errors: worst-case scenario thinking, all-or-nothing thinking, jumping to conclusions, blaming, mental filtering, emotional reasoning, overgeneralization are mistakes of locus of control.
Stoicism and CBT: a difference of scope
Despite the similarities outlined above, Stoicism and cognitive-behavioral therapy do diverge in significant ways. The most significant difference, perhaps, is one of scope.
Stoicism has a metaphysical component
Many ancient Stoics, including Epictetus, ascribed to fatalism. They believed that our fates are out of our control, and that the best we can do is dispassionately accept whatever our fates may be.
Today, most view fatalism within a religious context — believing, for example, that a higher power has predetermined one’s life. For ancient Greeks, the bounds of religion and secular life were a bit blurrier than they are today, and many philosophies incorporated some ideas about the workings of the universe that we now consider to be religious in nature.
CBT does not have a metaphysical component
Cognitive-behavioral therapy has a more limited scope and does not posit any metaphysical hypotheses about the greater workings of the universe or a higher power. CBT is merely a therapeutic tool, though a powerful one (a good primer on Stoicism, which includes aspects outside of the scope of this article, can be found here).
Is therapy a philosophical pursuit?
When we remember ancient Greece, its famous philosophers come quickly to mind. Socrates, Plato, the Epicureans — these philosophers all developed philosophies for living well, with each contributing their own valuable therapeutic techniques. Arguably the most successful of all were the Stoics, who more than any believed that gaining insight into one’s perception is an essential part of living successfully in the world.
The role of the cognitive-behavioral therapist today has many similarities to the role of a Stoic philosopher in ancient Greece. Far from being an impractical, “academic” endeavor, Stoicism permeated the everyday life of its practitioners. When you make the decision to engage in psychotherapy — particularly cognitive-behavioral therapy — you’re taking part in an ancient tradition. The emphasis that ancient Greeks put on the habits of thought and mental well-being cannot be overstated. Therapeutic work is a powerful tool for insight and change …and has been for thousands of years.
The lineage from ancient Stoicism to modern cognitive-behavioral therapy makes the American stigma about mental health treatment all the more unfortunate. Our culture continues to celebrate our debt to ancient Greek advancements in countless other ways. Stoicism has even made inroads into popular culture in recent years, including, of all places, the NFL. Increasing public awareness of the influence Stoicism has had on modern psychotherapy, and specifically the relationship between Stoicism and CBT, may help to reduce the stigma of mental health treatment.
References:
- Beck, Aaron T. (1972). Depression; Causes and Treatment. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
- Ellis, Albert; Debbie Joffe Ellis (2011). Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy. American Psychological Association.
- Epictetus; Long, George (trans.) Enchiridion. New York: A. L. Burt, 1955 (reprint: New York: Dover, 2004)
- Robertson, Donald. (2010). The Philosophy of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Stoic Philosophy as Rational and Cognitive Psychotherapy. Karnac Books.
Photo credit:
- Photograph licensed under Creative Commons zero.
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