# Speeding Through the Therapy



## Shallow (Jul 17, 2009)

Ive been doing Dr. Richards therapy for 1 week now but I cant help myself from listening to the next week's sessions. I do truly find all this stuff very interesting. The reason I skipped the from the first session to the second is because I felt that it was too easy. I'm currently on session 8 and am adopting a sort of "ill learn everything first and then put it into action after". Once I get to the end of all the audio, I plan to listen to it again as well as continually practice all the CBT's on a daily bases.

Is there something that I'm misjudging here? is speeding through it really hurting me much in the long run? (it just feels so slow paced doing 1 session a week)


----------



## shychick2 (Oct 20, 2008)

I can't say for you personally as it might not apply and not done this programme specifically. You may be fine if you are just listening at a faster speed and doing exercises slower. Listening more may help implant the ideas.

I can suggest reasons why it might be better to go slowly in the practical exercisesl. People can find it intimidating to see all the hurdles in front of them and feel it is too much. If you skim through the programme you might find that it doesn't work as you've not completed the process fully. If you take a step that is too big it might hold you back from continuing. If you complete in a shorter time then you might revert back to old habits quickly as the patterns aren't as established.


----------



## AAAli (Jul 18, 2009)

I am doing the same as you I just find it too slow and since I already know a little about cbt it was a little annoying to go over the same stuff. So instead of taking it one a week, I write down all the new information that I didn't know and that I think I need to remember in a notebook and constantly read that everyday so that it sinks in. It turns out to be a bit like the worksheets but shorter with extra info from the audios that I found helpful all written in my own words so I can take it in easily.

But its still very important that you practise (slow talk, thought catching etc) because if you don't practise it won't become automatic and it won't work.

So far what I am doing seems to be working, using this for the cbt and the work of Byron Katie to release negative thoughts.


----------



## kanesays2 (Jul 18, 2009)

I'm taking kind of the opposite approach. It takes me three weeks to finish one weekly lesson because it takes forever for any of the handouts to stick, especially the ANTS handouts. I read them every night, using slow talk, and then listen to the weekly lesson right before bed.

My retention of the materials is not very good. I wish I could turn the corner with Dr. Richards' lessons, but it is slow going.


----------



## KforB (May 18, 2014)

I think it's important to consider the concept of the 20 mile march. Essentially it means staying consistent with a certain amount (e.g. spending 1 hour a day reading the handouts in slow talk or until completion) instead of 2 hours today, maybe 30 minutes tomorrow, trying to take a shortcut here or there. Similar to the story of the tortoise and the hare.

Also, it might helpful to focus on process and less on the outcome. It seems like you're just rushing to get to the end of the tapes and handouts to get "cured" as fast as possible. I did the same thing with every other attempt I made to overcome my SA. But when I started the tapes, I simply put trust and faith into Dr. Richards and told myself I wouldn't skip ahead like I normally would've.

Here is a link for a more in depth understanding of the 20 mile march. 
http://jonkarpman.blogspot.ca/


----------



## SplendidBob (May 28, 2014)

I think that the idea behind this therapy is that you need to recondition yourself, which is a slow process and takes a tonne of repetition. This therapy is attempting to undo many many years of conditioning, and by consciously _understanding_ something, it doesn't mean the conditioning will be removed.

The repetition and the time spent doing the exercises is what will help you, rather than gaining a conscious understanding of how it works.

But there isn't anything terrible in itself about learning about the rest of the techniques, so long as you actually end up spending the time doing the exercises.


----------



## Caedmon (Dec 14, 2003)

The SAI/Dr Richards audio program is not my favorite and probably even gives some people a poor impression of what CBT is/does. 

I forced myself to listen to all 20 tapes but by tape #12 or so, I realized I was not going to get a whole lot out of it and I just listened to be able to say I had done it. 

Filled with some good content, to be sure. I got many good ideas from it. But there are also poor techniques of thought suppression, safety behaviors, and cheesy one-size-fits all forced statements. The more I listened to the series, the less I liked it. Tape #20 was both illuminating and disturbing.

So, I think skipping ahead is a good idea. Then you will know if it's really what you want to engage in. If it clicks for you then give it a shot!


----------

