Psychology Unplugged Psychotherapy: What it is and What It's Not
Dec 14, 2025
The host dives into the true essence of psychotherapy, distinguishing it from mere trends. Therapy is framed as a clinical intervention, aiming for real change rather than just storytelling. It’s likened to brain rehabilitation, requiring active participation and effort from clients. The discussion highlights the power of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and the importance of measuring progress objectively. Misdiagnosis and over-validation are flagged as pitfalls in therapy, leading to a call for more focused and goal-directed approaches.
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Psychotherapy As Applied Neuroscience
- Nigra defines psychotherapy as applied neuroscience that reshapes neural pathways via structured experiences.
- He frames therapy as deliberately changing cognition, emotion, behavior, and stress physiology through neuroplasticity.
Expect Practice And Homework
- Do expect therapy to require repeated practice and homework between sessions for real change to occur.
- Do celebrate incremental gains and recognize that change builds from small, repeated steps over time.
Change Requires Therapeutic Discomfort
- Nigra emphasizes therapy must create disequilibrium by challenging beliefs to produce change.
- He argues real progress requires discomfort and actively disrupting homeostasis to form new habits.