Here’s an excerpt from one of Dr. Aaron Beck’s former residents, Cal K. Cohn, MD, who worked with Dr. Beck at the University of Pennsylvania back in the 70s. Even then, Aaron Beck, the founding father of Cognitive Therapy, was subjecting his theory to rigorous testing, and welcomed the early scepticism of colleagues like Cohn.
In a letter Dr. Cohn wrote to Dr. Beck a few weeks ago, Cohn said:
I’d come to Penn with a strong bias towards the wet-biology way of thinking about brain function. Many residents and staff liked CT. At first, I was not among them. I was a sceptic, a nay-sayer, a denier…. You [Dr. Aaron T. Beck] more-or-less challenged the residents to suggest “what do we do next?” I suggested moving in the direction of “real science” which, as far as I was concerned, meant outcome studies. I recall one comment of mine: “In thirty years, compensation for psychotherapy will be controlled by managed care. Only those forms of therapy that have proved their effectiveness will be compensated.”
I think you said, “How would you go about it?”
“I’d structure it like a drug study: three groups: cognitive therapy, active control, placebo.”
You asked me if I would work with you – a gracious and most exciting offer. Nevertheless, I declined. After my four years of experience in research, and for a variety of reasons, I wanted out of academia.
Would I at least be a participating therapist in such a study?
Initially I declined. “I’m a sceptic and cynic but I don’t want to do harm.”
You replied, “We want someone like you; someone who doesn’t believe in the concept.”
So I agreed. Good decision on my part. Thank you for bringing me into the fold. A study was designed. Distributed were multiple copies of rating scales and, I think, detailed instructions as to how to proceed.
I began using the cognitive model. I was surprised and delighted with the results. I have been an advocate ever since.