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EMPOWERMENT THROUGH REFRAMING:
MAKING THERAPY THERAPEUTIC
Caroljean K. Rodesch CICSW, MS
FAMILY SERVICE ASSOCIATION
300 Crooks St, Green Bay, WI 54301
Tragedy and comedy; where do they overlap? Therapy is both tragedy and comedy. The ability
of both the client and the therapist to see the link between them is an essential part of what makes
therapy therapeutic. The process involved in seeing things in a different light is: reframing. With
reframing comes empowerment and change.
This presentation draws from the writings of Frank Pittman, psychiatrist and author; Steven Wolin
MD, The Resilient Self, Albert Ellis, Rational Emotive Therapy, and my own experiences as a
therapist. It examines some of the myths that maintain the victim role: The tragedy having
imperfect parents, of imperfect love, of ideal bodies, the imperfect day and finally, the tragedy of
imperfect emotions. These myths encourage victimhood rather than moving towards wellness.
Resilient people keep teaching us that real tragedies are easier to survive than imagined or
anticipated tragedies. Rational emotive therapy teaches that most things we anticipate or worry
about do not actually occur. Ellis (RET) takes the approach that people CAN stand noxious
activating events; it is hardly awful because awful is an essentially undefinable term, with surplus
meaning and the individual actually means "it is highly inconvenient, more than inconvenient; that
holding the belief that noxious things should not happen to them, individuals are assuming the
have God like powers and what they want not to happen should not happen. This hypothesis is
highly unlikely and bound to leave one dissatisfied and a victim.
The theory and practice of therapeutic optimism suggests being human has to be good enough, it's
all there is. With this in mind comedy and tragedy blend. If nothing else the tasteless television
program " America's Funniest Videos " offers proof.