Imagine that you have a do-it-yourself (DIY) project that requires use of a screwdriver. Perhaps you’ve purchased a piece of furniture from a global home furnishing retailer that requires customers to assemble their own products.
Unfortunately, the product you purchased is missing the hand tool to insert or remove screws. You really want to construct the purchased item, though the only tool you have available is a hammer—a hand tool consisting of a solid head set crosswise on a handle and used for pounding.
Is your hammer considered a useful tool for the DIY project?
Consideration of this scenario is applicable in terms of mental, emotional, and behavioral health care. When working as a psychotherapist for people who seek a professional practitioner of rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT), I usually assess what tools people already have.
“Before seeking services with me, how did you deal with a similar problem?” I may ask. Sometimes, people use a proverbial hammer for just about any task or problem that arises.
Regarding this matter, the late psychologist Abraham Maslow once stated, “If the only tool you have is a hammer, it is tempting to treat everything as if it were a nail.” Given this perspective, a hammer may be useful for some jobs; however, it isn’t a useful tool for all projects.
When further contemplating this matter, I’m reminded of something I wrote in a blogpost entitled The Tool You Use in which I stated:
Aside from psychoeducation regarding the ABC model and unconditional acceptance, I teach a number of other useful techniques which clients may employ.
Furthermore, I offer a wide range of Tools within my blog. Along with the ability to utilize an effective technique, I encourage people to understand that the tool you use is the one that matters.
This includes the use of other psychotherapeutic modalities, religious or spiritual practices, activities of self-care, or alternative methods for improving one’s level of functioning and quality of life. As such, I stand by what I expressed in a blogpost entitled Useless Tools, “The tools we use less are useless.”
Adjusting the premises outlined therein, the tool you use is the one that matters – and not all tools are adequate for a particular DIY project. For instance, a hammer may not be the instrument you want to use on a fragile piece of furniture.
Similarly, if you have an array of tools at your disposal and you neglect to use them, then your tools are effectively rendered useless. Thus, I aim to offer people an assortment of techniques which they may use, which affords individuals the opportunity to maintain useful tools.
Noteworthy, REBT serves as a self-help method to wellness. For context, consider what I suggested in a blog entry entitled I’m My Own Mechanic when comparing the tools obtained through personal REBT practice to the DIY project of repairing a car:
I wanted to learn how to work on my own vehicle so that I could not only repair it when things went awry, I could also use preventative maintenance to keep my car functioning in an optimal manner. Therefore, I learned of and have since practiced REBT. Now, I’m my own mechanic.
Reflecting upon the original scenario, imagine that you have a DIY project that requires use of a screwdriver. However, you don’t happen to have this instrument. If you’d like to add tools to your proverbial toolbox so that you can help yourself in a humanist fashion, I’m here to help.
If you’re looking for a provider who works to help you understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.
As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.
At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply helping you to feel better, I want to help you get better!
Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW
Photo credit (edited), fair use
References:
Hollings, D. (2024, May 23). A humanistic approach to mental health. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/a-humanistic-approach-to-mental-health
Hollings, D. (2024, October 18). ABC model. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/abc-model
Hollings, D. (n.d.). Blog – Categories: Tools. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/blog/categories/tools
Hollings, D. (2022, March 15). Disclaimer. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/disclaimer
Hollings, D. (2023, September 8). Fair use. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/fair-use
Hollings, D. (2023, October 12). Get better. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/get-better
Hollings, D. (n.d.). Hollings Therapy, LLC [Official website]. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/
Hollings, D. (2023, October 15). I’m my own mechanic. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/i-m-my-own-mechanic
Hollings, D. (2023, September 19). Life coaching. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/life-coaching
Hollings, D. (2024, March 4). Mental, emotional, and behavioral health. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/mental-emotional-and-behavioral-health
Hollings, D. (2023, September 3). On feelings. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-feelings
Hollings, D. (2024, April 4). Preventative maintenance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/preventative-maintenance
Hollings, D. (2024, January 1). Psychoeducation. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/psychoeducation
Hollings, D. (2023, September 15). Psychotherapeutic modalities. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/psychotherapeutic-modalities
Hollings, D. (2024, May 5). Psychotherapist. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/psychotherapist
Hollings, D. (2022, March 24). Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rational-emotive-behavior-therapy-rebt
Hollings, D. (2024, May 6). Self-care. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/self-care
Hollings, D. (2024, June 5). Self-help. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/self-help
Hollings, D. (2024, March 19). The tool you use. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-tool-you-use
Hollings, D. (2024, October 20). Unconditional acceptance redux. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/unconditional-acceptance-redux
Hollings, D. (2022, October 20). Useless tools. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/useless-tools
Hollings, D. (2024, September 29). Well, well, well. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/well-well-well
Maslow, A. H. (1966). The psychology of science: A reconnaissance. Harper & Row. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/books/edition/_/qitgAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%22hammer%22
Racool_studio. (n.d.). DIY tools [Image]. Freepik. Retrieved from https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/diy-tools_8992041.htm#fromView=search&page=1&position=31&uuid=a7d35029-96d2-4b0d-9fd8-f1101ce5d4dd
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Abraham Maslow. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Maslow
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