Dr. Daniel Temple, Clinical Psychologist Dr. Temple received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Fordham University in 1993, and has been a licensed Psychologist in New York State since 1995.  He also has a Masters Degree in Neurosciences from the University of Hartford and worked for several years in the central nervous system pharmacology laboratory of a pharmaceutical company.  Dr. Temple has worked in hospitals and long term care medical facilities prior to his current full-time private practice work.  He is a Cognitive-Behavioral Psychotherapist and has training and experience with psychological testing, stress management, and relaxation techniques.  He works with adult clients exclusively.  Insurance payments from most health insurance companies are accepted, and out-of-pocket (fee for service) payment is also accepted.  In addition to office visits, phone sessions are possible.  (No health insurance is accepted for phone sessions). Dr. Temple is a member of the American Psychological Association and the New York State Psychological Association.  In addition to his clinical psychotherapy practice, he is a consultant for business organizations, performing executive coaching and group dynamics coaching.  ____________________________________________________________________________ THE BASICS OF COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL THERAPY: The underlying principle of cognitive-behavioral therapy is that "usually, it is not just what happens to us that makes us very upset; it is also how we interpret what happens that makes us upset."  We interpret events (consciously and unconsciously) based on our beliefs, attitudes, assumptions, sensitivities, and values that we have learned from previous experiences.    THE A-B-C-D-E  MODEL OF THE STEPS OF COGNITIVE THERAPY: A = THE ACTIVATING EVENT (SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS TO YOU, OR A TROUBLING THOUGHT THAT YOU HAVE) THAT INITIALLY BOTHERS YOU IN A PARTICULAR SITUATION. B = YOUR EXAGGERATED OR OVER-SENSITIVE BELIEFS, ATTITUDES, ASSUMPTIONS, VALUES (LEARNED FROM EARLIER HURTS) THAT MAKES THE CURRENT SITUATION SEEM EVEN MORE NEGATIVE THAN IT HAS TO FEEL. C = THE CONSEQUENCES THAT YOU FEEL (E.G. SAD, ANGRY, ANXIOUS, JEALOUS) BECAUSE OF YOUR NEGATIVE OR OVER-SENSITIVE BELIEF SYSTEM ABOUT THE ACTIVATING EVENT. D = DISCOVERING AND DISPUTING YOUR OVERLY NEGATIVE MALADAPTIVE BELIEFS, I.E. BECOMING CONSCIOUSLY AWARE OF THEM, THEN QUESTIONING THEM AND ARGUING AGAINST THEM (WITHIN YOURSELF) IN A RESPECTFUL BUT PERSISTENT WAY. E = EFFECTIVE (LESS NEGATIVE, MORE FLEXIBLE) BELIEFS THAT YOU SUBSTITUTE FOR YOUR PREVIOUS OVERLY NEGATIVE OR OVERLY SENSITIVE BELIEFS.        For example, if a man was often criticized by his older brother when they were young (the previous hurt), and years later the man's work performance is criticized by his employer (the current activating event), he may then interpret the employer's criticism in an especially negative and over-sensitive manner due to the old negative experiences.   Therefore, he may feel more angry or sad (the stronger emotional consequences) than the current situation really calls for.      A solution is for him to become consciously aware of his current attitudes of over- sensitivity to criticism, so that he can dispute those attitudes and interpret future criticism in a less negative and less over-personalized manner.