How’d You Get There? CBT, Step 4 & Teshuva-A Short 5 Line High Holiday Idea

How’d You Get There?  CBT, Step 4 & Teshuva-A Short 5 Line High Holiday Idea

 

Regretting a misdeed is an important part of the teshuva & self-development process, but another is investigating the way by which we came to the misdeed.

The Maharit[1] sees this in the famous sentence “The wicked will abandon their ways…and return (shov) to Hashem” (Isaiah 55:7).

This idea matches up with the popular therapy/self-development method of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The essence of this method if to become more cognizant of what and why one does certain behaviors. When one does this, one can change ones behavior or thinking and change the end result.

This also matches up with Step 4 of 12 Step programs, which can be used in general self development, not only addiction recovery[2]: “We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.”

Investigating our behavior is extremely difficult-we are very resistant and feel uncomfortable. May we all be able to see the ways, the processes by which we are led to improper behavior and change the end result.

-Ian

  [1] Shealot Veteshuvot Maharit chelek beis O”CH siman 8 D”H V’kafartah al zeh. [2] See Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twersky’s Waking Up Just in Time (St. Martin’s Griffin, 1990).