The world has known and is still home to many renowned scholars and doctors. These professionals have changed the way we think and see certain things while always coming up with innovative theories about the unknown. These mysteries aren’t only imperative to the existence of humans but also important for the further development and progress of the human race. It is no secret that the human mind is the most powerful machine to exist. However, there are still many mysteries that need to be revealed for us to take full advantage of the brain’s unparalleled efficiency.
This is where Dr. Scott Waltman, PsyD, ABPP, comes in and saves the day. Dr. Waltman is not only a clinician but also an international trainer and practice-based researcher. He has various interests in evidence-based psychotherapy practice, training, and implementation in systems. His main aim is to provide care to underserved populations, making sure they’re not left behind while the rich exploit everything in the world.
Additionally, he is also a certified Cognitive Therapist and Trainer/Consultant by the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies. If that wasn’t enough, Dr. Waltman made sure that he left no stone unturned and went on to become certified by the board of Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology from the American Board of Professional Psychology. Moreover, he is a Board member of the International Association of Cognitive Psychology.
Earning all these accolades wasn’t an easy feat, and he wasn’t inclined towards them either. He first gained interest when he got the chance to read the first edition of Donald Robertson’s book “The Philosophy of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies,” which piqued his interest to delve deeper into the subject.
Dr. Scott Waltman had traditionally, always been an Albert Ellis fan; however, reading this book awakened another side in him. He found his interest leaning towards the Stoic side of philosophy, thus encouraging him to become a trainer in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). After thorough research, he learned that clinicians have difficulty using good Socratic dialogue strategies, and instead, they had the tendency to focus on telling people what to think. Dr. Waltman saw a huge problem in this teaching as he knew people needed to be independent and, in fact, should be taught how to think on their own.
This worked as an inspiration for the expert, leading him to author his own book, “Socratic Questioning for Therapists and Counselors: Learn How to Think and Intervene Like A Cognitive Behavior Therapist.” Since its launch in 2020, his book has been well-received by critics and readers alike. In fact, the rave reviews it has garnered have resulted in the book being translated into different languages (Turkish and Japanese), allowing people from all around the world to benefit from it and learn to think for themselves.
The therapist community is especially excited to learn about the principles of Stoicism and implement them in their clinical practice. The most important concept that the book teaches is about “Collaborative Empiricism” or, in layman’s terms, “Collaborative Curiosity.” It not only reinforces the job of a therapist but also allows them to help their clients to work as well as identify their thought processes and therefore become more aware. By being more conscious of what they’re thinking, they will, in the process, start to analyze it as well. Usually, therapists need a list of questions to challenge or disprove the target thought; however, Dr. Waltman’s goal is to focus on joint curiosity rather than stirring adversity.
Reading his book allows the audience to derive practical advice and identify right from wrong. It is all a matter of how you communicate. If people believe you’re trying earnestly to see how they perceive a certain thing, they’ll be more than willing to explore options, even if those options contradict their own thinking.
One thing is sure that Dr. Scott Waltman has achieved this and more by diving deep into the mysteries of the mind, and that is exactly what sets him apart from his competitors!
