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Don't Comment on the Obvious

  • Writer: Deric Hollings
    Deric Hollings
  • 17 hours ago
  • 4 min read

 

In seventh grade, I was assigned to a science class taught by a male educator with eccentric behavior. One wonders what occurred in the teacher’s occupational history that resulted in a person with a Doctor of Philosophy degree instructing a middle school class. Yet, I digress.

 

Perhaps an example of the oddity to which I allude is in order. This is a man who allegedly filmed the birth of his child and showed the VHS footage to the students in his middle school class. (Thankfully, I wasn’t present for that experience.) Who does that?

 

In any event, I generally enjoyed the educator’s bizarre behavior. For the most part, I was amused by the expressions he used with which I wasn’t familiar. Recently, when discussing a personal anecdote with a client, I reflected upon my former middle school teacher.

 

Using the ABC model of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I informed the client that when an undesirable Activating event (“Action”) occurred by the class air conditioner (AC) malfunctioning, the temperature of the classroom became uncomfortably hot (Consequence).

 

From a physical perspective, Action-Consequence (A-C) connections of this sort occur. However, a hot classroom isn’t what causes bitching, whining, moaning, complaining, and whinging which resulted on the day in question (e.g., “It’s too hot in here!”).

 

Rather, from a psychological outlook, REBT maintains that a Belief-Consequence (B-C) connection is what causes self-disturbed grumbling which I heard from students in the science class. A-C events are often outside of one’s control, though the B-C connection is alterable.

 

For example, the class AC malfunctioned (Action) and students collectively Believed something like, “The AC shouldn’t break and it’s awful when it does, because life’s unbearable in this room!” With this unhelpful attitude, students became angry and they complained (Consequence).

 

Rather than unproductively upsetting oneself in such a manner, REBT invites people to use Disputation of unfavorable assumptions in order to explore more Effective new beliefs which can be used in place of unhelpful self-narratives that cause unpleasant outcomes.

 

Presumably because my former educator didn’t know about REBT, though he apparently sought to stop students from self-disturbing nonetheless, the science teacher sternly stated to the class, “Don’t comment on the obvious! It’s boring.” I marveled at the instructor’s comment.

 

In my home, my mom would’ve said something along the lines of, “Shut up, or I’ll give you something to cry about!” Often, she provided plenty of A-C events (i.e., physical battery [A] that caused bruising [C]) about which I used the B-C connection to self-disturb.

 

(I didn’t share that information when communicating the personal anecdote with my client.) In any instance, contrary to my mom’s response, I was surprised by the way my science class teacher addressed bellyaching. In my mind, I reflect upon his unique accent saying the words.

 

As such, I use the “don’t comment on the obvious” portion of my former educator’s rebuke as a matter of personal disputation. Sharing this short story with my client, the individual with whom I work sought to also employ the challenge to irrational beliefs in this person’s own life.

 

Now, I offer this dispute to you. Does commenting on an obviously unpleasant event make it any better in your life? Do such comments marvelously resolve A-C experiences or settle your unhelpful B-C self-disturbance? If not, perhaps, “Don’t comment on the obvious. It’s boring.”

 

If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help 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 try 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 trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!

 

 

Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW

 

References:

 

Hollings, D. (2024, November 15). Assumptions. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/assumptions

Hollings, D. (2024, August 7). Awfulizing. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/awfulizing

Hollings, D. (2023, April 22). Control. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/control

Hollings, D. (2024, October 27). Correlation does not imply causation. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/correlation-does-not-imply-causation

Hollings, D. (2022, October 31). Demandingness. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/demandingness

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. (2024, May 17). Feeling better vs. getting better. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/feeling-better-vs-getting-better-1

Hollings, D. (2025, March 5). Five major characteristics of four major irrational beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/five-major-characteristics-of-four-major-irrational-beliefs

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, September 19). Life coaching. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/life-coaching

Hollings, D. (2022, December 2). Low frustration tolerance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/low-frustration-tolerance

Hollings, D. (2024, September 27). My attitude. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/my-attitude

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. (2022, November 1). Self-disturbance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/self-disturbance

Hollings, D. (2022, December 23). The A-C connection. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-a-c-connection

Hollings, D. (2022, December 25). The B-C connection. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-b-c-connection

Hollings, D. (2025, February 28). To try is my goal. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/to-try-is-my-goal

Hollings, D. (2025, January 9). Traditional ABC model. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/traditional-abc-model

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