On his 2013 album The Summer Tape, lyricist The Audible Doctor released a song entitled “Wings Part 2,” featuring a vocalist simply credited as “Francesca.” In repetition, the hook states, “I’m flying (flying).” Lyrics from the first verse include:
He’s deep as the whale sings and slicker than snail streams
Forgotten like failed dreams but richer than veiled schemes
To capture the king’s queen and get in between
While the rest don’t leave the nest
I’m not afraid to fly with frail wings
I appreciate The Audible Doctor’s reference related to overcoming fear of failure as a metaphor concerning a bird leaving its nest, flying on imperfect wings. This is the essence of my approach to Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT).
Taking the comparative imagery a bit further, I liken the practice of REBT to flying an airplane. In sessions with clients, I use a flight simulator of sorts. This is accomplished through psychoeducation and rehearsal of the core pillars of REBT.
Unlike some other psychotherapists who promise safety in therapy, I don’t promote the flawed notion of protection from perceived harm when practicing this modality. This is because my clients will likely experience discomfort when challenging their irrational beliefs.
Still, unlike a flight simulator in which a person can make crucial mistakes without experiencing dire consequences, it isn’t as though I promote REBT as a tool of perfectionism whereby once techniques are practiced in sessions they can be flawlessly applied outside of appointments.
We are all fallible human beings and I advocate training in the interest of tolerance and acceptance. My clients will make mistakes in- and outside of sessions as a means to learn how to change unhelpful beliefs and use unconditional acceptance regarding imperfection inherent in life.
Sometimes, life is dangerous. Often, the experience of existence is uncomfortable. Hereof, safety is an illusion. We’re all flying on frail wings.
Once the tenets of REBT are established in our sessions, it is then up to the individual client to log flight hours out of session. Unfortunately, I suspect some people enjoy telling others how involved they are with aviation though without actually flying.
They brag about flight manuals and time spent in the simulator yet they refuse to fly. Perhaps this is done out fear of actually flying, self-gratification through engagement of therapy culture for the sake of singing one’s own praises, or some other likely reason.
Nonetheless, I wonder how a person is going operate as an aviator when neglecting precious flight hours. Learning how to maneuver through storms, practicing what to do if landing gear fails to function properly, understanding what to do if autopilot malfunctions, etc. is necessary if a person genuinely intends to take flight.
Then again, as The Audible Doctor stated, “While the rest don’t leave the nest[,] I’m not afraid to fly with frail wings,” for those who willfully self-sabotage their progress by refusing to practice lessons attained in the flight simulator, they may miss the opportunity to fly.
Regardless, as Francesca stated—and as it pertains to those clients and I who actually practice REBT—“I’m flying (flying).” How about you, dear reader, would you like to learn how to soar through the metaphorical clouds—possibly experiencing turbulence along the way—while increasing your aviator acumen? Together, let’s take flight!
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
References:
Audible Doctor. (2013, November 20). The Audible Doctor feat. Francesca “Wings Part 2” (official video) [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/rf2HodmGDFo?si=WTR19PSPF-Di2Zjl
Bandcamp. (n.d.). The Summer Tape. Retrieved from https://theaudibledoctor.bandcamp.com/album/the-summer-tape
Enriquez, A. (2021, October 25). Q. How does fair use work for book covers, album covers, and movie posters? Penn State. Retrieved from https://psu.libanswers.com/faq/336502
Hollings, D. (2022, March 15). Disclaimer. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/disclaimer
Hollings, D. (n.d.). Hollings Therapy, LLC [Official website]. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/
Hollings, D. (2022, November 4). Human fallibility. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/human-fallibility
Hollings, D. (2023, May 18). Irrational beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/irrational-beliefs
Hollings, D. (2023, April 28). Pillars. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/pillars
Hollings, D. (2023, March 20). Practice. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/practice
Hollings, D. (2022, March 25). Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rational-emotive-behavior-therapy-rebt
Hollings, D. (2022, December 1). Self-sabotage. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/self-sabotage
Hollings, D. (2022, June 21). Therapeutic safety. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/therapeutic-safety
Hollings, D. (2023, February 16). Tna. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/tna
Hollings, D. (2022, July 11). Unconditional acceptance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/unconditional-acceptance
Torenberg, E. (2021, February 1). The rise of therapy culture. Retrieved from https://eriktorenberg.substack.com/p/the-rise-of-therapy-culture
Vincent, B. and Krol, J. (2020, August 27). Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 lets you take to the skies with breathtaking realism [Image]. CNN. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/reviews/microsoft-flight-simulator-2020
Wikipedia. (n.d.). The Audible Doctor. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Audible_Doctor
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