Therapeutic Songs

Therapeutic Songs

By exaggerating our maladaptive thoughts and behaviors through humor, irony, and self-irony, therapeutic songs are evidence-based means for changing irrational thoughts into rational ones. Repeatedly listening to those songs helps us grasp the absurdity of some of our desires or expectations framed as demandingness thoughts (see The Irrationality Decalogue) that generate maladaptive behaviors and dysfunctional emotions, as well as the need to change them into rational cognitions (see The Rationality Decalogue) that support adaptive behaviors and functional emotions.

Below, we present two such songs, interpreted and written by Dr. Albert Ellis, that are to be only used for educational purposes (copyright – Albert Ellis Institute, USA).

PERFECT RATIONALITY

Lyrics:
Some think the world must have a right direction,
And so do I! And so do I!
Some think that, with the slightest imperfection,
They can’t get by and so do I!
For I, I have to prove I’m superhuman,
And better far than people are!
To show I have miraculous acumen
And always rate among the Great!
Perfect, perfect rationality
Is, of course the only thing for me!
How can I ever think of being
If I must live fallibly?
Rationality must be a perfect thing for me!

LOVE ME, LOVE ME, ONLY ME!

Lyrics:
Love me, love me, only me
Or I’ll die without you!
Make your love a guarantee,
So I can never doubt you!
Love me, Love me totally
really, really try dear.
but if you demand love, too,
I’ll hate you till I die, dear!
Love me, love me all the time,
Thoroughly and wholly!
Life turns into slushy slime
Less you love me solely!
Love me with great tenderness,
With no ifs or buts dear.
If you love me somewhat less,
I’ll hate your goddamned guts, dear!