[awediot]

YES! I catch myself doing this. Sometimes for the reason stated. I get set in my ways, know they are unhealthy, and seek the illusion of help to fool everyone,"at least I'm trying..." (whew, first step)

BUT, Many times there is alot of 'buts', and I may honestly be seeking a solution and take others suggestions to heart, but (I cant write that straight faced now btw) if I see a flaw in said suggestion, thus 'but', I am merely expressing why and how it may not work for me, and/or pointing it out to see how you may gotten around it. It is not being contrary for its own sake...(remember I'm the guy who found fault with the golden rule...)

It is harder for the therapist to find a seamless solution (is there such a
thing?) which invokes a genuine "YES! Yes, very true... " Then the lovely silence of Truth soaking in, than to raise this "game" as an accusation, which can just confound a patient into a wordless withdrawl, or meaningless agreements just to get you to leave them alone. (If I agree with you will you shut up?...on of my oldest buttons) This is especially true with a very intelligent patient who's "buts" are well thought out, trigger a "never thought of it that way" doubt in the suggesters mind, much less the therapists, and pull the whole process back wards unexpectedly, out of the therapist's control.

Ideally, all 'buts' have been accounted for and any suggestion basically corners the mind with admitting of Truth left as the only way out. There is not always a but possible, but we can alway look