Suppression of continuity-benevolence assumptions (CBA) voices: A theoretical note on the psychology and psychotherapy of depression

The previously reported case of Lisa, who received process-experiential the rapy for depression, was interpreted in light of the voices formulation of the assimilation model. Voices that represent continuity and benevolence as sumptions (e.g., the world is good; life is worthwhile; I am a valuable per son) are called continuity-benevolence assumptions (CBA) voices. When Lisa' s CBA voices encountered experiences of mistreatment by her husband and par ents, she became angry, bur her anger was opposed by her rigid conviction t hat "we're all supposed to forgive." According to the proposed interpretati on, her CBA voices were suppressed, which reduced the anger but left her de pressed (feeling the world is not good; life is not worthwhile; I am not va luable). In therapy, a new meaning bridge was built between Lisa's values a nd her CBA voices (forgiveness is important, but anger if sometimes appropr iate), allowing her to experience the anger without becoming depressed. Sim ilar patterns may occur in other cases of depression.