--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is no 'ultimate goal of therapy.'…" description: "\"There is no 'ultimate goal of therapy.' Thinking there is some ultimate or universal goal of therapy is one of the most fundamental errors of our field..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/david-d-burns-4607_arrogant_there-is-no-ultimate-goal-of-therapy-thi_2192152.png" --- # There is no 'ultimate goal of therapy.' Thinking there is… ![“There is no 'ultimate goal of therapy.' Thinking there is some ultimate or universal goal of therapy is one of the most fundamental errors of our field. To me, that concept is rather arrogant, as if therapists were some kind of spiritual experts who knew what human beings are supposed to be like.” quote by David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/david-d-burns-4607_arrogant_there-is-no-ultimate-goal-of-therapy-thi_2192152.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/david-d-burns-4607_arrogant_there-is-no-ultimate-goal-of-therapy-thi_2192152.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/david-d-burns-4607_arrogant_there-is-no-ultimate-goal-of-therapy-thi_2192152.png) > “There is no 'ultimate goal of therapy.' Thinking there is some ultimate or universal goal of therapy is one of the most fundamental errors of our field. To me, that concept is rather arrogant, as if therapists were some kind of spiritual experts who knew what human beings are supposed to be like.” [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Therapy should focus on individual client needs rather than a single, universal endpoint, avoiding the arrogance of assuming a one‑size‑fits‑all outcome. **In simple terms:** Therapy lacks a single ultimate goal. Key Takeaway Tailor therapy to each person. Themes therapy individualization humility Mood reflective thoughtful Type clinical philosophical When to use this quote - counseling sessions - mental health treatment plans - client intake assessments Key Concepts person‑centered care clinical ethics goal setting Questions to Reflect On - How can therapists identify each client’s unique goals? - What risks arise from imposing a single therapeutic endpoint? A Different Perspective Assuming a universal goal may overlook cultural and personal differences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arrogant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogant/) [Beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beings/) [Concept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concept/) [Errors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/errors/) [Experts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experts/) [Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/field/) [Fundamental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamental/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goal Therapy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal-therapy-2885219/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Mental health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-health/) [Most](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/most/) [Our](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our/) [Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rather/) [Some](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/some/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Supposed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supposed/) [Therapist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therapist/) [Therapists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therapists/) [Therapy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therapy/) [Therapy Fundamental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therapy-fundamental-4778969/) [Therapy Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therapy-thinking-4778968/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Ultimate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ultimate/) [Ultimate goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ultimate-goal/) [Universal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universal/) [Universal Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universal-goal-2217637/) [Were](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/were/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) ## Related quotes > [As a Naval officer, I've been all over the world, and one of the foundational lessons I learned was that parents everywhere would like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mullen/as-a-naval-officer-i-ve-been-all-over-the-world-and-one-of-the/) [Michael Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mullen/) > [“People seem to be doing different things, but in reality they do the same thing: They just rush about without having any outstanding universal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/people-seem-to-be-doing-different-things-but-in-reality-they-do-the/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [The ultimate goal of therapy... it's too hard a question. The words come to me like tranquility, like fulfillment, like realizing your potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/the-ultimate-goal-of-therapy-it-s-too-hard-a-question-the-words-come/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [“Helder said the goal of therapy was to make a container to hold all the disparate selves. I was going to need a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-sellers/helder-said-the-goal-of-therapy-was-to-make-a-container-to-hold-all/) [Heather Sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-sellers/) > [“Knowing someone is the first goal of therapy. Modulating emotionality - whether by relatedness or psychopharmacology or both - is second. Therapy's last and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-lewis/knowing-someone-is-the-first-goal-of-therapy-modulating-emotionality/) [Thomas Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-lewis/) > [Learning to accept failure on multiple levels is, to my way of thinking, the key to become a world-class therapist. But that means humility,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/learning-to-accept-failure-on-multiple-levels-is-to-my-way-of/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Most therapists do not appear to know how to pinpoint and reverse therapeutic resistance - to head it off at the pass. Instead, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/most-therapists-do-not-appear-to-know-how-to-pinpoint-and-reverse/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Both the five-year-olds looked at me with bewilderment and a bit of fearful uncertainty. I had a sudden horrifying image of the woman I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/both-the-five-year-olds-looked-at-me-with-bewilderment-and-a-bit-of/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“Dogs know we need to give affection as much as they need to receive it. They were the first therapists; they've been in practice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/dogs-know-we-need-to-give-affection-as-much-as-they-need-to-receive/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [My therapist told me I need to learn to love myself. It sounds easy enough, but really, how do you just wake up one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-klein/my-therapist-told-me-i-need-to-learn-to-love-myself-it-sounds-easy/) [Stephanie Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-klein/) > [“These unwanted performance pressures are generated when new therapists frame what they don’t know or can’t do yet as a “deficit” or as evidence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teyber/these-unwanted-performance-pressures-are-generated-when-new/) [Edward Teyber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teyber/) > [“Now here's Amy Pond, standing in the freezing ocean, holding the body of her imaginary friend, and shouting at the sea to make him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-goss/now-here-s-amy-pond-standing-in-the-freezing-ocean-holding-the-body/) [James Goss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-goss/) > [If you're angry, you don't have to write a poem dealing with the cause of your anger. But it needs to be an angry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/if-you-re-angry-you-don-t-have-to-write-a-poem-dealing-with-the-cause/) [Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/) > [To be tested is good. The challenged life may be the best therapist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-sheehy/to-be-tested-is-good-the-challenged-life-may-be-the-best-therapist/) [Gail Sheehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-sheehy/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) ## More by David D. Burns > [A poor self-image is the magnifying glass that can transform a trivial mistake or an imperfection into an overwhelming symbol of personal defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/a-poor-self-image-is-the-magnifying-glass-that-can-transform-a/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Most people do surprisingly poorly when dealing with a relative who is hurting, depressed, or anxious - we get defensive and try to solve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/most-people-do-surprisingly-poorly-when-dealing-with-a-relative-who/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [The first principle of cognitive therapy is that all your moods are created by your 'cognitions,' or thoughts. A cognition refers to the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/the-first-principle-of-cognitive-therapy-is-that-all-your-moods-are/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“In one sense, depression can feel even worse than cancer, because most cancer patients feel hope as well as self-esteem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/in-one-sense-depression-can-feel-even-worse-than-cancer-because-most/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [More often than not, the belief that you are bad contributes to the "bad" behavior. Change and learning occur most readily when you (a)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/more-often-than-not-the-belief-that-you-are-bad-contributes-to-the/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Guilt is not the best way to remedy your mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/guilt-is-not-the-best-way-to-remedy-your-mistakes/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [I had the fear of heights when I was young, along with many other fears and phobias, including the fear of dogs, bees, horses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/i-had-the-fear-of-heights-when-i-was-young-along-with-many-other/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“The attitude that depression is necessary strikes me as destructive, inhuman, and victimizing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/the-attitude-that-depression-is-necessary-strikes-me-as-destructive/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“know about the brain's hardware and software. How does the firing of a nerve or a series of nerves get translated into a thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/know-about-the-brain-s-hardware-and-software-how-does-the-firing-of-a/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“There was nothing dreadfully wrong with me, I was just upsetting myself with my irrational thinking. I just couldn't admit it until I knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/there-was-nothing-dreadfully-wrong-with-me-i-was-just-upsetting/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/aim-for-success-not-perfection-never-give-up-your-right-to-be-wrong/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“And most important, nobody could love or relate to you. It would be impossible to feel any love for someone who was flawless and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/and-most-important-nobody-could-love-or-relate-to-you-it-would-be/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Negative thinking patterns can be immensely deceptive and persuasive, and change is rarely easy. But with patience and persistence, I believe that nearly all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/negative-thinking-patterns-can-be-immensely-deceptive-and-persuasive/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“Many research studies, as well as my own clinical experience, have confirmed that severely depressed patients who appear very "biologically" depressed with lots of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/many-research-studies-as-well-as-my-own-clinical-experience-have/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Assert your right to make a few mistakes. If people can't accept your imperfections, that's their fault.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/assert-your-right-to-make-a-few-mistakes-if-people-can-t-accept-your/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) [Explore all 108 David D. Burns quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) ## More Arrogant quotes > [How arrogant - how very far from humility - would be the self-satisfied, smug assurance that God, a tidy-up-after-us God will come and clean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/how-arrogant-how-very-far-from-humility-would-be-the-self-satisfied/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [ \[T\]he tax code has been piling up, year after year, a symbol of everything gone wrong in America, of arrogant rulers and lost freedom,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-armey/t-he-tax-code-has-been-piling-up-year-after-year-a-symbol-of/) [Dick Armey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-armey/) > [What I would say to filmmakers, if I may be so bold or so arrogant, is to draw inspiration from other filmmakers, but go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/what-i-would-say-to-filmmakers-if-i-may-be-so-bold-or-so-arrogant-is/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [In politics we face the choice between warmongering, nation-state loving, big-business agents on one hand; and risk-blind, top-down, epistemic arrogant big servants of large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/in-politics-we-face-the-choice-between-warmongering-nation-state/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [I absolutely hate arrogant people, irks me to no end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-absolutely-hate-arrogant-people-irks-me-to-no-end/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Splutter, splutter. Yes - we're off - we're rising. But why start off with an engine like that? But it smooths out now, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/splutter-splutter-yes-we-re-off-we-re-rising-but-why-start-off-with/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [Mourinho is a bit arrogant, but you've got to like him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nicol/mourinho-is-a-bit-arrogant-but-you-ve-got-to-like-him/) [Steve Nicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nicol/) > [Some say work smarter, not harder, but the wisest are both. Whether you're more of a hard worker or a smart worker, if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colby-tatem/some-say-work-smarter-not-harder-but-the-wisest-are-both-whether-you/) [Colby Tatem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colby-tatem/) > [I was spoiled and I was arrogant. I was very demanding, had an overblown image of who I was and got a reputation for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judge-reinhold/i-was-spoiled-and-i-was-arrogant-i-was-very-demanding-had-an/) [Judge Reinhold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judge-reinhold/) > [We are not being arrogant or complacent when we are said that our country, as a united nation, has never in its entire history,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/we-are-not-being-arrogant-or-complacent-when-we-are-said-that-our/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [“So you intend to go through life never loving anyone? Just … things?” “No. I’m looking for something more.” “More than love?” “Yes.” “Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-ahdieh/so-you-intend-to-go-through-life-never-loving-anyone-just-things-no-i/) [Renee Ahdieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-ahdieh/) > [People are tired of wasteful government programs and welfare chiselers, and they are angry about the constant spiral of taxes and government regulations, arrogant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/people-are-tired-of-wasteful-government-programs-and-welfare/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“He was a man. Handsome as sin, arrogant as fuck, and in need of at least one woman to prove he wasn’t God’s gift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-blue/he-was-a-man-handsome-as-sin-arrogant-as-fuck-and-in-need-of-at-least/) [Melissa Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-blue/) > [Being nice to people gets you nowhere. Being arrogant gets you nowhere. Blackmail, now that's a thing that will get you everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-to-people-gets-you-nowhere-being-arrogant-gets-you-nowhere/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's amusing how arrogant people can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-amusing-how-arrogant-people-can-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 1,146 Arrogant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogant/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is no 'ultimate goal of therapy.' Thinking there is some ultimate or universal goal of therapy is one of the most fundamental errors of our field. To me, that concept is rather arrogant, as if therapists were some kind of spiritual experts who knew what human beings are supposed to be like.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David D. 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