The example was very simple but basically it was correct. The difference is, in CBT it is a lot deeper, there is more going on. You will work on discovering whe

The example was very simple but basically it was correct. The difference is, in CBT it is a lot deeper, there is more going on. You will work on discovering where certain thought patterns come from, what triggers them and that alone can be very helpful. And then you will work on changing these patterns. It is not so much someone "slim" berating a fat person; therapists actually don't tell you what to do or think and they never judge you. In CBT they interact with you a little more than in psychoanalysis but you never get told "that's just because you are lazy!"... but you would discover e.g. you are (ab)using food as an escape mechanism to counter fear, anxiety or depression. By knowing that, you already have your finger on a harmful behavior you might not have understood before and then you can do something against it. But it all comes 80-90% from you, the patient. The therapist helps you understand what's going on, they can frame or re-frame situations for you, give you a different insight or share stories of other patients in similar situations. Often, the real problems are things, thought patterns which have been with you your whole life and typically were established when you were a child; you aren't even aware of them, they have always felt and come natural to you. You just end up feeling bad, afraid or depressed but all the behavior and patterns ultimately leading to that feel normal and "right", natural. And at the very least, the fact you are talking about your problems and there is someone who actively listens can be beneficial. Also, no, this is NOT something "a friend would just do for you", no matter how much it might seem like that at first. I made the mistake to listen, to show empathy to a severely depressed and suicidal friend and it caused a chain-reaction in my own mind to the point where I now firmly and consciously tell myself that I will never ever do that again for anyone. Not because empathy for friends was wrong in any way but because in a very selfish, very self-preserving way I do not want to bleed energy and thoughts into a black hole and when people who are so close to the edge ever open up then that's what they are... they cannot help it. But you best let an expert deal with it, it will be much better for you and the person suffering. I know this sounds terrible and cold but I think it is for the best for everyone involved. Be there for the one suffering but don't attempt to be an armchair-therapist to them, don't become their dump for all their negative emotions and problems. It WILL overwhelm you and will show you a side of life and the human mind that you cannot un-see.