Personally I am surprised at all of the negative feelings toward CBT. My T is a trauma specialist who uses CBT, DBT and EMDR among other things. Maybe he is doing CBT totally wrong but I have always felt 100% in control during CBT. First, he would never start a reframe session on something unless I agree that my thoughts about a subject are not helpful.

Once we both agree that my automatic thoughts are not helpful, he will ask me what emotions my thoughts bring out. (These are never good feelings)

We will then discuss what cognitive distortions are causing my reactions.

Finally, he will ask me for reframe ideas on the issue. Usually I am clueless and he will proceed to give me multiple reframe options. He is always careful to ask me if any of these seem helpful. He emphasizes that I should only attempt to work on reframes that seem remotely true to me. He says if they do not feel true, I may have a yeah but, response and to write that down and we can address it.

The most important thing is that I am always in control. If I can provide rebuttals as to why my thoughts are helpful we do not proceed. If it is not disturbing to me, we do not proceed. If the reframes are not believable I am told not to practice them because they will not work.

If this is the way CBT works, I don't see how it is manipulative or degrading.

I may be off base here but it sounds like your thoughts regarding you living situation and career (although they may be true in your opinion) are having negative consequences. It sounds like you are feeling inferior and possibly ashamed. You are not wanting to participate due to these feelings. It just may be helpful to consider other ways of looking at the situation and allow yourself to feel better about yourself.

I know this is not the popular opinion here but it is my experience.