Mindunderstandingitself

10/07/2019

Learn how to challenge maladaptive assumptions with George's example.

George has a problem of avoiding social situations, especially the ones where he "has to" meet new people.

At moments like these he starts thinking “I am losing control. They can tell that I'm nervous. They will think I'm a loser.”, and he believes:

"Being nervous about meeting new people means that something is wrong with me.”

Do you think we can help George?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques with examples for challenging and modifying maladaptive assumptions.

26/05/2019

"A man's most valuable trait is a judicious sense of what not to believe." Euripides

26/05/2019

In one of our previous posts, “Can We Control Our Thoughts?”, we examined if it is possible to stop or control our thoughts. Here, I give an example of how to challenge an automatic thought about controlling our thinking.

"I wish I could stop having these images in my mind." An example of how to challenge automatic thoughts about controlling our thinking.

18/05/2019

What is ruling your thoughts?
Maladaptive assumptions underlying automatic thoughts and how to identify them

Maladaptive assumptions underlying automatic negative thoughts in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and techniques for identifying them.

18/04/2019

Can we control our thoughts?

Insights from cognitive science and cognitive psychotherapies

Do you ever wish being able to control your thoughts? Do you ever find yourself wishing the noise in your head will stop for a moment?

01/04/2019

What is the left-brain interpreter? How can we deal with the storytelling brain using techniques?

"The left-brain interpreter is doing what it can using the information it already has. It doesn't care about looking around for more data spending any more time and energy. It doesn't care if its explanation is true.

If necessary, it will rewrite a story. If necessary, it will invent things, people, memories, thoughts, and even feelings. Simply to hold the story together. Simply to create a coherent sense of self. Simply to find an order in chaos, and feel secure finally."

The left-brain interpreter in psychology and psychopathology, and how to deal with storytelling human brain using cognitive psychotherapy techniques.

30/10/2018

It is OK to lose focus at times. Just RE-MIND yourself:

23/10/2018

Have you noticed?: When the mind is not busy focusing on an external problem, it wanders around!

"It is an unceasing movie playing in the head until the thinking is distrupted by a salient stimuli coming from the environment (Beep, beep, beep!). Movie stops! 'Forgot the pan on the stove!' "

This type of thinking that is not focused on an external stimuli, but rather attended on one’s internal world is called self-generated thought (also called stimulus-independent thought or internally directed thought).

In today’s article, I try to summarize the brain networks associated with this type of thinking, and the importance of self-generated thought regarding psychopathology and cognitive psychotherapies.

Brain networks associated with mind wandering, and the importance of self-generated thought regarding psychopathology and cognitive psychotherapies.

15/10/2018

Read our new article: "A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Session for Quitting Smoking"

"John asked for our help for quitting smoking, and it has been a few sessions that we have been working together with him on this issue.
In this session, we try to understand his need and desire to smoke when he is bored, and he is feeling uncomfortable."

A CBT session with a client who asked for our help for quitting smoking. We try to understand his desire to smoke when he feels bored, and uncomfortable.

20/09/2018

Researchers say we constantly create false memories to help us achieve the identity we want.

30/08/2018

Read our new article: "How to Make That Change in Your Life"

Seven steps to change. Prepared based on motivational interviewing techniques employed in cognitive behavioral therapy.

Seven simple steps to change. Prepared based on motivational interviewing techniques employed in cognitive behavioral therapy.

30/08/2018

"With nothing to compare yourself to, aren't you perfect!" Just the way you are.

30/08/2018

What if...

27/08/2018

One way to challenge a negative automatic thought is to look for the possible alternative explanations for the situation. In order to do this, you can ask yourself questions such as:
•Is there any possibility that there is another explanation to this situation?
•What or who else might have contributed to this situation?
•If I think about this situation 5 years from now, is it possible that I will evaluate it differently or I will be able to see it from a different perspective?
•If I wouldn’t be feeling so . . . right now, would I think differently?
•When I felt the same way before in the past, did I have a thought that changed how I felt?
•Have I ever been in a situation like this before? What happened then? What did I learn/ what do I remember from that situation that might help me now?
•Imagine someone else being in the same situation, and that she/he is not feeling the way you are feeling right now. What is that person thinking about the situation? If there was a speech baloon above his head, what would be written there?

If you’d like to read more about how to challenge negative automatic thinking, see our article how to challenge automatic thoughts at:

https://www.mindunderstandingitself.com/2018/07/01/challenge-automatic-thoughts/

26/08/2018

“I can’t offer advice; I can only offer experience.”

26/08/2018

You will need to remember.

21/08/2018

« Absorb what is useful, discard what is not, and add what is uniquely your own. » Bruce Lee

21/08/2018

« As you start to walk out on the way, the way appears. »