Cognitive Therapy in One

1. Cognitive Therapy in One Michael Free

2. Generation of Negative Emotion Stream of consciousness B: Lousy Ref Activating event eC: Anger b C: Boo Logical Errors Biased Thinking Black & White thinking Referees should…If not they are…

3. Logical Errors • Errors in making conclusions from sensory input. • Not errors in perception. • AKA ‘cognitive distortions’. • Misinterpretation or non-objective interpretation.

4. Kinds of Logical Errors • More Dire Than Justified MDTJ • Unjustified Negative Prediction UNP • Over Generalization OG • Black & White Thinking B&WT • Invalid Allocation Of Responsibility IAOR • Mind Reading MR • Biased Weighting BW • Ignoring Facts IF • False Absolute FA • Must Or Should MOS • Emotional Reasoning ER 

5. Questions to Identify Logical Errors • Am I making this out to be worse than it is? (MDTJ) • Am I making a prediction or generalization not justified by the facts? (UNP) • Have I allocated responsibility unfairly; what other factors or people might be involved? (IAR) • Am I mind reading, thinking I know what is in another person’s head? (MR) • Am I treating sources (e.g. different people) differently? (BW) • Are there facts I am not considering? (IF) • Am I using Black & White thinking, or False Absolutes? (B&WT, FA) • Is my should arbitrary, is there a natural law? (MOS) • Am I making a decision based purely on my emotional reaction? (ER)

6. Generation of Negative Emotion Stream of consciousness Automatic Thought B: Lousy Ref Activating event eC: Anger Logical Errors b C: Boo Biased Thinking Black & W thinking Referees should…If not they are…

7. Automatic Thoughts (1) • Are transient phenomena (like a spoken sentence). • Occur in the stream of consciousness. • They are short and specific. • They occur extremely rapidly, immediately after the event.

8. Automatic Thoughts (2) • They do not occur in sentences, but may consist of a few key words or images. • They do not arise from careful thought. • They do not occur in a logical series of steps such as in problem solving. • They seem to happen just by reflex.

9. Techniques for Capturing Automatic Thoughts • Replay the event in your mind/Imagine you are re-experiencing the event • Recreate the conditions of the event • Relax, allow your mind to wander and just notice what thoughts (including images) come into your mind.

10. Examples of Automatic Thoughts with Logical Errors

11. Examples of Appropriate Logic Activating event Appropriate Logic Appropriate Thought This referee is usually fair Referee awards penalty in dubious circumstance against your team Objective assessment- “Big picture thinking” Bike smash when you’re an Olympic hopeful Objective assessment This is a set back, but I still have my talent Your boss criticises you Relative Thinking It’s a minor matter Thinking about going to a party Appropriate Prediction I’ll probably enjoy myself

12. Logical Errors and Appropriate Logic

13. Questions to Challenge Logical Errors

14. Generation of Negative Emotion Stream of consciousness Automatic Thought B: Lousy Ref Activating event eC: Anger Logical Errors b C: Boo Biased Thinking Black & W thinking Referees should…If not they are… SCHEMA CONTENT

15. Schema Definition • Schemas are permanent entities stored some where in your brain. • They contain ‘Schema Content’ – long term reference material about things in the world in the form of: • Formal propositions. • Memories. • Associated emotions. • Action tendencies.

16. A Schema is like a box that contains the results of previous experiences as interpreted by the person • Propositional content • Memories • Associated emotions • Action tendencies The content of the schema can be positive or negative or a mixture.

17. Common Schema Topics/Content of Fundamental Schemas • The value of ourself • The nature of our life/the world • The state of our social life • The integrity/safety of ourselves • The value of others • Content can be • Present or Future • Conditional

18. The Negative Thinking Sequence Stream of consciousness (Includes awareness of sensation) Automatic Thoughts Activating event emotional Consequence behavioural Consequence (strategies) Logical Processes Schema

19. The Two Ways of Changing Your Surface Thinking • Changing the process using appropriate logic. • Changing the content of the belief or automatic thought.

20. Change Change Logical Logical Errors to Errors to Appropriate Appropriate Positive ATs Logic Logic Reduced negative emotion Accurate Belief Different behaviour Good Logic Countering by Changing Logic Stream of consciousness (Includes awareness of sensation Automatic Thoughts Activating Emotional event Consequence Behaviour (strategies) Logical Processes Schema

21. Logical Errors and Appropriate Logic

22. Change the belief by countering Positive ATs Reduced negative emotion Accurate Belief Different behaviour Countering by Changing Beliefs or Propositions Stream of consciousness (Includes awareness of sensation Automatic Thoughts Activating Emotional event Consequence Behaviour (strategies) Schema

23. Countering Definition • A counter is an alternate proposition to a Negative Thought, irrational belief or false proposition. • Countering includes such activities as using appropriate logic, arguing with yourself logically and behaving in a way contrary to the false proposition.

24. The Rules of Countering • A Counter is directly opposite to the false belief, preferably stated positively and with intensity. • A Counter is based on appropriate logic . • A Counter is a believable statement of reality. • A Counter is your own. • A Counter is concise

25. Group Group Devising Counters Worksheet Cognitive Cognitive Therapy Therapy Automatic Thought – Appropriate Logic Evidence Counter Belief Types of Appropriate Logic Devising Counters Example I’ll never get my book done I mostly meet dead lines Appropriate Probability I’ll probably get my book done I'm half way through & I have six months to go I'm getting one day/week to work on it • Valid allocation of responsibility • Even-handed weighting • Objective Assessment • Accurate description • Statement of desire • Description of ALL the information • Description of the evidence • Appropriate probability • ‘Shades of Grey’ thinking • Analysis of Pros and Cons

26. Sentence Stems for Process Counters • Logical Error • More dire than justified: • Unjustified negative prediction/ • Overgeneralisation • Invalid allocation of responsibility • Mindreading • Biased weighting • Ignoring Facts • Black & White thinking/False Absolutes • Arbitrary Thinking (Shoulds) • Emotional Reasoning • Sentence Stem • The facts are… • The highest probability outcome is…. • The specific information is… • Appropriate apportionment of responsibility is… • I don’t know what x is thinking • This source indicates…that indicates… • An objective observer would describe the situation… • The relative or shades of grey position is… • My preference/desire is… • The pros and cons are…

27. Group Group Process Perceptual Shift Worksheet Cognitive Cognitive Therapy Therapy Appropriate Counter E Automatic Thought–Belief vidence Logic Process Perceptual Shift Example I’ll never get my book done I’ll probably get my book done *I mostly meet deadlines AP *I'm half way through & I have six months to go *I'm getting one day/week to work on it

28. On one side write the irrational belief: I am worthless And on the other write the counter and the evidence: I am worthwhile Evidence My religion teaches that all people are worthwhile My society considers even quite impaired people to be worth while Countering Using Index Cards