CognitiveRestructuring

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Presented By: Bush Jason Melissa

Cognitive Restructuring

A coping technique; substituting negative, self-defeating thoughts with positive, affirming thoughts that change perceptions of stressors from threatening to non threatening.

Term coined by Meichenbaum in 1975

Cognitive Restructuring Cont.

Involves assuming responsibility, facing the reality of a situation, and taking the offensive to resolve the issues causing stress.

Why use Cognitive Restructuring?

Allows you to widen perspective Decreases the intensity of

perceived stress Helps change negative self-

defeating attitude to a positive one

Albert Ellis

Rational Emotive Therapy (RET) Stress-related behaviors initiated by perceptions

Believed these perceptions could be changed

People can be educated to favorably alter negative or stress-related perceptions into positive attitudes

Information-Processing Model

A model that reveals how we potentially perceive sensory information, for better or worse. (Add in scanned picture)

The information-processing model

Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) Richard Bandler & John Grinder A program designed to look at how

our thoughts control our language and how our language influences our behavior.

By encouraging reprogramming & eliminating negative vernacular words, phrases, & thoughts that reinforce stress-prone behaviors.

Repeated negative thought processing that tends to pollute our view of our lives and ourselves.

Toxic Thoughts

Thought Stopping

A coping technique where one consciously stops the run of negative thoughts going through one’s head.

When you catch yourself thinking negatively, you interrupt the flow of consciousness and say to yourself “stop this thought”

Thought Stopping Worksheet

Self-talk

The perpetual conversation heard in the mind, usually negative and coming from the critical (ego), which rarely has anything good to say.

Types of Negative Self-Talk Pessimism (Looking at the worst of every

situation) Catastrophizing (Making the worst of every

situation) Blaming (Shifting responsibility from yourself) Perfectionism (Imposing above-human

standards on oneself) Polarized thinking (Views are always extreme,

extremely good or extremely bad) Should-ing (Things you should have done) Magnifying (blowing things out of proportion)

Using Self-Talk Efficiently Recall Journal 17 (positive affirmations) Phrase in the present tense Phrase in a positive way Make simple, clear, and precise Choose one that feels right for youEX.I radiate successI am a beautiful human beingI am calm and relaxed

Self-Talk Worksheet

Assessing the Effectiveness of Self-Talk Interventions on Endurance Performance

Authors: Ryan Hamilton, David Scott, & Michael MacDougall

3 different self-talk interventions were used on 9 endurance cyclists

Cyclists were told to cycle as far as they could for 20 min, 2x week for 5 weeks

Results Self-regulated positive self-talk: cyclists read

statements, “My legs are strong”, “I can maintain this pace” (performance increased)

Assisted positive self-talk: cyclists listened to audiotapes with positive statements (highest performance increase)

Assisted negative self-talk: cyclists listened to audiotapes with negative statements, “My legs are weak”, ”I can’t maintain this pace” (2 out of 3 improved performance)

Awareness Reappraisal of the situation Adoption and Substitution Evaluation

Steps to Initiate CognitiveRestructuring

Tips & Suggestions

Initiate a relaxation technique to calm your mind

Take responsibility for your own thoughts

Fine-tune expectations Give yourself positive affirmations Accentuate the positive

Healthy Thoughts to Reduce Stress Nobody’s perfect, not even me Gray is sometimes the best color The swoosh principle: Just do it I will survive, whether you like me or

not Only Zebras cannot change their stripes

http://www.k-state.edu/paccats/Contents/Stress/Cognitive%20Restructuring.pdf