Here are some examples of Cognitive BehavioralTherapy techniques on how To Untwist Your Thinking*. These and otherproven strategies can help you to become FAT (Flexible, Adaptive andTolerant) and get control of your emotions, actions, and moods.
1. Identify the
Distortions.
- Use the Distorted Thinking
chart and write down the distortions in each Negative
Thought.
2. The Straightforward
Approach
- Substitute a more positive and
realistic thought.
3. The Cost-Benefit
Analysis -
List the advantages and
disadvantages of a negative feeling, thought, belief, or
behavior.
4. Examine the
Evidence -
Instead of assuming that a
Negative Thought is true, examine the actual evidence for it.
5. The Survey Method -
Do a survey to find out if your
thoughts and attitudes are realistic.
6. The Experimental
Method -
Do an experiment to test the
accuracy of your Negative Thought.
7. The Double-Standard
Technique -
Talk to yourself in the same
compassionate way you might talk to a dear friend who was
upset.
8. The Pleasure-Predicting
Method -
Predict how satisfying
activities will be, from 0% to 100%. Record how satisfying they turn out
to be.
9. The Vertical Arrow
Technique -
Draw a vertical arrow under
your Negative Thought and ask why it would be upsetting if it was
true.
10. Thinking in Shades of
Gray -
Instead of thinking about your
problems in black-and-white categories, evaluate things in shades of
gray.
11. Define Terms -
When you label yourself as
"inferior" or "a loser," ask yourself what you mean by these
labels.
12. Be Specific -
Stick with reality and avoid
judgments about reality.
13. The Semantic
Method -
Substitute language that is
less emotionally loaded for "should" statements and labeling.
14. Re attribution - Instead of blaming yourself for
a problem, think about all the factors that may have contributed to
it.
15. The Acceptance
Paradox -
Instead of defending yourself
against your own self-criticisms, find truth in them and accept
them.
