Therapist's Guide to Clinical Intervention - Sigmund Freud

Steps to Successful
Refraining
For example:
THINKING DISTORTIONS
if labeled stubborn independent or persistent
greediness ambitious
anger loving concern
When a behavior is labeled negatively ask the following questions:
1. Identify a situation which typically produces uncomfortable or distressing
feelings.
2. Try to become aware of what you automatically focus on during the situation.
3. What are you feeling and thinking?
To challenge the long-term negative labeling ask the following questions:
1. Is there a larger or different context in which this behavior has positive value?
2. What else could this behavior mean?
3. How else could this situation be described?
1. To understand and accept an individual's belief that perceptions about a
problem situation can cause emotional distress.
2. To become aware of what is automatically attended to or focused on in problem
situations. You can use imagery or role paying to reenact situations to become
more aware of what thoughts and feelings are present. When you identify your
perceptions and feelings you will be able to be prepared for the next step.
3. Identification of alternative perceptions. Generally this means to attend to other
features of the situation that have a positive or neutral connotation. The
reframe must fit, be acceptable to the individual, and at least as valid as the
perception they are reframing.
4. Modifying the perceptions in a problem situation are designed to break the old
patterns by creating new and more effective reframes. This requires
commitment and practice.
5. Homework using real-life situations and recording it in your journal will
reinforce desired change(s). The experience, perception with associated
thoughts, feelings, and responses, and the chosen reframe (it may be helpful to
list several possible alternative reframes).
1. All-or-Nothing Thinking. You see things in black and white categories.
If your performance falls short of perfect, you see yourself as a total
failure.
2/8 3. Skill-Building Resources for Increasing Social Competency