Michael just handed his boss a paper, Jan. She read it, she thanks him for his work, and she criticizes a few things.
Sadly, one of these remarks “touched Michael’s raw nerve,” and he felt upset and angry back to his office.
Michael realizes he has to resolve it to stop his depressive mood. He takes a few deep breaths and describes why Jan felt harassed. She then recalls that she was impressed by the overall quality of his work and wants to see him grow and through. He was always pleased to work on the project, and he knows profoundly that he did a good job. After a few minutes of reframing, Michael doesn’t feel angry anymore. He calls on Jan to excuse himself for his actions and then uses his feedback to improve his research.
Michael used cognitive therapy in this situation to combat pessimistic, reactive thought.
What Is Cognitive Restructuring?
Cognitive therapy is a valuable way of recognizing negative thoughts and moods, and to question the often faulty “automatic convictions” behind them. As such, you can use it to recreate the needless negative thinking that we all encounter sometimes.
Unpleasant moods can may the consistency of your performance and damage your relationships with other people. Cognitive therapy lets you shift the negative or skewed perception behind these moods. As such, it allows you to handle problems more optimistically.
Throughout the mid-50s, psychologist Albert Ellis introduced cognitive therapy based on previous research by others, and it is a central component of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). You may use CBT to monitor and alter negative thoughts, often connected to harmful behavior.
Applications
Cognitive therapy was used to treat various disorders effectively, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), addiction, anxiety, social phobias, relationship problems, and stress.
For instance, in a 2007 research study, cognitive adjustment benefited patients who experienced severe problems, and in a 2003 study, the symptoms and effects of PTSD were decreased.
Such uses go outside the reach of this article, and if you have these issues, you can consult a professional medical practitioner. Nonetheless, you can use the technique to reframe less intense negative feelings every day.
For example, you can use it before you talk publicly to combat negative thoughts, or boost your attitude when you have a wrong day. You may also use it for constructive thought before going to a performance meeting or work interview or before engaging in a tough discussion. This is also important to combat self-sabotage and to resolve the fear of failure and fear of success.
