Addressing the Building Blocks in Therapy
During therapy, it's essential to address these 3 building blocks using distinct therapeutic tools and with a level of discernment and purposefulness. Addressing each area requires a thoughtful and tailored approach. Below are the specific tools and techniques that I recommend for addressing each of these areas:
Thoughts: To modify thoughts effectively, we employ cognitive reappraisal. In my practice, I like to combine traditional cognitive reappraisal techniques with imagery work.
Emotions: When working with emotions, body-oriented therapies have shown great promise. Specifically, I find that emotion or interoceptive exposure are ground breaking techniques that deserve a lot of attention in the clinical field.
Awareness: Using mindfulness strategies, including present-moment focus, can assist us in cultivating awareness. I often find that as thoughts and emotions become better managed, mindful awareness naturally increases. At other times, I need to purposefully incorporate mindfulness strategies in the therapeutic process.
In the following slides, we will explore each of these strategies in more detail, discussing their benefits and practical applications.