Catching Your Negative Thinking Traps with Kelowna Counsellor Barb Egan and Third Space Life Charity

https://youtu.be/EmXJbrSh9Wg

Negative thoughts themselves aren’t the problem—it’s the power we give them.

Negative self-talk or thinking impacts us all from time to time. It also fuels issues like anxiety, depression, relational issues, trauma, performance issues, and stress. The good news? If we can change the way we think, then we can change the way we feel, and change the way we live. This is the premise of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT); the gold-standard of most therapy treatments.

During this time of heightened anxiety, overwhelm, and isolation, we can be more susceptible to these common thinking traps. By becoming familiar with these, be encouraged that you are not alone. It can also be encouraging—and empowering— when we can realize when we are thinking these common thinking traps below, and call them out for what they are (a thought) versus what they are not ( true).

Just because we think something does not make it to be 100% true.

Knowing that it can be a thinking trap style thought, we can catch it and overcome it so that it does not overcome us. 

Practical Steps:

  • Identifying the Situation, your Thoughts, and your Feelings. See example used in the talk, or contact me.
  • Then ask yourself what thinking traps are getting me stuck? See examples below.
  • Once we identify these traps, we can catch them and add a more balanced perspective with our words. How we talk to ourselves matters.
  • For example lessening Extreme words such as should to could. Or
  • “ I am no good at this.” to “I’m working on improving this.”
  • Identifying these traps helps us when they pop in our heads for future times so we don’t get weighed down by them automatically or believe them as readily
  • Free Resource for changing your negative self-talk and working through anxiety, stress, and depression: Sanvello (app)

See examples of common Thinking Traps below:

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