Session 4 introduces a second metacognitive regulation skill, that we call reframing, which can be helpful in overcoming motivational conflicts that are associated with more elaborative processes. Recall that we regard the metacognitive skills as compared to the attention regulation skills you learned at the outset of ERT, as comparatively more elaborative – they rely on language and words more so than attention regulation skills to process situations that arise in daily life.
Last week, we introduced the first metacognitive skill, called distancing, which can help you gain perspective and healthy distance to better handle our emotional reactions. However, there will be moments when healthy distance might not be enough, and we still struggle to recognize the motivational message our emotions are conveying. In this case, the second metacognitive regulation skill, reframing, may be helpful.
Reframing refers to the deliberate ability to think differently about an emotional situation from a different perspective so that we can alter its emotional impact. Reframing can serve as an antidote to reactive responses like worry, rumination, and self-criticism. This skill increases our ability to reconsider our original interpretation of emotional events, which promotes flexibility in our behaviors and allows for more effective—rather than habitual—reactions.
In the face of uncertainty, when our motivations indicate a security-first approach, or when we are in the midst of those catastrophic elaborative reactive responses, such as worry, rumination, and self-criticism, it is important to remind ourselves of our own strength and “soften” the fearful and self-critical thoughts that pop up in our minds. The specific reframing practice you were taught invites you to take a courageous and compassionate perspective as a way of responding to- or “speaking back” to the distressing moments in your life.
For example, a courageous perspective might indicate, “I can take this action!” “I am capable of getting through this moment!” To gain a compassionate perspective, imagine how comforted a loved one felt when you offered them encouragement and kindness during a moment when they felt demoralized or when a friend or loved one offered you similar reminders of your capabilities with strength, kindness, and understanding tone when you were feeling deflated and defeated.
This week, your therapist introduced a reframing mindfulness exercise that invites you to adopt a courageous and self-compassionate perspective in situations when you notice feeling intensely scared, self-critical, or otherwise judgmental of yourself. Remember, the goal of reframing is to notice and soften the harshness of these fearful and self-critical thoughts when they arise by invoking alternative, self-validating statements. As you practice your off-line reframing exercises this week, you are encouraged to adopt a courageous perspective to address security-driven elaborated catastrophic responses, such as worry, and provide alternative statements that reflect your strength in the face of uncertainty. You are also encouraged to adopt a self-compassionate reframing stance, by imagining telling a caring individual about your difficult thoughts and feelings to remind yourself of your strength and ability to cope.
For example, a courageous perspective might indicate, “I can take this action!” “I am capable of getting through this moment!” To gain a compassionate perspective, imagine how comforted a loved one felt when you offered them encouragement and kindness during a moment when they felt demoralized or when a friend or loved one offered you similar reminders of your capabilities with strength, kindness, and understanding tone when you were feeling deflated and defeated.
This week, your therapist introduced a reframing mindfulness exercise that invites you to adopt a courageous and self-compassionate perspective in situations when you notice feeling intensely scared, self-critical, or otherwise judgmental of yourself. Remember, the goal of reframing is to notice and soften the harshness of these fearful and self-critical thoughts when they arise by invoking alternative, self-validating statements. As you practice your off-line reframing exercises this week, you are encouraged to adopt a courageous perspective to address security-driven elaborated catastrophic responses, such as worry, and provide alternative statements that reflect your strength in the face of uncertainty. You are also encouraged to adopt a self-compassionate reframing stance, by imagining telling a caring individual about your difficult thoughts and feelings to remind yourself of your strength and ability to cope.