Importance of Thoughts v's Objective Reality In CBT
A Client recently asked me "so this CBT therapy then, is it just about discounting the negatives and thinking Positive"
Well if only life was as simple as just thinking positivity about the things that happen to and around us we would all be sorted, and fine.
So NO is the answer to the Question, CBT therapy is not about discounting anything or simply thinking positive.
Rather it is about Identifying Those Automatic negative Thoughts and testing them against Objective Reality.
Fact v's Thoughts, Our feelings result from the beliefs and thoughts we attach to situations we experience. Our Inferences and perceptions, and as we know these are subjective.
EXAMPLE: Three people who all witness a road traffic accident will all give a different account of what they saw. Whilst there will be an overall similarity to the event the specific details will differ and won't match up.
This is because once seen the event begins to be changed as the witness applies his/her own inferences and perceptions.
This demonstrates the need to be aware of our own Automatic Thought Patterns so we can identify the negative and check them against objective reality, hopefully creating a better balance between ourselves and our world around us.
So to summaries then it is important within CBT therapy not to discount any thought or feeling rather to face check out and challenge them.