In therapy, it’s common to explore how strongly we feel about something and how deeply we believe certain thoughts. Think of it like this: when something happens, we might feel a range of emotions—like sadness, anxiety, or even happiness. But these feelings can vary in intensity. For example, sadness isn’t just one feeling; it can be slight, moderate, very strong, or even overwhelming.
When we face a breakup or any challenging situation, it’s essential to recognize these varying degrees of emotion. It’s not just about feeling sad or not; it’s about understanding how deeply we feel that sadness—whether it’s a little bit or a lot.
Similarly, our beliefs about situations can vary in strength. For instance, if you believe something strongly, it might affect how you see the situation. But sometimes, our beliefs can change, becoming less certain over time.
How to Rate Your Feelings and Thoughts
Exploring Your Emotions
Imagine your feelings on a scale from 0% to 100%. At 0%, you have no trace of that feeling, and at 100%, it’s the most intense feeling you could imagine. For example, if you recently went through a breakup and think about it, where would you place your sadness on this scale? Maybe it’s around 90%—very intense but still manageable.
Understanding Your Beliefs
Now, think about your beliefs. If you have a thought like “I can never be happy without them,” how strongly do you believe this? Rate it on the same scale—0% if you don’t believe it at all, and 100% if you’re sure it’s true. Maybe you rate it at 90%, meaning you strongly believe it most of the time.
Example: How to Apply This
In Your Own Words
If you recently broke up with someone, you might feel overwhelmingly sad. Try to quantify this sadness—maybe it’s 90% on the scale. And then there’s the thought that you can’t be happy without them. How much do you believe that thought? Rate it honestly—maybe it’s also around 90%.
Why This Matters
By breaking down your emotions and beliefs like this, you can see how they change over time. Maybe you felt 100% sad last week, but today it’s 90%. That slight change could indicate progress, showing that you’re beginning to cope better.
How Psychotherapy Can Help
Insights and Support
Psychotherapy provides a safe space to explore these emotions and beliefs. A therapist can guide you through these scales, helping you pinpoint exactly how you feel and how strongly you believe certain thoughts. This process of self-awareness can be empowering, as it allows you to understand yourself better and make informed decisions about your emotions.
Developing Coping Strategies
You can also learn practical strategies to manage intense emotions and challenge negative beliefs through therapy. For instance, if you rate your sadness at 90%, a therapist can help you explore ways to gradually reduce this intensity or cope with it more effectively. This might involve cognitive techniques to reframe your thoughts or behavioral strategies to improve your mood.
Tracking Progress
Regularly rating your feelings and beliefs, as suggested in this technique, is part of therapy’s goal to monitor your progress. By keeping a record of how these ratings change over time, you can see the improvements you’re making, even if they seem small at first. This process builds confidence and motivates you to continue working on your emotional well-being.
Conclusion
By learning to recognize and rate the intensity of your feelings and the strength of your beliefs, you’re taking steps toward understanding yourself better. Therapy isn’t just about feeling better instantly; it’s about gradually recognizing patterns and making small changes that lead to progress. So, next time you’re navigating through strong emotions or challenging thoughts, try using this technique—it might help you see things from a new perspective and empower you to make positive changes in your life, with the support and guidance of psychotherapy.
References:
Resource: Cognitive Therapy Techniques
Pages: 45 - 47
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