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> Transforming Negative Thoughts
transforming negative thoughts
Unmasking Biases: Understanding How They Influence Our Perception of Reality
‘Buddhism teaches that our suffering does not result from reality but from the judgement we make about reality. There’s really no such thing as success or failure, strength or weakness. These are just labels we use to judge our experiences, and these labels can be misleading and hurtful.’
- Dr. David Burns
In the course 'Transforming Negative Thoughts', we start with some questions: What is a good life? What really defines happiness? Is it a stack of cash, a fancy car, or a giant mansion? Or maybe it's finding that perfect soulmate? We will take a mind-bending journey and uncover the sneaky biases and errors that can trip us up when we're chasing our dreams and making sound decisions.
Life is not just about pursuing the good things; it's also about navigating through its unexpected twists and turns. When we encounter unforeseeable challenges in life, how do we respond? How do we make sense of them? Do we shoulder all the blame and give up? Or do we shift our focus to what we can change, to make things better? Delving into the research findings from the founder of Positive Psychology, Dr. Martin Seligman, we explore different ways of explaining adverse events, from how we talk to ourselves and others, to our thought patterns. If you tend to hold yourself accountable for everything, fear not! There is a scientific approach to transform negative perspectives into more encouraging and constructive ones.
It's essential to differentiate between this approach and the popular concept of "positive thinking." We aren't burying our heads in the sand and chanting affirmations like "Everything will be okay" or "I will be fine." Instead, we're taking a stand against the negative thoughts (which are often inaccurate) that creep in after tough times. By challenging those thoughts, we can bring clarity to our minds and get closer to the truth. And when we're closer to the truth, we can make moves that lead to better outcomes. In the group session for this module, we'll practice this approach and explore how to apply optimism in various life scenarios, from parenting to the work world.
Upon finishing this course, be prepared to shake up your priorities, focusing on what truly matters. You'll be equipped with a set of skills to organize your thoughts, perceiving your surroundings through a fresh set of lenses.
Therapist
Renee is a registered nurse in Hong Kong, and a Qualified Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner trained in the United Kingdom. Shedelivers Low-intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (LICBT)- based intervention to clients with mild to moderate anxiety and depression in public and private sectors. She has undergone additional training to effectively support clients with insomnia, obsessive compulsive disorder, health anxiety, and long-term conditions, and working with interpreters. She is fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin and English.
She worked as an Assistant Teacher for the Science of Happiness credit-bearing module at the University of Bristol. She facilitated the learning and development of first-year undergraduate students in weekly happiness hubs, supporting them to build evidence-based wellbeing habits into their lives with findings from Positive and Cognitive Psychology.
Renee is pursuing a Ph.D. in Health Psychology, which helps her shape the resources and services at Person Centre with an additional emphasis on the relationship between mental and physical health, as well as general wellness.
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What are the limits of the Person Centre?There is no magical bullet. We don’t have the answers of what to do with your life and we cannot do the work for you. Our work is a collaborative and active process based on the guided self-help model. We can guide you to get deeper insights into your situation based on psychological science, and, together, we identify strategies and tools that can help. It does require you going away and putting them into practice to make a real change. We are a confidential service with the exceptions if there are concerns about your safety, or the safety of others. We are not a crisis service. Please contact these services if you need immediate mental health support. We are not able to offer you a formal mental health diagnosis. We are not trained to support you to manage certain mental health conditions. If we cannot offer support, we will try our best to signpost you to other services that better suit your needs. We cannot offer support while you are receiving other therapies. We have zero tolerance for aggressive, violent or abusive behaviour.
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Do you offer any low-priced option?We would never want money to restrict you from accessing support for your mental wellbeing. Please get in touch if you need to discuss a payment plan or a reduced fee option. We dedicate 5% of our profit to offer low-cost support individuals with financial difficulties. Families and friends can purchase gift vouchers to support your loved ones to access our service. You will only be charged if the voucher is used.
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Who will offer me the support?Renee is a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner who delivers Low-intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (LICBT)- based intervention to clients with mild to moderate anxiety and depression in public and private sectors. She has undergone additional training to effectively support clients with insomnia, obsessive compulsive disorder, health anxiety, and long-term conditions, and working with interpreters. She is fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin and English.
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What equipment do I need to access the services at the Person Centre?We offer support through online platforms. You will need the Internet and a device such as a computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone.
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How is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy different from Counselling?Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy that helps you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave. CBT does not remove your problems, but helps you manage them in a more effective way. It encourages you to examine how your actions and thoughts can affect how you feel. CBT is an active therapy and you will be expected to work on your problems between sessions, trying out different ways of thinking and acting, as agreed with your therapist. The aim is for you to develop the skills to become your own therapist. CBT is usually a short-term treatment. For example, a traditional course of CBT may consist of between 6-12 sessions. CBT differs from other types of psychotherapies because it is: pragmatic – it helps identify specific problems and tries to solve them highly structured – rather than talking freely about your life, you and your therapist will discuss specific problems and set goals for you to achieve focused on current problems – it is mainly concerned with how you think and act now rather than attempting to resolve past issues collaborative – your therapist will not tell you what to do; they will work with you to find solutions to your current difficulties Counselling is another type of talking therapy that allows a person to talk about their problems and feelings in a confidential environment. It helps individuals who want to understand issues causing their distress. It can provide a safe and regular space for you to talk and explore difficult feelings. This approach encourages reflection and exploration of underlying conflicts, as well as providing a listening, supportive and containing experience. Counselling can help you to: cope with a bereavement or relationship breakdown cope with redundancy or work-related stress explore issues such as sexual identity deal with issues that are preventing you from achieving your ambitions deal with feelings of depression or sadness, and have a more positive outlook on life understand yourself and your problems better feel more confident develop a better understanding of other people's points of view