Quick Fix Therapy

CBT and the Tao

Cognitive (what you think) Behavior (what you do) Therapy (what you change) the Tao (flow)

CBT looks at five areas of life that make you who you are;

1. Environment

The environment is made up of people, places and things - you are powerless over all three, at all times!

2. Physical

Physical sensations are created by your response to the environment, the people, the places, the things.

3. Thoughts

There are two types of thinking, a) Healthy Thinking b) Un-Healthy Thinking.

4. Behavior

There are two types of behavior, a) Going with the flow and b) not going with the flow

5. Feelings

There are two types of feelings a) Peaceful b) not Peaceful!

Here is the CBT model <Padesky and Mooney, 1990>

The diagram shows how the physical, feelings, thoughts, and behavior, within the environment or situation we are in, impact and affect the other. The suggestion is to create your own, unique map of yourself and where you are in your life. Personalize it with coloured pens paints, drawings, stick on photos, maps, places, people, things, meaningful symbols. Then use it as a meditational tool. Simply relax, deep breathing, drift into trance and see what happens.

Tip Top Tao

·      Environment

Feng Shui; The Chinese way to improve the environment. There are lots of ideas on the internet, ways to use Feng Shui to make your home feel energized, brighter, with positive Chi energy, bringing good luck and fortune into your life.

·      Physical.

 There are lots of Chinese exercises born from Taoist philosophy; Tai Chi, Chi Kung. Qi Gong, Kung Fu. The Essex Hung Kuen Kung Fu association, based in Walthamstow, London, is a traditional Chinese school with strict ethical and morally codes that guarantee the finest and most respected teaching in Europe since the 1980s. Students come from all over the world just to have a look, its incredible, magnificent.

(The trouble you’ll find with authentic Chinese martial arts clubs is that they don’t or won’t advertise, so anything you want to find out can be very difficult. Now we have the Internet and excitable novices like me posting our discoveries, its all become a bit more open. If you’re having difficulty and are desperate for more local based recommendations contact the ‘Shaolin Way’ shop in China town London)

• Thinking (Bad?) Reflecting (Better!) Meditation (the Best!)

 If you must think; Keep it simple! One thing at a time! First things first! (a few 12 step quotes). Forget the past, its gone (grief), Forget the Future, it hasn’t happened (worry). Thinking about your breathing is the most powerful thought to thank. Criticizing, giving advice, interpreting? Simply listen! Listen to yourself breathing deep. The Latin for breath is Spiritus, something for you to reflect over.

·      Behavior.

Sexy people are Cool! Calm! Relaxed! They Smile from the Heart, with the Eyes. That’s how sexy people behave! Your choice!

• Feelings.

We deeply bury our feelings. We are taught that feelings are bad, so we bury them and cover them up with sugar. All I can say here is that there are NO WRONG OR BAD FEELINGS!!! There is an old saying that I often hear when I go to group therapy sessions that always brings a smile ‘the good news is, you’re going to get your feelings back and the bad news is, you’re going to get your feelings back’.

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You are in an environment, made up of people, places and things. You are powerless over all of these things. 12 step recovery programs recognize this and at the end of the meeting, everybody is asked to say a prayer to the God of their understanding;

‘God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference’

References;

Padesky, C.A and Mooney, K.A. (1990) ‘Clinical tip: Presenting the cognitive model to clients’, International Cognitive Therapy Newsletter, 6: 13-14.