The 6 Cognitive Restructuring Techniques

These are the therapeutic techniques associated with cognitive restructuring.

It may come as a surprise to many, but our life is not defined by our experiences, but by how we interpret them. Our thinking greatly influences how we perceive our reality and, in turn, affects how we relate to the world.

For example, if we make a mistake we may interpret it as us being useless, or if someone disagrees with something we have said, it means they don't like us. This can affect our self-esteem and skew reality worryingly.

Cognitive restructuring techniques focus on changing this pathological thought patternThe techniques of cognitive restructuring focus on changing this pathological thinking pattern, to make the person change his or her way of looking at reality and choose to face it in a more appropriate, optimal and efficient way.

The main techniques of cognitive restructuring.

Each of us understands the world through mental representations and subjective images, that is, we perceive the world based on our beliefs and expectations. Whatever happens to us, however apparently neutral it may be, we always attach some kind of subjective meaning to it. This makes our life, our feelings and our well-being depend, to a large extent, on our cognitions.

Cognitive restructuring is a methodology used to identify and correct dysfunctional thought patterns. Its main purpose is to change the way experiences are interpreted, irrational thoughts that cause us discomfort, and replace them with others that will improve our mood. that will improve the patient's mood.

People with dysfunctional thought patterns have subjective appraisals that cause them discomfort, especially if they lower their self-esteem and self-efficacy. For example, a person who has failed an exam and exhibits these types of thoughts may believe that he or she is not good at school instead of realizing that he or she needed to study more.

In cognitive restructuring works on these dysfunctional patterns of thoughtThe aim is to make the person question his pessimistic belief system and have a better way of relating to the world. It is about changing their thinking and behavior so that they can enjoy life, or at least reduce the symptomatology linked to their low self-esteem.

1. Downward Arrow

In the descending arrow technique, the aim is to identify the basic belief that lies beneath the dysfunctional thinking. In order to do so, the therapist begins to ask a series of questions with the intention of expanding the therapist's knowledge about the origin and maintenance of the dysfunctional thinking. to expand the knowledge of the origin and maintenance of the dysfunctional thinking and how it affects the psychological problem that has brought the patient to the consultation. and how it affects the psychological problem that has brought the patient to the consultation.

Among the questions that the therapist asks the patient are the following:

• What would it mean to you if that thought were true?
• What would be wrong if this thought were true?
• What could be wrong?

The patient is constantly being asked questions so that he/she can give as many answers as he/she sees fit, until the moment arrives when he/she is unable to answer any more.

The technique of the descending arrow is one of the most basic in the treatment of most psychological disorders and allows the modification of the patient's thought patterns. Seeing that he has no more answers for what he fears, he questions the veracity of his excuses and fears..

It is through this technique that part of the main objective of cognitive restructuring is achieved, which is to get the patient to let go of irrational and limiting beliefs, in order to adopt more functional ones. Beliefs, attitudes and points of view are modified with the intention that the person interprets experiences differently, and sets more realistic and appropriate goals and expectations.

2. Socratic dialogue

Socrates (470-399 B.C.) was a Greek philosopher in whose philosophy there was, as the most important notion, the questioning of everything in order to explore more complex ideas. This same way of thinking has reached today's psychology, and is known as Socratic dialogue. By means of this technique, the patient's belief system is questioned, although the cognitive distortion manifested by the patient must first be detected.

The questions posed by means of Socratic dialogue are somewhat similar to those of the downward arrow. Here, however, the realism of his thought patterns or concerns is directly questioned. Among some of the questions we may encounter we have:

• Is my thinking realistic?
• Are my thoughts based on facts or feelings?
• What evidence do I have to support this idea?

3. Paradoxical intention

Paradoxical intention is a cognitive-behavioral technique in which the patient is asked to do just the opposite of what he/she would never the patient is asked to do the exact opposite of what he/she would never have thought he/she would do.. It consists of giving him a series of guidelines and indications that, far from seeming to solve his problem, what seems to be achieved is to enhance his problem.

For example, one of the problems in which paradoxical intention is most often used is insomnia. The patient has probably tried everything to fall asleep, such as meditating, going to sleep earlier, avoiding caffeine, among others.

When they go to therapy, they expect the therapist to give them the same indications or to initiate a therapy with a very obvious methodology to solve their sleep problems. However, with the paradoxical intention, not only will the therapist not give you indications to get to sleep, but will tell you not to sleep, to do everything possible to avoid falling asleep.

This, at first, will shock the patient, since it is a clearly not very instinctive alternative. The patient has been trying for a long time to get to sleep, and now he is told to do the opposite. This is beneficial, since the patient will go from struggling every day to try to sleep, presenting anticipatory anxiety for fear of not achieving it, to a situation that he/she can control, which is not falling asleep.

As the perspective is just the opposite, the cycle of trying to sleep and not succeeding is broken. of trying to sleep and not succeeding, moving on to one in which the external cause that prevented him from sleeping, previously unknown, is now the demand of his therapist. Basically, the patient can control not sleeping, and in that which he tries not to sleep, unconsciously, he will end up falling asleep.

Whatever the psychological problem for which this technique is used, it is certain that it implies a change in the way of thinking. One goes from trying each and every one of the options aimed at solving the problem in an obvious way to one that is not so instinctive, seeing that even what seems to potentiate the problem is not so instinctive.seeing that even what seems to enhance your problem can be used to solve it.

4. Role-playing

Cognitive therapy works on emotions, behaviors and beliefs that are not functional for the patient. We try to change the way of thinking with the intention of incorporating positive changes in the patient's thinking and behavior, one of the ways to achieve all this is through role-playing.

Through role-playing and role-playing, significant changes can be made in the patient's mind, as well as increasing emotional control and empathy. increase emotional control and empathy.. An example of the use of role-playing is the staging of an interview that the patient will face in the future, and that is causing him/her a lot of anxiety because he/she asks himself/herself questions such as:

• Am I going to get nervous?
• Am I not going to know what to say?
• What happens if I get the interviewer's questions wrong?

By simulating an interview in a consulting room, the patient has the opportunity to practice. In addition, he/she will get to see if all the fears that he/she thinks may appear in a real interview do occur, even if it is in a controlled situation. Emulating this scenario can be of great help, since it allows him to work on his emotions and thoughts, discovering that it is no big deal.

You can see if you are indeed getting nervous or if you are having trouble formulating questions and answers during the interview. Also you can also see how your physiological response is going or if some of the fears you told the therapist about that you have told the therapist about. At the same time, you can discover what you are doing wrong and see how to work on it, with the professional help of the therapist.

5. What if...?

Generally, the patient's cognitive distortions are nothing more than an exaggerated view of reality, a fearful way of interpreting it. The What-if technique is very useful, since it consists of asking the patient the same question, or asking him/her what he/she thinks is the worst thing that could happen. asking him/her what he/she thinks is the worst thing that could happen in a given situation..

The idea is that even in the worst-case scenario, there are things that are manageable and most likely not life-threatening.

6. Judging thoughts

This technique consists of making the patient act as a defense attorney, prosecutor and judge at the same time, defending, attacking and judging.defending, attacking and judging his own distortions. First he will act as a defense attorney trying to provide objective evidence of his thoughts, never opinions or interpretations. Then you will act as a prosecutor, attacking them also with evidence. Finally, it will act as a judge, and will assess whether the time has come to get rid of that way of thinking.

This technique is very useful because the patient is subjected to a rigorous process of criticism of his or her way of thinking, but from different points of view.. He has to give convincing evidence as to why he has this way of thinking, and at the same time he has to refute it. Basically it is comparable to the typical "pros vs. cons" situation, only from a therapeutic viewpoint and approaching it as objectively as possible.

Bibliographical references:

• Almendro, M.T. (2012). Psychotherapies. Manual CEDE de Preparación PIR, 06. CEDE: Madrid.
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• McNamee, S. and Gergen, K.J. (1996). Therapy as social construction. Barcelona: Paidós.
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