A Primer To Psychotherapy
When beginning with a new client, we begin with what we call a ‘primer to psychotherapy session’ for most but the youngest clients. In this session, we begin with several core concepts and how these concepts will relate to our work together and their treatment program. I have created this page to serve as a reminder for my clients.
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Locus of Control is related to what you can virtually guarantee that you can change or can control. It is related to the Serenity Prayer (i.e., “Grant me the Serenity (or Peace-of-Mind) to accept those things I cannot change, the Courage (or Inner Strength) to make changes to those things I can change or control, and the Wisdom to know the difference (between those things).” Over the course of treatment, you will learn about the concept of Radical Acceptance. When considered, locus of control must also consider the context of the present, future, and past.
Spheres of Control & Influence
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An operational working definition of mindfulness is: the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment. —Jon Kabat-Zinn (2003). In mental health treatment, we tend to use a more simply worded definition of mindfulness — “intentionally focusing on the present moment without judgement.”
Mindfulness, also known as meditation, is a valuable skill that has been taught for thousands of years in many of the world’s religions, including Christianity (Merton, 1960), Judaism (Pinson, 2004), Buddhism (Rahula, 1974), and Islam (Inayat Khan, 2000). Beginning in the 1980s, Jon Kabat-Zinn began using nonreligious mindfulness skills to help hospital patients cope with chronic pain problems (Kabat-Zinn, 1982; Kabat-Zinn, Lipworth, & Burney, 1985; Kabat-Zinn, Lipworth, Burney, & Sellers, 1987). More recently, similar mindfulness techniques were also integrated into other forms of psychotherapy (Segal, Williams, & Teasdale, 2002), including dialectical behavior therapy (Linehan, 1993a). Studies have shown mindfulness skills to be effective at reducing the odds of having another major depressive episode (Teasdale et al., 2000); reducing symptoms of anxiety (Kabat-Zinn et al., 1992); reducing chronic pain (Kabat-Zinn et al., 1985; Kabat-Zinn et al., 1987); decreasing binge eating (Kristeller & Hallett, 1999); increasing tolerance of distressingsituations; increasing relaxation; and increasing skills to cope with difficult situations (Baer, 2003).
As a result of findings like these, mindfulness is considered one of the most important core skills in dialectical behavior therapy (Linehan, 1993a). So what exactly is mindfulness? One definition is offered above by mindfulness researcher Jon Kabat-Zinn. But for the purposes of this book, mindfulness is the ability to be aware of your thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and actions—in the present moment—without judging or criticizing yourself or your experience. Have you ever heard the expressions “be in the moment” or “be here now”? These are both different ways of saying: “be mindful of what’s happening to you.” But this isn’t always an easy task. At any moment in time, you might be thinking, feeling, sensing, and doing many different things.
http://www.itsjustanevent.com/Tool3.html
http://bodysoulandspirit.blogspot.com/2017/02/circles-of-control-influence-and-concern.html
https://corporatecoachgroup.com/blog/sphere-of-influence