PHOTO BY GERD ALTMANN
Cognitive
Reframing
By GEORGIA SMITH-LYLE , LPC-S
The holidays are upon us ! Looking at
2020 , most of us would say something like , “ Wow , we made it !” Assessing how well you came through this storm ( Covid-19 , loss of jobs , loss of loved ones , school schedules completely turned upside down , etc .) is probably not something many of us want to look at . We are just glad this year is almost behind us . I ’ m right there with you wanting to move forward to better times and not look back . However , the truth is assessing what you have come through and the impact upon your life is very important .
We have a tendency to not look at the difficult times we have gone through , but looking back and assessing what good came from all the chaos can be so beneficial for your future decisions . I like to put it like this … most of us flexed some emotional and intellectual muscles we didn ’ t even realize we had and we survived . What many of us did is called “ cognitive reframing .”
The definition for cognitive reframing is a process of identifying and changing the way many of our thought processes , situations , emotions , and ideas were imbedded from a negative perspective to a more positive framework , without discounting loss or grief in any situation . For example , many of you may have lost a job . The situation has certainly caused concern , anxiety , and fear , which needs to first be acknowledged . But to reframe your situation might look like the following : I did lose my job , but this has given me an opportunity to take into account all my talents / achievements and assess a new direction and opportunity that I may have never looked for if I had not had this challenge .
Assessing your potential and all your qualities and even a possible career change that you have been wanting to focus on is reframing your situation . You begin to see the positive and move forward instead of getting stuck in the present situation . It does not completely alleviate fear , uncertainty or anxiety but it does cause your thoughts to be more positive and therefore more productive . The above job situation is just one example .
For all situations that have caused you uncertainty , I encourage you to write down each situation . Acknowledge the negative impact . But , reframe the situation to reflect the positive movement forward this situation has brought you to and the steps you have taken or will take to achieve your goal . In other words , count the positive impact as best you can and move forward . Staying stuck in the situation and the negative emotional impact it has upon your life and possibly your loved one ’ s lives is stagnation . This is not an easy task with certain situations and losses . Seek guidance and wise counsel if you need help . If we ever needed each other , it is now . Our lives have been turned upside down by a virus and our nation is experiencing the effects . Let ’ s be there for one another and help each with encouragement and a listening ear . Lastly , remember all you have already come through and reframing to your benefit how you assess 2020 will propel you into your future more positively .
Georgia Smith is in private practice as a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Texas providing counseling for children , adolescents , adults , and marriage and family . She is also an author of two books and a public speaker . Georgia may be reached at 469-855-0256 or via email gpsmith7 @ aol . com . www . counselingbygeorgia . com
24 • NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2020