Therapy Metaphors

The Power of the Mind

Did you know that you can cause a physiological response by thinking about a stimulus? As a therapist I often use metaphors as a way of conceptualizing complex information in an easy to understand way. Two of my favorite modalities are cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). CBT is designed to help people be more aware of the relationship between our thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and behaviors. ACT is closely related to CBT and focuses on how to accept our thoughts to increase psychological flexibility. During an ACT workshop I learned the lemon wedge technique. This diffusion technique allows for the client to understand how powerful their thoughts are. I instruct my clients to imagine that they are holding a sliced lemon wedge between two fingers in their dominant hand. Then they are instructed to take that imaginary lemon and squeeze it into their mouth. Most of my clients experience a sour sensation and their mouth waters. Thus, our body had a real time response to an imaginary stimulus! Now imagine that you struggle with depression or anxiety and you think negative thoughts such as I want to kill myself. Those thoughts then turn into physiological responses in our bodies. Our thoughts are so powerful and therefore talking about how our minds and bodies are connected is an essential part of psychoeducation in my therapeutic practice.

Neuroplasticity

So now that we got a glimpse at how powerful our thoughts are, let’s talk about how powerful our brains are. Have you ever heard that expression, neurons that fire together wire together? In 1949, psychologist Donald Hebb coined this expression to explain neuronal ensembles which is defined as a group of neurons working together to influence behavior. Neuroplasticity is a process of adaptive functional changes to the brain in response to stimuli. Your brain is capable of change throughout the lifespan. Therefore, if you are experiencing mental health distress focusing on rewiring your brain can be a lasting solution for most mental health issues. We can rewire our brain through repetition, creativity, decreasing stress, and mediation. One of my favorite books that I recommend to my clients is Unf*ck Your Brain: Using Science to Get Over Anxiety, Depression, Anger, Freak-Outs, and Triggers by Faith Harper.

Metaphor time! When explaining Neuroplasticity I like to use the imagery of a forest. I want you to imagine that you are an avid hiker and that since the moment you could walk, you have been exploring the forest. You have a special forest that no one else knows about, and you visit daily. Over time you find a path that you like, and each day you take that same path. Over the years of hiking that path, it becomes reinforced and easy to find. You know exactly what you will see and what you will encounter on your special hiking path.

What I ask my clients to do is to imagine taking a uncharted path through that same forest. Naturally, some hesitation and anxiety may arise when embarking on this new journey. Each day you set off of this new path and each day you get a little farther into the forest. It’s natural to want to give up on this new path and return to the comfort and safety of your established path. However, you remain gentle with yourself even when you regress and keep exploring the forest and carving out this new path. Over time the new path becomes less scary, and your old path grows over like it was never there. This is the power of neuroplasticity and how repetition we can elicit lasting behavior change.

Mindfulness Challenge

Now that you have a better understanding of how powerful our thoughts and behaviors are. I encourage you to observe your behaviors without judgment over the next week. The simple act of being more intentional can elicit positive change. We know that our thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and behaviors are all connected. So by focusing on even just one of those aspects can cause a cascade of change in our bodies.

Journaling prompt courtesy of Mark Manson: What behaviors and beliefs have you allowed the world to dictate to you? What behaviors and beliefs are you confident you chose for yourself? How difficult was that choice? What is the one thing that you are most likely to be wrong about yet unaware of? How can you find out?

Body Scan: Sit or lay comfortably with your eyes close. Focus on your breath, controlling your inhalation and exhalation. Breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Notice how your body feels in this moment. Bring your awareness to your feet and toes, slowly moving up until you reach the crown of your head. Notice where you are holding tension. Breath into the tension and actively try to relase and relax.