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6 Therapy Skills to Stop Overthinking Everything

Therapy in a Nutshell

961.7K Views . 2022-06-02

Do you want to learn How to Process Emotions and improve your Mental Health? Sign up for a Therapy in a Nutshell Membership, you'll get access to all of Emma’s courses, workbooks, and a Live Q and A with 100’s of exclusive videos: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/membership Looking for affordable online therapy? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off your first month: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell OK, so how can we stop overthinking everything? 1. The very first skill to stop overthinking is noticing and naming. Rumination is a bad habit that we’re often not aware we’re doing. First, get really good at identifying overthinking, say it out loud “I’m overthinking.” Ask someone to point it out to you. Learn your triggers. What time of day are you most likely to ruminate? Where are you most likely to overthink? At work? When you’re alone? When you’re at the bar? What situations trigger it? Try to predict it. So if you’re most likely to overthink something right as you go to bed or right after a social situation, prepare yourself to notice it so that you shift your focus to something more helpful. If you’re struggling to catch yourself overthinking, you could set an alarm on your phone to go off once an hour and check how much you’ve been ruminating that hour. And just track it for a week. In general, people tend to ruminate the most when they have nothing to occupy their attention. Now that you’ve gotten good at noticing when you’re overthinking, we’re going to take 2 approaches to stop overthinking everything. 1- setting limits on overthinking and 2- learn a bunch of ways to redirect your thoughts to something more helpful. Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/?utm_medium=YTDescription&utm_source=YouTube Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanutshell Sign up for my newsletter: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/free-resources Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/best-self-help-books Check out my podcast, Therapy in a Nutshell: https://tinpodcast.podbean.com/ Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health. In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction. And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services. Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC

The video starts by describing a common scenario where someone overthinks a situation involving their boss, worrying unnecessarily about a meeting. The speaker, Emma McAdam, a licensed therapist, introduces the topic of overthinking and its various forms, such as rumination, worry, and overanalyzing decisions, emphasizing that these patterns can be learned and overcome.

Overthinking
Rumination
Worry
Cognitive Diffusion
Mindfulness

  • Overthinking is a common problem that involves dwelling on the past, worrying about the future, overanalyzing decisions, and experiencing social anxiety.
  • The first step to stopping overthinking is noticing and identifying it, and understanding what triggers it.

Insights from the YouTube Video Script:

1. Overthinking is a Cycle: The script vividly portrays the cyclical nature of overthinking. It begins with an example of a situation that triggers anxiety and overthinking, then describes how that worry, even when resolved, leads to further overthinking about a new situation. This highlights the need for understanding and breaking this cycle.

2. Types of Overthinking: The video outlines four main types of overthinking: rumination about the past, worry about the future, overanalyzing decisions, and social anxiety. This categorization allows viewers to identify their specific overthinking patterns and tailor their approach.

3. Noticing is the First Step: The script emphasizes the

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