Thinking Errors & How To Change Them

What are thinking errors, how do they affect me and what can I do about it?

Most people won’t spend much time mulling over the pros and cons of the way that they think, but if you do want to change something about yourself that seems to be out of your control, then it might be a good idea!

One of most important things that you can learn about yourself is that your thoughts, attitudes and beliefs have the most significant impact on the way that you interpret the world around you and how you feel about what’s going on.

If you feel excessively bad than the chances are that you are thinking ‘badly’, or as we say, in an unhelpful way.

Most people don’t deliberately think like this and in most cases will be unaware that this is what’s going on!

Thinking Errors are ‘slips’ in your thinking that everybody makes from time to time and in the same way that ‘spurious’ programmes on your computer make your computer run slowly or inaccurately, thinking errors limit your ability to make an ‘accurate’ assessment of your own experiences.

Thinking errors can lead you to:

• Get the wrong end of the stick
• Jump to conclusions
• Assume the worst

and effectively get ‘in the way’ leading to ‘distortions’ of what is actually happening or has happened.

The good news is that no matter how long you have had your thinking errors, you can always change them through the process of evaluation and modification.

Common Thinking Errors

Here we list the most common (but not necessarily ALL) thinking errors that we encounter with our clients:

• Catastrophising – Making mountains out of molehills
• All or Nothing Thinking – Ignoring the middle-ground
• Fortune Telling – Trying to predict the future
• Mind Reading – I know what you’re thinking!
• Emotional Reasoning – Feelings aren’t facts
• Overgeneralising – Always, Never and Everybody
• Labelling – Successful / Failure
• Imperative Thinking – I need to, I have to and I must
• Confirmation Bias – He didn’t mean I was good because I know I’m not
• Processing Positive Experiences – I didn’t really deserve that Nobel Prize
• Low Frustration Tolerance – It’s too hard I can’t stand it / I can take it I’m worth it
• Personalisation – it’s always my fault when things go wrong

Most of us will recognise at least some of these thinking errors as things we do everyday, but by learning to identify these ‘thinking styles’ in our everyday experience we give ourselves the chance to take affirmative action by learning the tools and techniques to change them.

If you’d like to learn how to identify and then change your own thinking errors, then don’t hesitate to get in touch to arrange an initial consultation with us to discuss the options available.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Thinking Errors

If you’re committed to changing your Thinking Errors then we highly recommend following our Advanced Tranceformental CBT programme with Paul. Tranceformental CBT is available as Online Therapy if required.

The Tranceformental programme is a highly successful & pragmatic psychotherapy course, run over 10 sessions, that will teach you everything you need to know to understand your problem, identify how unhelpful thinking and limiting beliefs might be reinforcing the issue, and then show you how to make any changes to your Thinking Errors or maladaptive safety behaviours that you may have developed as part of your coping strategies.

Our Tranceformental CBT programme is an evidence-based, research supported approach used by mental health practitioners around the World.

Alternative Therapy Options for Thinking Errors

Although our preferred form of psychotherapy for Thinking Errors is Tranceformental CBT we also offer alternative psychotherapies for those who might prefer a different approach.

These include:

• Psychodynamic therapy which focuses more on emotional problems and relies on the Therapeutic Relationship to bring about change. Available with Paul.
• General Counselling which is less structured but still provides a safe and non-judgmental environment to discuss issues which is therapeutic in its own right.
• Hypnotherapy is an alternative form of therapy that can be applied to a very wide range of problems and is available with Joan.

Free Initial Consultations for Thinking Errors

We offer all prospective clients an initial consultation to discuss your Thinking Errors prior to commencing any treatment plans.

The consultation is free and lasts around 50 minutes.

During this consultation we will discuss the various options that are available to you and make a considered recommendation based on your individual personal circumstances.

Initial consultations are also available as part of our online therapy service.

At TranceForm Psychology we recognise the importance of the therapeutic relationship in helping people to bring about effective change, so its important to be able to ‘meet’ to discuss our change programmes BEFORE proceeding.

Our policy is to help people make a fully balanced & considered decision about undertaking work with us, including both the financial and personal implications.