Stop Catastrophizing About Your Future. Try the Skill of Mental Imagery Instead

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Catastrophizing makes you anxious. When you visualize all the awful things happening, it literally turns on your physical stress response in the present moment. You create the reality of that catastrophe in your body when you imagine yourself failing, being rejected, getting harmed, or struggling in the future. Catastrophizing creates the perception of danger and hopelessness right in the present moment. Your brain uses it's imagination and ability to visualize the future to help protect you. Catastrophizing is essentially a defense mechanism but one that isn’t the best, it backfires. It can contribute to depression and anxiety and other mental health conditions. So let’s replace it with a more helpful one.
In this video you'll learn how to use the skill of mental imagery to combat anxiety and create greater chances of success. You'll learn to ask “What if it all works out?” Let’s visualize ourselves working through challenges. You can physiologically create a sense of confidence and efficacy with the simple exercise- what if everything works out?

Check out the timestamps below:
00:00 Intro
01:22 Common Catastrophizing Thoughts
02:25 What Exactly Is Catastrophizing?
04:29 Replacing A Catastrophizing Thought
05:53 What If It All Works Out?
08:09 Building Competence

Click on the link below to access the transcript:
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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/c...

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.
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