#13 - Mike Christensen on Leveraging Thinking To Your Advantage
Oct 2, 2024
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Mike Christensen, Director of Professional Development at the Feeling Good Institute, shares his expertise in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). He explores how our thoughts shape our feelings and actions, highlighting the difference between CBT and mere positive thinking. Mike discusses the powerful TEAM approach to therapy, emphasizing empathy and measuring outcomes. He also shares techniques for overcoming resistance to change, the benefits of deliberate practice for personal growth, and how to frame challenges as opportunities for success.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) demonstrates that our thoughts significantly influence our emotions and actions, affecting our personal and professional outcomes.
The TEAM model of therapy emphasizes quantifiable progress, understanding client emotions, addressing resistance, and varying therapeutic methods for effective coaching.
Deliberate practice, characterized by focused skill development and feedback, is crucial for achieving mastery and continuous improvement in any field.
Embracing failure as a learning opportunity fosters resilience, encouraging individuals to take risks and adapt for greater personal and professional growth.
Deep dives
The Connection Between Learning and Performance
Improving learning abilities directly correlates with enhanced performance, emphasizing the idea that without learning, growth becomes stagnant. When individuals hit learning plateaus, they tend to repeat mistakes and fail to reach their full potential. High performance in various fields increasingly relies on the capacity to learn rapidly, whether for students, professionals, or athletes. By focusing on strategies to learn faster, individuals can improve their overall performance and achievement levels.
Understanding Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) addresses how thoughts and beliefs shape emotions and actions, affecting personal and professional outcomes. By recognizing the power of thoughts, individuals can shift their thinking patterns to gain better control over their feelings and behaviors. Quotes like those from Lao Tzu underscore the importance of mindfulness regarding thoughts and beliefs, illustrating the impact they have on day-to-day experiences. CBT provides practical tools to help individuals challenge negative thinking and foster a healthier mindset.
The Importance of Deliberate Practice
Deliberate practice comprises focused, purposeful skill development, aimed at continuous improvement over time. This practice involves breaking down skills into manageable components, allowing for targeted improvement and mastery. By engaging in intensive bursts of practice, individuals can enhance their abilities and performance. The notion that practice leads to progress rather than perfection resonates across fields, from therapy to sports and beyond.
Team CBT: A Framework for Growth
Team CBT introduces a structured approach to therapy, incorporating four key principles: Testing, Empathy, Assessment of Resistance, and Methods. Testing measures progress before and after sessions, ensuring that clients are improving through quantifiable metrics. Empathy fosters a strong connection, allowing therapists to understand clients better and tailor their approaches. Addressing resistance acknowledges the benefits clients may perceive in their current behaviors, while using a variety of methods helps therapists adapt their techniques to individual client needs.
Transforming Failure into Opportunity
Experiencing failure can be a powerful teaching tool, as it often leads to growth and learning. Embracing the idea that failure is part of the learning process can encourage resilience and adaptability. This perspective allows individuals to take risks, knowing that setbacks can ultimately lead to greater understanding and improvement. By seeing failures as opportunities for growth, people can overcome obstacles and develop a stronger sense of self.
Applying CBT Techniques Beyond Therapy
CBT techniques extend beyond the therapy room, offering valuable tools for personal and professional development. Techniques like positive reframing, cognitive restructuring, and assessing one’s thoughts can improve performance in various contexts, including coaching, teaching, and even everyday relationships. By utilizing CBT principles in daily situations, individuals can reshape their thoughts to foster better emotional responses and enhanced decision-making skills. This practical application of therapy concepts highlights the versatility and accessibility of CBT.
The Role of Community in Learning
Community plays a crucial role in enhancing learning and performance, fostering collaboration and support among individuals. Engaging with peers provides opportunities for sharing experiences, challenges, and strategies, leading to collective growth. A strong community can bolster motivation and accountability, creating an environment where individuals feel encouraged to pursue their goals. Building a supportive network enhances the learning experience by reinforcing the idea that improvement is a shared journey.
In this episode of the L&P Podcast, I speak with Mike Christensen, a counselor, trainer, and expert in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), about how our thoughts and beliefs influence how we feel, what we do, and ultimately, our ability to learn and perform. Mike and I discuss a range of CBT tools and techniques that are not only valuable to therapists and their patients, but can be used in any situation in which people might need to rethink things or change beliefs in order to learn or perform better. We also discuss how to use "deliberate practice" to improve at providing therapy, coaching, and beyond.
KEY TOPICS:
In our conversation, Mike and I discuss a range of topics, including:
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and how what we think determines how we feel
The difference between CBT and positive thinking
David Burns’ new “TEAM” model of providing therapy and coaching
The importance of measuring outcomes
Why empathy is a necessary but not sufficient condition for change
Overcoming resistance to change
A bunch of techniques to help you untwist your thinking
The importance of deliberate practice and feedback in improving
Positive reframing
A whole lot more…
ABOUT THE GUEST:
Mike Christensen. MACP, RCC, ACS serves as the Director of Professional Development at the Feeling Good Institute. He is a Registered Clinical Counselor with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counselors and holds a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology. His diverse background in business, community organizations, and family support roles has provided Mike with a wide array of experience in leadership, administration, parenting training, and team building. He is a Certified Level 5 Master TEAM CBT Therapist and Trainer and is the Director of Feeling Good Institute Canada. He provides advanced level online training with the Feeling Good Institute for therapists around the world and is the co-author of “Deliberate Practice for TEAM CBT" with Dr. Maor Katz, Dr. Tony Roussmaniere and Dr. Alez Vaz. Mike lives in Canada with his wife and daughters. He is an avid cyclist and former swim coach.
