CLASS #3

COGNITIVE RESTRUCTURING

§        STIMULUS ACTIVITY:  Maxine vs. Pollyanna.
Objective:  GMs will experience the empowerment of changing ones thoughts about situations and how it can affect behavior and response.

Description:  GL calls for two GMs to play Maxine and Pollyanna. Give a situation, e.g. CR has misplaced their jewelry again, is very upset, and wants help to find it. Maxine’s response is negative, resentful, and angry, e.g. “@#$@$# it!! I haven’t got time to go looking for your jewelry for the ten thousandth time this week!!!”
Pollyanna’s response is positive, calming, and softly spoken, e.g. “Well, we know it’s somewhere in the house because we always find it inside somewhere. Let’s play detective!” Give several situations and allow all GMs to experiment.

 

§        TODAY’S TOPIC:  AND WHAT’S THAT DOING FOR ME?  LOOKING AT OUR THOUGHTS AND BELIEFS AND HOW THEY AFFECT OUR LIVES. GL leads discussion centered on how to identify extreme thoughts, shoulds and musts, and expectations of perfection. GL teaches new ways of thinking about things and approaching care giving situations. GL encourage GMs to role-play some of their real-life circumstances that they might approach differently. GMs and the GL switch roles and play various parts in order to see how thought restructuring affects everyone involved; CG, CR, and other family members. Techniques to consider include role-play, reverse role-play, and Gestalt empty chair.

 

§        Break

 

§        HOMEWORK FROM PAST WEEK:  GMs share their logs containing negative thoughts and negative self-talk. All explore how to restructure these thoughts and be more accepting of self and others.

 

§        TALK-IT-OUT

 

§        HOMEWORK:  GMs are to journal about one situation where they stopped, looked at negative or rash thoughts, and restructured them. Describe the outcome.

 

§        POST-SESSION EVALUATION