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In a world inundated with the complexities of the mind, clinical psychologist Linda Burlan Sørensen brings forth a groundbreaking approach to mental well-being in her book, "Metacognitive Therapy - Free Yourself from Imprisoning Thoughts."Redefining Thoughts:
Linda Burlan Sørensen challenges the conventional notion of thoughts, urging readers to perceive them not as undeniable truths but as mere electrical impulses that gain meaning through our interpretation. Drawing inspiration from metacognitive therapy, she emphasizes that it's not about the content of our thoughts but rather how we navigate and steer our thought processes.
Comparing metacognitive therapy to the effectiveness of penicillin, Sørensen highlights its rapid impact when applied correctly in suitable situations. The book explores real cases, demonstrating how metacognitive methods lead to significant improvements in conditions such as anxiety, depression, OCD, and PTSD.
Empowerment through Creativity:
Sørensen advocates for embracing creativity as a key element in mental health. She encourages readers to think for themselves, emphasizing the importance of taking responsibility and being proactive in shaping their own lives.
Breaking Free:
By presenting the metacognitive approach, Linda Burlan Sørensen guides readers in breaking free from self-imposed psychological limitations. She introduces the concept of Cognitive Attentional Syndrome (CAS) and offers practical exercises that empower individuals to minimize excessive attention on detrimental thought processes like worrying and rumination.
A Journey to Self-Discovery:
"Metacognitive Therapy - Free Yourself from Imprisoning Thoughts" is not just a book; it's a journey towards understanding the intricacies of your own mind. Sørensen's clinical expertise, coupled with real-world examples, provides a bridge between theory and practical application.
Take Control, Break the Chains:
If you're ready to take control of your thought processes, embrace creativity, and break free from imprisoning thoughts, this book is your guide. Linda Burlan Sørensen's insights offer a fresh perspective on mental well-being, empowering you to navigate the complex terrain of your mind with resilience and confidence.
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Excerpt from the book:
"18,000 hours of rumination
It can be an eye-opener to see how much time is spent thinking heavy thoughts. Therefore, I get out a calculator and add up how many hours, days, weeks, months, and years of ruminating have been going on. For example, if Jens has spent approximately five hours a day over the past 10 years ruminating over his own unsatisfying life, it corresponds to around 18,000 hours. Such a concrete figure can have an overwhelming effect on a client. Nonetheless, it is important to see this number. Because when people are as depressed as Jens is, they typically experience ruminating as a part of the solution, not as part of the problem. People think that they have to find answers and solutions through overthinking (...).
“Now, you’ve spent 18,000 hours ruminating. Do you understand your thoughts now, and have you found a solution?” I ask Jens. And yes, he tells me that he has in fact found some answers.
“But is this enough that you no longer need to think so much about what makes you sad?”
“No, I’ve not found the answer to everything,” Jens says. “But I have to understand what is happening.”
“Yes, but you have used 18,000 hours not finding any useful answers,” I tell him. “Will you ever find those answers?"
“But maybe it’s something biological,” he answers.
“If it’s biological, what else is there to think about? Does it make things any better when you think about them so much?”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“How do you think you would feel if you thought less about your situation?”
“Then, I think that I would feel better,” he says.
Control over your own thought processes
For Jens to feel better, he first needs to understand that he has an influence on what he does with his thoughts.
“Imagine a volume control where you can turn up or down the thoughts we’ve been talking about. Could you theoretically imagine that you could turn up the volume of your ruminating so that you spend even more hours on this?” I ask Jens. And yes, he believes that he easily can.
“Can you imagine, then, that it’s theoretically possible to turn down the ruminating, too?”
Jens hesitantly agrees that this also might be possible. The task then is to find the switch that Jens—or any other client—needs to use to turn down this type of thought process. That Jens has the experience of having some control over his own mind is crucial. He and every other client I work with should leave the room after their first session with me with a budding sense that they can influence their own thinking: not control over life, the past or future, but over their thinking itself (...).
Refer—do not reject
Jens’ CAS—the excessive inward focus—drags him down into a depression that becomes worse and worse. My solution is that he should first minimize the time he spends ruminating. If we can reduce the amount of time that is spent ruminating, as we psychologists call it, there will be time and energy to do something different and more constructive. One hour of ruminating a day instead of five hours. Jens finds this hard to believe, but I give him some postponement exercises, where he is instructed to postpone the trigger or CAS-thoughts just as soon as he becomes aware of them. The task is not to dismiss or suppress his ruminations, but to relegate them to a later time that he has planned in advance. He must say to the thought: “I can see that you are here. I will take care of you, but not until 8:00 p.m. tonight.” He should do this every time CAS-related thoughts come up. So, 8:00 p.m. is therefore open, and if there are still negative thoughts, he is ready to face them (....)."
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The book can be purchased, for example, on Amazon in various formats fx on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Metacognitive-Therapy-Yourself-Imprisoning-Thoughts-ebook/dp/B0BRQT756M/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1PB9YGYRAAT8E&keywords=linda+burlan+s%C3%B8rensen&qid=1706265363&sprefix=%2Caps%2C248&sr=8-5)
You can read more about us here: https://www.neokognitivtinstitut.dk/metakognitiv-bog-faengslende-tanker/boeger-om-metakognitiv-terapi-2-gratis-lysboeger/metacognitive-therapy-free-yourself-from-imprisoning-thoughts/
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
The Neocognitive Institute - Psychological Center for Metacognitive Therapy, Kirkegårdsvej 14, 2300 København S, Danmark,Copenhagen, Copenhagen , Denmark
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