Reframing

What is Reframing?

Reframing is a technique from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that identifies challenging thought patterns, interrupts them, and allows redirection towards a more balanced perspective.

Key phrase: Balanced, not necessarily positive, but leaning towards neutral.

To put it in non-therapeutic words, it means the following:

Reframing can allow you to gain a different perspective about a situation that you find challenging.

Example: I went to get a glass of water, I trip and drop the glass, and it shatters on the floor. My normal response may be frustration, and saying to myself, UGH why did this happen?

Reframing: Yes, it sucks that this glass dropped, and it shattered, and it will be a pain to clean it up. HOWEVER, it is just a glass, I don’t have any cuts, and overall there is no devastation that I can’t overcome. It isn’t the end of the world.

What can I learn?: I need to slow down, be more mindful, and allow myself to make mistakes because I am just human like everyone else.