Stinkin’ Thinkin’

Woot woot! It’s another great start of the week. A new day, a new week, and a new you. Every week, every day, is an opportunity to reinvent any part of yourself that you want. That’s pretty amazing, isn’t it? I’m always in awe of the elasticity of the human spirit, of our ability to pick ourselves up, imagine better and greater and different lives for ourselves, and then build the foundations, bridges, staircases, elevators, vehicles, etc to get us there. Man. As a species, we’re pretty tops.

Not all the time, I know. Sometimes, as a species, we’re petty, mean, pathetic, lazy…well, you know all the words.

But, we have the opportunity to go from bottom to top any time we set our minds to it. And I kinda love that about us.

My friend and business partner, Paul Taylor, calls the back-sliding we do on occasion “stinkin’ thinkin’.” I think that’s brilliant. Paul also teaches people how to change that thinking through cognitive restructuring. The results I see from his work are pretty awesome.

In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) specifically in supporting incarcerated individuals and those involved with the justice system. CBT offers a powerful framework for addressing maladaptive thoughts (stinkin’ thinkin’), behaviors, and emotions, empowering individuals to make positive changes in their lives both during and after their involvement with the criminal justice system. CBT, particularly the way Paul teaches it, can play a transformative role in working with incarcerated individuals and justice-involved individuals in the community. It really is a game-changer for people who’ve never been taught to think about how they think.

Cognitive behavior therapy is an evidence-based therapeutic approach that focuses on identifying and challenging negative thought patterns and behaviors. It emphasizes the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and teaches individuals practical strategies to manage their emotions and change unhelpful patterns of thinking and acting. You learn to identify errors in your thinking then replace them with thoughts that elicit different actions. Change your thinking and you change your behavior.

In correctional settings, CBT is used to address a wide range of issues commonly experienced by incarcerated individuals, including substance abuse, anger management, depression, anxiety, and trauma. Through group therapy sessions, individual counseling, and structured programs, incarcerated individuals learn valuable coping skills, emotion regulation techniques, and problem-solving strategies to help them navigate the challenges of incarceration and prepare for successful reentry into the community.

Some key points about CBT and criminogenic thinking:

Cognitive Restructuring: CBT helps individuals identify and challenge distorted thinking patterns, such as black-and-white thinking, catastrophizing, and self-blame. By replacing negative thoughts with more balanced and realistic ones, individuals can develop a healthier mindset and reduce their risk of reoffending.

Behavioral Activation: CBT encourages individuals to engage in positive, goal-directed activities that promote well-being and personal growth. By setting and achieving meaningful goals, individuals can increase their sense of self-efficacy and build a more fulfilling life.

Skill-Building: CBT teaches practical skills for managing stress, anger, cravings, and other triggers that contribute to criminal behavior. These skills may include relaxation techniques, assertiveness training, communication skills, and problem-solving strategies.

Relapse Prevention: CBT equips individuals with strategies to identify and cope with high-risk situations that may lead to relapse or reoffending. By developing a relapse prevention plan and practicing healthy coping skills, individuals can maintain their progress and avoid returning to harmful behaviors.

Beyond correctional settings, CBT plays a vital role in community-based programs that support justice-involved individuals during reentry and beyond. These programs offer a continuum of care, providing ongoing counseling, support groups, vocational training, housing assistance, and other services to help individuals reintegrate into society and lead productive lives that are free from further justice involvement.

Cognitive behavior therapy offers a beacon of hope for incarcerated individuals and justice-involved individuals who want to put in the self-change work to break free from the cycle of crime and incarceration. By addressing the underlying factors contributing to criminogenic thinking and equipping individuals with the skills they need to succeed, CBT paves the way for positive change and a brighter future. As we continue to expand access to CBT in correctional settings and community-based programs, we can empower individuals to rewrite their stories and build lives of meaning, purpose, and resilience.

It’s not bad for those of us who aren’t justice involved either. When I was being trained as a CBT instructor, we had to do these thinking reports over and over, listing our thoughts, feelings, attitudes and beliefs that contribute to conflict cycles in our lives. I noticed that I do a lot of ruminating when I’m tired, feeling threatened, disrespected, or incompetent, and my rumination was making everything worse. I still ruminate, but I recognize it earlier and replace those crazy thinking errors just spinning in a loop in my head earlier than I used to, which has led to a much calmer existence. We’re all guilty of running those crazy tapes in our head. (Don’t tell me you aren’t a ruminator. It’ll make me feel bad about myself). :) But cognitive restructuring can at least help you to hit pause and rethink.

So your homework this week is to fill your brilliant head with good thoughts only. Identify the ones that aren’t serving you and eject those tapes! Then replace them with how capable, smart, kind, and brilliant you are.

And don’t judge me for using a cassette analogy. I know who you are. That’s a negative thought, buddy, so eject “Gee. Dr. Lopez is talking old-school technology” and replace with something like, “Wow. Dr. Lopez is so vintage!”

That’s better.

If you want to know more about bringing CBT instruction to students or groups of any kind, contact us here at our nonproift Hand2HeartDC. I can’t recommend Paul highly enough!

Have a stellar week Sunday Morning Coffee-ites!