Dr. David Burns

So thank you, everybody.

How to find one? You mean using a downward arrow technique or using the list of 23 or how to?

How to find one? You mean using a downward arrow technique or using the list of 23 or how to?

Sure. The what-if technique is a good one to get to core fears when you're struggling with anxiety. It doesn't always get to a self-defeating belief, but can sometimes get to a self-defeating belief. The individual downward arrow would always get to a self-defeating belief.

Sure. The what-if technique is a good one to get to core fears when you're struggling with anxiety. It doesn't always get to a self-defeating belief, but can sometimes get to a self-defeating belief. The individual downward arrow would always get to a self-defeating belief.

Okay.

Okay.

Yeah, I'll fail my test. Yeah, great. Jason, would you like to be my co-therapist? Sure. Or the solo therapist? Sure.

Yeah, I'll fail my test. Yeah, great. Jason, would you like to be my co-therapist? Sure. Or the solo therapist? Sure.

Okay, great, great. So we'll skip empathy. We'll skip positive reframing, which we've learned in the Tuesday group is always a huge mistake. But we'll do it anyway just to uncover the self-defeating belief. And you want to kick it off, Jason? So what's the negative thought again? I might fail my test.

Okay, great, great. So we'll skip empathy. We'll skip positive reframing, which we've learned in the Tuesday group is always a huge mistake. But we'll do it anyway just to uncover the self-defeating belief. And you want to kick it off, Jason? So what's the negative thought again? I might fail my test.

And by the way, you guys are moving awful fast. I'm writing everything down. And when you do this with yourself or for a patient, always have both people write it down with an arrow under each thought. And that way you can go back and review the chain. But you're off to a great start. I'll let you carry on. Jason? Jason?

And by the way, you guys are moving awful fast. I'm writing everything down. And when you do this with yourself or for a patient, always have both people write it down with an arrow under each thought. And that way you can go back and review the chain. But you're off to a great start. I'll let you carry on. Jason? Jason?

What are you most afraid of? Let's say you never get a good job. You always have kind of an average job. Yeah, that would mean I was a failure at everything.

What are you most afraid of? Let's say you never get a good job. You always have kind of an average job. Yeah, that would mean I was a failure at everything.

Just for the fun of it, we can go another dimension down, and let's imagine, Matt, that you were in fact worthless, and this might sound like a ridiculous question, but imagine that I'm from Mars, and I don't understand— You know what happens here on the surface of the earth.

Just for the fun of it, we can go another dimension down, and let's imagine, Matt, that you were in fact worthless, and this might sound like a ridiculous question, but imagine that I'm from Mars, and I don't understand— You know what happens here on the surface of the earth.

And so I would be asking you, and then on the earth, surface of the earth here, if you're worthless, why is that a bad thing? Because we don't have that way of thinking on Mars. What happens if you're worthless? You can't get coffee at Starbucks or what happens then?

And so I would be asking you, and then on the earth, surface of the earth here, if you're worthless, why is that a bad thing? Because we don't have that way of thinking on Mars. What happens if you're worthless? You can't get coffee at Starbucks or what happens then?

Oh, I see. Uh-huh. Everyone will reject me. And then if that were true, take it one more step, then is there something negative about that? I mean, it sounds kind of awful, but what would you be afraid of? You mean everyone in the world or everyone who knew you or all human beings?