TM4T CBT - Types of Behaviour

Recap: you have three ways to change the pattern of how you feel-act-believe. The first (A) is to avoid the triggers which lead to unwanted thoughts, feelings and behaviour: not a good idea in most cases. Secondly, you can also (B) study and modify your thoughts. Finally, (C) you can change your behaviours. First step is to review your log sheets and identify any classic patterns:

1.   Success Stories

Some behaviours will trigger a warm feeling - they helped you to cope, or they let you achieve your objectives, or they just got you through the day. Identify these first.

You should focus on how things went for you - don't rely solely on comparisons with others, or preconceptions. Some behaviours may be right for you, but wrong for most teachers.  If 'yelling at students', for example, works for you - if it genuinely makes you feel better or helps you cope - don't agonise over how to stop. Accept it for now.

You should be careful that you don't skip over these good behaviours and focus on the bad news - that is an easy mistake to make. You have an opportunity here to work out what works for you, and seek to apply this in other areas, if appropriate (probably not yelling, though).

2.    Avoiding

What didn't you do?  What did you avoid?  Exactly what were you avoiding?  What would have happened if you had done what you you avoided?

3.    Habits

Just as we have automatic thoughts, we all have automatic behaviours too. Knee-jerk reaction behaviours, which we don't really think about, but just do. Now is a good time to consider whether these are helpful and productive, whether they simply waste energy, or if they are actually harmful (harmful includes harm to your achievement and harm to your physical and mental health).

4.    How other see us

Again, it is worth introducing an element of conscious objectivity into your consideration of behaviours. If someone else had been watching your behaviour, how would they have described it?  You may find that some of your behaviours - which seem sensible and normal to you - might actually appear extreme, silly or odd to other people.

5.    Good idea at the time

Sometimes, we take actions which seem entirely logical, but later turn out to have unexpected consequences. Look out for these, and consider whether it was a genuine mistake - for example, you may have acted with incomplete informatio, or if there was some flawed thinking involved.

6.    The ouch list

Let's be honest: when we look back at what we did and said when we were upset, or angry or anxious, it can sometimes simply make us cringe. We don't want to remember it... but we really should. Be honest about what needs to change.