There is a basic intervention in therapy called reframing. Essentially, reframing is a way of using language to present information, ideas, events or thoughts in a new way. This allows situations to be viewed and experienced differently, can change the meanings held around the situation, and can open a person up to considering possibilities about themselves and the situation that fall outside the cognitive blinders that may be limiting their perspective. This is mostly achieved linguistically by offering back information that was shared, but wording it slightly differently. Sometimes, it will be involve embedding the information shared into a larger context, thus allowing it to be reconsidered.
For example, I keep wanting to tell people that I am now an unemployed college drop-out. Clearly, this message has a negative connotation associated with it. My word choice (i.e. choosing vocabulary and terms that are stigmatized and commonly associated with negative images) and my choice to focus on limited aspects of my situation, and refraining from sharing the context, presents me as being rather unimpressive.
A reframe of this information, and one that I would be wise to use as my default, would be to express that I have recently withdrawn from a PhD program, and am shifting my focus towards utilizing my Master's degree to find a career in therapy and teaching, two areas that I am excited and passionate about. With this reframe, I am less likely to be associated with terms such as "dumb", "lazy" or "irresponsible", but could instead be associated with "intelligent", "ambitious" and "forward moving". And when I provided the context of already having an advanced degree, that offered a different view of who I am and the decision that I made.
Reframing can be a pretty powerful tool. I typically use this skill to take something negative and reframe it to something positive, particularly in my work as a therapist, and in my interactions with friends. Or to take something restrictive, and to reframe it to allow for more options and possibilities. I'm like to expand an individual's access to being agents to act.
Speaking of acting, I'm having fun polishing my resume, writing cover letters, and searching and applying for jobs and volunteer opportunities. Which is good, since I wouldn't want to waste my summer and risk someone mistaking me for a lazy, unemployed college drop-out.
For example, I keep wanting to tell people that I am now an unemployed college drop-out. Clearly, this message has a negative connotation associated with it. My word choice (i.e. choosing vocabulary and terms that are stigmatized and commonly associated with negative images) and my choice to focus on limited aspects of my situation, and refraining from sharing the context, presents me as being rather unimpressive.
A reframe of this information, and one that I would be wise to use as my default, would be to express that I have recently withdrawn from a PhD program, and am shifting my focus towards utilizing my Master's degree to find a career in therapy and teaching, two areas that I am excited and passionate about. With this reframe, I am less likely to be associated with terms such as "dumb", "lazy" or "irresponsible", but could instead be associated with "intelligent", "ambitious" and "forward moving". And when I provided the context of already having an advanced degree, that offered a different view of who I am and the decision that I made.
Reframing can be a pretty powerful tool. I typically use this skill to take something negative and reframe it to something positive, particularly in my work as a therapist, and in my interactions with friends. Or to take something restrictive, and to reframe it to allow for more options and possibilities. I'm like to expand an individual's access to being agents to act.
Speaking of acting, I'm having fun polishing my resume, writing cover letters, and searching and applying for jobs and volunteer opportunities. Which is good, since I wouldn't want to waste my summer and risk someone mistaking me for a lazy, unemployed college drop-out.
2 comments:
That is a pretty good reframe! And to be honest much more accurate of who you are! I'm so excited for this new adventure in your life and especially that you'll love what you're doing!
I like that reframe. How is the job search coming? It's a different world to get established as a clinician and I'm learning that even people who delay that step by going through a Ph.D. program still have to go through it at some point!
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