negative self-talk

Steps to Overcoming Dread: Calming Your Mind and Building Resilience with Self-Help Techniques

by John Nolan
29th March 2025

Feelings of dread often involve activation of the brain’s threat system (amygdala) and an overwhelmed cortex, accompanied by negative thinking patterns, anticipation of threat, and negative self-talk. To overcome dread, techniques such as CPR for the Amygdala (combining self-havening and brain games), self-havening alone, challenging negative self-talk, practising mindfulness and acceptance, focusing on solutions, ACT-based defusion, applied relaxation (breathing), cultivating self-compassion, and the LLAMP approach can be effective. These methods work by calming the nervous system, redirecting attention, creating psychological distance from negative thoughts, promoting self-acceptance, and shifting focus towards positive possibilities and values. Consistent practice and patience are key to building resilience and reducing the impact of dread.

The Pitfalls of Trying to Eliminate Negative Self-Talk and How to Manage It

by John Nolan
23rd January 202515th February 2025

Trying to eliminate negative self-talk can backfire, making the negative thoughts stronger. Instead of fighting negative self-talk, try using techniques such as acknowledging and labelling thoughts, defusion, reframing, and focusing on solutions. These tools help to manage the impact of negative self talk in a more compassionate and effective way.

Exploring NLP Techniques for Anxiety Relief4th April 2025
NLP offers a variety of techniques for managing anxiety by focusing on how individuals process information and create internal experiences. These techniques include identifying triggers, reframing perspectives, accessing past solutions, creating relaxation anchors, altering submodalities, and working with one's mental timeline. The underlying principle is to empower individuals to understand and change negative thought patterns and emotional responses associated with anxiety. Some NLP practitioners are also incorporating Havening techniques to enhance relaxation and receptivity to NLP interventions. Additionally, clients are being taught self-help tools like CPR for the amygdala, which combines breathing and touch to manage immediate anxiety.
The Underlying Mechanisms of Anxiety3rd April 2025
Anxiety arises and persists through a combination of the body's stress response, specific brain mechanisms involving threat detection and information processing, neurochemical influences, and the impact of learned psychological patterns like worry, avoidance, and negative thinking. The brain's neuroplasticity allows anxiety responses to become entrenched habits, while psychological factors such as fear of anxiety and non-acceptance further perpetuate the cycle.
Strategies for Managing Workplace Anxiety2nd April 2025
Coping with anxiety at work involves a multifaceted approach that includes setting healthy boundaries, making adjustments to the work environment, practising mindfulness and cognitive techniques, building assertiveness, and utilising available support. Gradual exposure to anxiety-provoking situations and a focus on problem-solving can also be effective strategies. Ultimately, learning to accept anxious feelings while staying engaged with work tasks and values is crucial for long-term well-being and effective coping with anxiety at work.
Supporting Wellbeing: Coaching for Stress Management at Work1st April 2025
Coaching for stress management at work is a collaborative process focused on helping individuals within a professional context to better understand and handle workplace pressures. It involves techniques like solution-focused questioning, exploring past successes, developing coping skills, and setting boundaries to enhance wellbeing and performance.
Coaching Beyond the Shadows: Embracing a Future-Oriented Path from Depression1st April 2025
Depression coaching centres on empowering individuals to move beyond current difficulties by focusing on their strengths and future aspirations. Key principles include fostering hope, leveraging strengths, setting achievable goals aligned with values, and cultivating acceptance. A future-oriented approach proves particularly effective by shifting focus from problems to possibilities, generating hope and motivation, creating clear goals, breaking rumination cycles, empowering agency, and building resilience. By illuminating a path forward, depression coaching supports individuals in actively creating the fulfilling lives they desire.