A simple way to counteract "Disqualifying the Positive"

Susan Westover describes a simple way to deal with a client's tendency to disqualify positive statements with a "but" (i.e. "Sure, I was assertive in asking for the job, but I didn't get it."). She suggests simply asking the client to reverse their sentence to "I didn't get the job, but at least I was assertive and asked."

She reports that this maneuver is simple but difficult at first. At first clients find it hard to catch themselves and reverse the sentence but she reports that after a few sessions they begin voicing the alternative.

She suggests that this has them disqualifying the negative expectations and expressing a more balanced view. She also suspects that the clients then are processing fewer negative self-statements and more positive self-statements.

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