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mindfulness and the city being in the moment By Matt Broadway-Horner

The demands on each of us are increasing and the days are not getting longer. The guilt placed on the city dweller to improve ones mind is constant. Bookings to the latest private viewing at a gallery, eat at the latest opening of a new restaurant to name a few activities that are carried out to defend against the criticism and keeps us busy.

But have we lost our way and

go through the motions and have forgotten to enjoy the process, and instead look to the end result? The city is full of distractions and can cater all tastes and desires. But do we need our time to be

filled or can we use what is available to us now to bring calm and enjoyment in the simple pleasures. There is a whole array of pleasures around us but they may initially look absurd for us to comprehend the usefulness of such simplicity.

Have you ever being on

holiday and taken 101 pictures of a mosaic that was very interesting at the time but when you collect pictures from the developer most of the photos end up in the bin. It is at these moments that senses were engaged in the moment and then we click away on the camera. Well lets try this now and go for a

walk at lunchtime and act as if you are the tourist and have just arrived and develop the curiosity to smell, taste, look, touch and hear what is around. In Cognitive Behavioural Therapy this is called the Tourist exercise. Think about the wind brushing upon the face, the sound of twigs breaking underneath the feet. Look up and around and make a mental note of what you notice around about. You may need to ‘just do’ the exercise before the motivation kicks in. For comments please send to matt@cbtinthecity.com

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Introduction Matt Broadway-Horner Editor

What is OCD? Matt Broadway-Horner Editor

Thinking errors-What are they? Matt Broadway-Horner Editor

Thinking errors quiz Matt Broadway-Horner Editor

CBT made a difference! Colin

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This is a problem of having intrusive and unwanted thoughts, images, and sensations, feelings that pop into the mind/body. These are many types or fears in OCD:- Cleaning due to a fear of being contaminated, Staying away from children and locking themselves away so that will not harm any children-fear that they will turn into a paedophile.

Fear of harming others-so they will throw out knives and anything harmful to ensure that family members and friends are safe. Fear of harming self-they will not walk near the edge of the road, not stand near the edge of train station platform for fear that they will involuntarily push them selves in.

Fear of turning in the antichrist- they will stop and watch over and over a scene of a film to ensure that the antichrist will not appear and their loved ones are safe. These are just a few OCD types/fears and all are disabling and can significantly

reduce quality of life. The sufferer of OCD can become an overcomer through CBT treatment. This is the recommended form of treatment and can help the person to realise that all the rituals to neutralise the anxiety is causing the problem. If they don’t do the ritual to get rid of the intrusive thoughts etc then OCD tells them that they are mad, bad or dangerous and that they should not trust themselves.

CBT can help to view the problem from a different

perspective and this helps to reduce the disability and help them enjoy a reclaimed life. For more information on how to make a referral then please contact the clinic on 02075588894 or matt@cbtinthecity.com

obsessive compulsive disorder what is it? By Matt Broadway-Horner

This is a problem of having intrusive and unwanted thoughts, images, sensations, feelings, that pop into the mind/body

Matt Broadway-Horner

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We all have these thinking errors that can make our lives difficult, here are 11 most common. All or Nothing Thinking…or “black and white” thinking. Things are polarised into “either…or” extremes. There is no middle ground, e.g. “Either I am a success at this or I am a total failure” or “I either do things perfectly or it’s a complete waste of time”.

Overgeneralisation.....Evidence is drawn from one experience or a small set of experiences to reach an unwarranted conclusion with far-reaching implications. It is associated with words like “always” and “never”, e.g. “I never succeed at anything” or “Bad things are always happening to me”.

Mental Filtering and Disqualifying the Positive. Undesirable or negative events, memories or implications are focused upon and enlarged. Positive or even neutral information is ignored, disqualified as irrelevant or viewed as exceptions to the rule, e.g. “Anyone can do that” or “People are only nice to me because they feel sorry for me”.

Mind Reading. We assume that we know others’ thoughts, intentions or motives, eg “He doesn’t like me” or “They think I’m stupid”.

Fortune-telling. We predict negative outcomes prematurely, e.g. “What is the point in trying, it won’t work out” or “I’ll never feel differently”.

Catastrophic Thinking/Exaggeration of Threat Probability Distortion – exaggerating the

changes of a negative experience occurring, eg “I know they won’t like me”.

Severity Distortion – exaggerating the consequences of what would happen if the negative experience did occur. Believing a “bad” outcome would be truly “awful” or “terrible”.

Demands (should’s, must’s, need to, have to etc) Absolutist demands placed on self and

others, which dictate rigid standards or reflect an unrealistic degree of presumed control over external events, e.g. “I must not make mistakes” or “I absolutely should not have this problem” or “Others must change their disagreeable behaviour”.

Illogical Thinking/Arbitrary Inference We make unwarranted connections between

ideas that are either unrelated or related in a different way, e.g. “If I haven’t shown substantial

improvement by now, I’ll never get well”. Personalisation and Blame. Events or situations

are interpreted as indications of something negative about you. In fact, they have nothing to do with you, e.g. “The boss is quiet because I am unlikeable and incompetent” or “If people don’t seem to be enjoying themselves at my party, it’s all my fault”.

Labelling. Shortcomings/failures are identified

with the individual character, e.g. “Because I failed an exam, I am a failure” or “He’s a total S.O.B. for doing that”.

Selective Attention. Interpreting internal stimuli, eg increased heart rate, dizziness, as definite indications of impending catastrophe, eg heart-attack, fainting etc.

Low Frustration Tolerance. Believing that discomfort or painful feelings are “unbearable” or that you “can’t stand” difficult situations or difficult behaviour from others.

‘Low Frustration Tolerance. Believing that discomfort or painful feelings are “unbearable” or that you “can’t stand” difficult situations or difficult behaviour from others.’.

what are thinking errors? an alternative view By Matt Broadway-Horner

Taken from the Therapy pack on How to deal with Negative Automatic Thoughts. CBT in the City Clinics 2010

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cognitive behaviour therapy made a difference!.... the human condition

By Colin

I did not realise that I was suffering from OCD until I met with Matt. I knew it was anxiety but I had not told anyone about my intrusive and unwanted thoughts. They would just pop in and I hated myself for having them. I would wait for all my housemates to go to sleep before I went to bed. I had frightening images of me walking around with a knife and killing all that were dear to me.

I threw out knives in the bin and I started to

eat sandwiches rather than make a meal. I would ensure that my routine was in place before going to sleep. I would set up traps so that if I did wake up and harm anyone then I would trip up over things hoping that this would stop me.

Matt help me see through using CBT that

these were just thoughts and that I did not have to be a prisoner to them. I am now able to cook meals using sharp knives, go to bed early and at any time, have a relationship! and more importantly enjoy life.

“Cognitive Behaviour Therapy helped me to overcome my Obsessive Compulsive Disorder...try it!”

CBTMONTHLY CBT in the City Clinics

10 Harley Street London W1G 9PF

Matt Broadway-Horner Editor 10 Harley Street London W1G 9PF

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