Balanced Decision-Making: Tapping Into Your Thoughtful Self
Making decisions can be a complex process, influenced by both how we think and how we feel. In Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), we understand that our thoughts, emotions, and behaviours are closely connected. By increasing awareness of our thinking patterns and emotional responses, we can develop more balanced and effective decision-making strategies.
At Perissos Psychology, we use CBT techniques to help clients become more aware of unhelpful thinking patterns and replace them with more balanced, realistic thoughts, supporting better choices and outcomes.
Understanding the CBT Approach to Decision-Making:
CBT offers powerful tools for examining the interplay between thoughts, emotions, and behaviours:
- Automatic Thoughts: These are the immediate, often emotion-driven thoughts that pop into our mind, in response to a situation. They can be biased or distorted and may lead to impulsive or unhelpful decisions.
- Cognitive Restructuring: This is the process of challenging unhelpful thoughts and considering more balanced alternatives. By evaluating the evidence for and against a thought, we gain clarity and reduce the influence of distorted thinking.
- Behavioural Experiments: CBT encourages testing out new ways of thinking through real-world actions. This helps us see the impact of different decisions and reinforces more adaptive patterns.
Accessing Your Thoughtful Self
CBT encourages a mindful pause between stimulus and response—creating space to reflect, evaluate, and choose. This is where we access our “thoughtful self”, the part of us that is aware of our emotions but not overwhelmed by them, and capable of considering evidence and values before acting.
Think of cognitive flexibility like a muscle. With regular practice—challenging distorted thoughts, staying present, and testing new responses—you build your capacity to make thoughtful, balanced decisions, even under pressure.
Practical Steps to Support CBT-Informed Decision-Making:
- Pause and Identify Your Thoughts: Notice your immediate thoughts about the situation. What’s running through your mind?
- Label Your Emotions: Acknowledge the emotions you’re feeling. What emotions are influencing your thoughts or actions?
- Challenge Cognitive Distortions: Are your thoughts accurate, or are they filtered through biases like catastrophising, black-and-white thinking, or mind-reading?
- Consider Alternatives: What’s another way to interpret the situation? What would you say to a friend in the same position?
- Choose a Balanced Response: With both your thoughts and emotions considered, decide on an action that aligns with your values and long-term goals.
If you’d like to explore this approach further, our team of therapists are here to help you build CBT-based skills for clearer, more balanced decision-making—both personally and professionally.