PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEM SOLVING
SYSTEMATIC WORKS HERE, TOO
Overview Discussion, including:
Problem Solving Is Problem Solving
Distractions Do Not Solve The Problem
Symptom Solving Does Not Solve The Problem - The Biggest Mistake!
Completing The Process Is Absolutely Essential
Readings And Forms, including:
Solving Undesirer Results By Shifting Underlying Beliefs
The Process For Problem Solving
Forms That Are Helpful Here
Misidentifying The Problem(!)
The Pieces Of Good Problem-Selving
Calming And Handling The Emotion
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OVERVIEW DISCUSSION
PROBLEM SOLVING IS PROBLEM SOLVING
While it may take a bit more effort and focus and there may be some additional vagueness in some parts of psychology, the same basic techniques work in psychology as in business or other areas.
And the payoffs in this area are immensely rewarding for your efforts.
Since psychological problems are all based on misbeliefs about what works in life, one must understand the basis for the misbeliefs being the cause of the problem and, correspondingly, how to correct the misbeliefs and how to put into place a new mode of thinking.
You should read and be convinced about Emotion Management. It is the beliefs that cause the emotion, not the events. (See Misidentifying The Problem, below.) That will take some clarifying, so you should read the section so that you have adequate grounding to identify the problem and define it further.
And then you must understand the basis for beliefs (which most people think they do, but most are off) and the way to create new beliefs. That is covered in the section on Beliefs.
Once we have "solved" the beliefs, then we have to do the final step in problem solving, which is "do the action" called for until the result is achieved. It is crucial that you understand those if you want to live an excellent life. We've built that into most of the forms.
DISTRACTIONS DO NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM
If we override the problem or make it less apparent by using distractions, we should not mistake that temporary relief for being a true solution. Keeping oneself on a super-busy schedule may cause one to not be able to think of the problems directly, but, believe you me, it will actually create more of a continued stress that is not the problem but which will be its own problem.
Watching TV or smoking dope or eating to relieve oneself simply serve to distract and do not solve any problem.
Problems can only be solved by addressing them in a rational, systematic sequence.
SOLVING THE SYMPTOMS DO NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM! - THAT'S A HUGE MISTAKE!
One of the things many people think they understand is the principle of cause and effect, which is a key must in the understanding and creation of a good life.
It is simple. A cause causes an effect (result). Correspondingly, if there is an effect, then we know that there must be a cause. If we want to eliminate the bad result/effect, then we need to identify and correct the cause! (Much like problem solving, we must go backward from the result to the cause and then insert a new cause to create a new result. Duh!)
Our immediate need is to solve the symptom. If we get anxious, then we need to breathe deeply and slowly - or smoke a cigarette or whatever, but we really don't want to use symptom solvers that cause problems later, as that is the height of stupidity! If we need a boost, we go to a motivational seminar or we read a book.
But if we just string together alot of immediates, we still have not solved the "problem causer", so we keep on having the problem reappear only to have to solve it again and again.
It is clear, so I beseech you to believe, that:
"Solving the symptoms, never solves the cause. Thinking people solve the cause of the problem, so that they won't keep on getting the effects (symptoms) of the problem." (From Thinking Isn't So Difficult.)
There is evidence all around you of people who have been dealing with symptoms for years and years, but making no progress. That is simply from "wrong targeting", as the target to be solved is the cause of it all!
COMPLETING THE PROCESS IS ESSENTIAL
An incompletely solved problem is still a problem. Finishing the process, even imperfectly, is what is needed. Otherwise, it's like those houses that have all the rusty cars in the front yard, incompleted projects waiting to be done.
While each important problem needs to be completely solved, we often need to prioritize so that we are spending our efforts on what will make the biggest difference in our lives. In psychology, there are normally a few core beliefs or core statements we have about life that support many others. By solving the key erroneous "pillars" that hold the rest up, we often collapse many others at the same time.
Also, since the key psychological problem is normally a set of misbeliefs about life and oneself, then the solution lies in establishing correct beliefs - essentially a new philosophy of life that holds together and makes sense - and which can be accessed and memorized and used to bolster one's avoidance of the drift into the old beliefs.
A structure that identifies that and holds it together into a workable whole lies in the Reminders Notebook, which has the slots for you to insert what is true and workable into an infrastructure of beliefs than work and support each other. I recomend you consider that as an approach, as noted in the discussion in that section on how to implement it quickly.
MORE LEARNING ABOUT EFFECTIVE PROBLEM SOLVING
Since life absolutely has lots of problems (opportunities) to solve to get what you really want, becoming very competent at decision-making and problem-solving is highly, highly recommended. See Problem Solving, under Life Management, for additional tools that can be used in this area. See, in that section, Creating More Ideas, Inputs and Thinking Pieces Relevant To Effective Problem Solving.
SOLVING UNDESIRED RESULTS BY SHIFTING UNDERLYING BELIEFS
Using an unfavorable situation one has experienced, this process, if you have any
ability to be rational (which you do!), can have you seeing much more clearly what
is occurring and how to actually come to closure.
Highly, highly recommended!!
Thought Change Record - The process used by cognitive behaviorists, where you
locate your thoughts and emotions and address some alternative ways of
thinking.
(F) Conscious Upset Resolution Exercise - Worksheet - Useful personally and in a
relationship. Download (click on the link) this worksheet from (Resources, The
CURE) EnlightenedPartners.com and use it to objectify your internal experience
and to vent, take steps to resolve the cause of the upset, and to create
understanding and compassion. See also on the linked site: The Anatomy Of
Negative Belief Structure. If you're dealing with a relationship problem, print out
"The Cure Part II".
THE PROCESS FOR PROBLEM-SOLVING
The Process Of Changing - Very Doable - The five stages and the process for
making change happen.
(F) 316 Problem Resolution Checklist - Include all these factors for a better decision. A
reminders/checklist form, including all of what to consider and a checklist for
seeking solutions.
FORMS THAT ARE HELPFUL HERE
(F) 480 Psychological Perspective/Problems Forms - Objective description of what
happened, what said to self, some perspective questions, questioning of thinking,
and then the answers and final perspective. This is a more rational way of
making conclusions than the way most of our conclusions have been made!!!!
(F) 316 Problem Solving Forms - This includes a short one (slightly over a page) and a
more thorough, deeper one where needed. These forms are for any problem, not
just psychological.
The Ben Franklin T - Decision System - See the simple one, the intermediate one
and/or the ultimate one to make crystal clear evaluations.
for simply observing the "problem", noting its impact clearly, getting clear on
what the actual desired goal is, and then choosing what will work to and who you
need to be to make that happen. A breakthrough often occurs, even though we
are starting with a "breakdown."
MISIDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM(!)
"trigger" or "event" as the cause of the problem, but it is actually more based on
a "thought" and then a chemical body reaction that is uncomfortable. The
commitment to be a solver of an "actual problem" is asked in this piece - make
that commitment and you'll experience far fewer unsolved and/or continuing
problems.
THE PIECES OF GOOD PROBLEM-SOLVING
Intuition - Does it work, and, if so, how can it be used?
EMOTIONAL IDENTIFICATION AND ACCEPTANCE
Focusing - A method of "looking" to see what is going on inside, scanning one's
body which will inevitably reveal that something is amiss and then going through a
process to accept, hold, nourish and "complete" where needed. See the
Recommended Books section for the "Power Of Focusing".
(F) My Child Statements - What Is My Child Saying - You can go directly to what your
"inner child" is saying about a happening or what someone did, then go one step
deeper and identify what is going on, then completing the process with a
statement that is "re-formed" (formed anew to be much more effective).
CALMING AND HANDLING THE EMOTION
useful exercise for being in touch with what your mind is saying that can be
picked up in the body and then applying the loving and nurturing to it that you have
always wanted.
Sentence Stemming - Coming soon
(F)
= FORM
Use these forms to guide you
Psychological And Problem Solving Forms - Pick a few you're likely to use and keep them in a file or in your reference notebook. I would recommend your having one that is just related to your psychology, including beliefs, statements, problems, emotions. You night call it My Psych or simply "Me".
