Cynthia Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 My main coping strategy these days is an ounce of prevention, in that I start each day countering the thoughts I have in my head when I awake in a TEA form. I was in a cbt group that was lead by a former student of the brilliant Michelle Craske's (whose podcast can be listened to hear on this site) Craske wrote the foreword to the book Been there, Done that? DO THIS! by Sam Obitz that we used in my group and outlines the TEA form exercise in simple language. The TEA form has been a lifesaver for me because they enable you to change the way you process your thoughts and stop your obsessing over everything. The only downside is that initially trying to counter your thoughts is difficult and a bit frustrating but in my experience when you "get" them the sky becomes the limit as far as your ability to cope with everyday anxieties:D eminkilla and tcvqyfeckdh 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmays Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 Cynthia thank you very much for posting this. I just finished learning cbt and am continuing to do the tea forms everyday. They have turned my thinking around and made my life enjoyable again. I'm going to have to listen to that podcast when I have more time because I loved the Craske/Obitz book for it's simplistic approach to overcoming the ails caused by my anxiety. Take care! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karai Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 (edited) Hi Cynthia,I'm stupid and relatively new to t. so please tell me what TEA is. I did a search on one of the search engines and got that drink you make out of leaves!?! you know, tea? I found a lot of references to tea therapy but not TEA therapy! Please enlighten me! Thank you! p.s. I also did a search on the names you mentioned but got no references linking TEA w/ them. Edited June 8, 2009 by karai Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
confuzzed Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 I'd like to know more about TEA too, maybe that way I'll learn better how to stop beating myself up for everything.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynthia Posted June 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2009 Hi Karai and confuzzed,The TEA forms are a CBT exercise where you put down your thought that causes your anxiety, then you identify the common thinking errors that are contained in the thought and finally you analyze it and put down a more objective and consequently less upsetting thought that counters the original thought.They really make a huge difference for me and help me keep my anxiety under wraps for the most part. They take some practice but once you get them they help so much. I am not sure who invented them (Beck?) but I learned them in the book By Sam Obitz and Michelle Craske.Hope that is clear and helpful:confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynthia Posted June 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2009 Cynthia thank you very much for posting this. I just finished learning cbt and am continuing to do the tea forms everyday. They have turned my thinking around and made my life enjoyable again. I'm going to have to listen to that podcast when I have more time because I loved the Craske/Obitz book for it's simplistic approach to overcoming the ails caused by my anxiety. Take care!Hi Tmays,Good for you and keep doing them even when you are feeling great and if you are like me you will continue to grow and feel even better:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karai Posted June 12, 2009 Report Share Posted June 12, 2009 Hi Cynthia,This TEA therapy sounds difficult and complex, but interesting. I think I'll look into it.Thanks for the info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmays Posted June 25, 2009 Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 Karai & Confuzzed when you first see a TEA form they look simple but they are not at first or at least were not for me. But the more you do them the better you get at it and the more it starts to help turn your thinking around.I saw this linkhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9Z6DrVvVPEfor a couple of videos on CBT and TEA forms on another site. The guy has a thick accent but the vids are easy to watch. He admits he's not an expert at doing them (and I caught a few mistakes in his counter thoughts) but it is still pretty informative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karai Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 Thanks tmays,I'll check that video out. I still really don't know too much about TEA so I hope it helps. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynthia Posted July 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 Hi Cynthia,This TEA therapy sounds difficult and complex, but interesting. I think I'll look into it.Thanks for the info.I think they are harder than they look at first but not as hard to do as they sound, especially if you have someone like your therapist there to help you come up with the objective counter thoughts. They really are not hard to do once you catch on to doing them and they do help transform your thinking to eliminate most anxiety:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynthia Posted July 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 Karai & Confuzzed when you first see a TEA form they look simple but they are not at first or at least were not for me. But the more you do them the better you get at it and the more it starts to help turn your thinking around.I saw this linkhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9Z6DrVvVPEfor a couple of videos on CBT and TEA forms on another site. The guy has a thick accent but the vids are easy to watch. He admits he's not an expert at doing them (and I caught a few mistakes in his counter thoughts) but it is still pretty informative.Thx for that link I'll check them out when I have more time and let you know what I think of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmays Posted August 9, 2009 Report Share Posted August 9, 2009 Karai and Cynthia did you check out the link and if so, did you like it? I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on them. They are not perfect but I enjoyed them and thought they could be useful to others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karai Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 Hi tmays,Yes, I did check out that video. I found it very interesting, helpful and a bit entertaining (his accent wasn't that bad). I did learn a lot and it got me curious enough to think of getting the book. I think it presented a good synopsis on what TEA is. I still haven't made the attempt yet because of too much homework from my T ! I'm reading McKay's Self Esteem book, among other things, which is really taking a lot from me. I'm stuck! Can't move forward cuz I don't believe my self-descripton! Anyway, thanks for the heads up on that link. Very thoughtful of you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynthia Posted September 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2009 I still have not had a chance to check out the link but will try and check them out next week when things slow down for me a bit. Summer has been really busy for me this year. I'm glad you learned a bit from them Karai and can't wait to share my opinion on them after I get a chance to view them. I hope you give the TEA forms a try as they are really excellent and help me a great deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmays Posted September 27, 2009 Report Share Posted September 27, 2009 Hey Karai & Cynthia,Karai I am glad you liked the video and found it interesting. I hope you broke through being stuck and are moving forward now.Cynthia I am eager to hear your thoughts on the you tube vid on the TEA forms to hear your thoughts on it so please do report back when you get a cha.nce to check them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ASchwartz Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 Karai, Cynthia,We are all awaiting your replies and reactions, right Tmay?Allan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karai Posted October 9, 2009 Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 Hi Allan, Hi Tmays,Very sorry I have not responded to your posts. I have been sort of out-of-sorts and out of touch w/ the rest of the world, even at work, for the past month or so. Seems I've taken more than a couple of (hundred?) steps backwards. Been dragging myself to see my T, but things go right back to being bad a few hours later! Haven't seen him for a couple of weeks (conference out of town) but my appt. is tomorrow and unfortunately, I'm in worse shape than when he left! Well, I don't really feel like talking but I'll go to t. anyway, just to be somewhere, and hopefully things will change and I can get back to respond to your post. Maybe I should have paid more attention to that TEA form! Take care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ASchwartz Posted October 9, 2009 Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 Hi Karai,It is when we do not feel like talking, it is when we seem to slide backwards, it is when we do not want to go out, that we need to do those things the most. I am happy you are going to see you "T" and I want to encourage you to end your isolation. For someone who gets depressed, isolation is like an alcoholic reaching for the bottle.Allan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karai Posted October 21, 2009 Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 (edited) Hi Allan,I'm back---but only for a little while. I thought I might check in for a bit; I apologize for my long absence. I am feelng a bit better but I know it's going to take a little longer and the isolation is my security blanket. Work and spending time at the bookstore is as much as I can bring myself to do for now. Appointments w/ my T is my crutch. Thank you for your concern. I hope to be able to respond to Tmays' post soon. Take care. Edited October 21, 2009 by karai Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malign Posted October 21, 2009 Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 Kara,It's good to hear from you, even if things aren't going well for you, at the moment. I hope you feel better soon.I know you said that you feel you need isolation, so my next question might be a bit stupid, but (hey, it won't be the first time): Do you feel like talking about it, a bit? Would telling us help you, even a little?You know where to find us, when you do feel like talking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ASchwartz Posted October 22, 2009 Report Share Posted October 22, 2009 Hi Karai,It is really good to hear from you again.I know that isolation can feel like a security blanked. But, coming out is really good for you and for all of us. It really is. Believe me, just because I'm a therapist does not mean that I'm immune from the same things as you and everyone here. There are many times when I become a regular expert at self isolating. Fortunately, my work with people forces me out of it and that is a good thing. By the way, going to the book store is a good thing and much better than just staying home.Therapy is not a "crutch." It's an opportunity to confront those inner deamons and to learn and grow.Please stay with us, its so good to have you back again.Allan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karai Posted October 27, 2009 Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 Hi Allan and malign,Just checking in and to let you know that I'm still here, still in my funk! Thanks for being so patient w/ me. Allan, thanks for your concern. I know I really do need to stop thinking so much and, I guess, being so self-absorbed. It seems it is only getting more difficult to get out of the house, but I do make it to work and to my T appts. And you are right, I shouldn't think of my T sessions as a crutch, but an opportunity to get "unstuck"!malign, your questions are never stupid, and you usually make me laugh in your posts; you have a great sense of humor. You did make my day a bit brighter for a moment--thank you!I really don't want to talk about anything right now, but thank you for caring. I really appreciate both your kindness. Take care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ASchwartz Posted October 27, 2009 Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 Hi Karai,Hey, I am here for you and we are all here for you. Also, you do not have to discuss all that "emotional stuff" if you do not wish to. I enjoy knowing you are here and welcome your contributions, whether you are helping another person here or just making some jokes.Joking is healthy and I encourage you, me and all of us to laugh and try to see the humor in some of this life "stuff" we all deal with.Now that you said I was humorous I can't, for the life of me, think of anything funny to say. Oh well, don't worry, its nothing serious. After all, I am now 76.......Ooops, I mean 67. Whew, that feels better. Scared myself for a moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynthia Posted October 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 Ugh... I regret to say I have not viewed that video yet. Got busy and forgot all about it (i know silly excuse). I am going to try and check it out and get back to you soon. I am still doing my TEA forms though and feeling good:)Barring another brainfart I won't post again until I watch that video Tmays and Allan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ASchwartz Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Hi Cynthia,I urge you to post all you want. Why wait until you watch a video? Allan :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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