Stop Ruminating | 7-Minutes

Do you ever find yourself ruminating, replaying the same thought over and over, unable to let it go?

This 7-min ACT defusion practice is designed to help you loosen the grip of rumination by changing the way you relate to your thoughts. Using the phrase “I am having the thought that…,” you’ll be guided to place the thought in front of you instead of getting lost inside of it.

Use this during overthinking, anxious spirals, regret, “what if” thinking, or anytime your mind won’t stop looping. With regular practice, it can become easier to unhook from mental loops and return your attention back to the present moment. Please note that this practice is for educational purposes and does not replace professional mental health care.

If this helped, explore my "Therapy Tools & Techniques" Playlist on my teacher profile for more such techniques.

Music Credit: The Inner Calling by Music of Wisdom

Transcript

Today we are going to practice a diffusion technique. From Add to therapy. In this practice. Instead of trying to get rid of thoughts. We are simply. Creating a little space around them. If it feels okay, Ask yourself, What negative thoughts? Have been going through my mind lately. What have you been thinking about? In the last few days. Choose any one. Of those negative thoughts. That is the most reoccurring. And notice. Start on a scale of 0 to 10. How much distress. What is this thought causing? We will gently shift the weight. In which you see this thought. So instead of saying, For example, I am not good enough. See if you can see. I am having the thought that. And then insert your thoughts. For example, I am having the thought that I am not good enough. And notice. Does anything change? Even slightly. Maybe there is a little bit more space or a little less pulling towards that thought. So the pull of that thought has decreased. By changing the way in which you state that thought. Know if it feels okay. Try repeating this statement one more time. I notice. I am having the thought that and then insert your thought. Notice what happens inside. As you relate to the thought in this way. Is that thought still causing the same level of distress? Or has adding this line before the thought. Led to any change. Maybe the thought is still here. But maybe now you can see it. Instead of being inside it. Because you are not your thoughts. You are the one who notices them. And with practice, Thoughts will still come. But your relationship to them. Can begin to change. Take a moment now. To feel the support beneath you. And when you are ready. Allow yourself to relax. To return back to your room. Feel free to come back to this practice. Anytime you need it. Till then, Take care.