398: The Deep Freeze, Part 1 (of 2)

FROZEN: Part 1 of 2 Featuring Personal Work with Cody In today’s, and next week’s, podcasts. we present the next episode of live work with Cody. The first, which featured Rejection Practice for social anxiety, was published as Podcast #326 on January 9, 2023 at this LINK.
My co-therapist for this session was the wonderful Dr. Jill Levitt, the Director of Clinical Training at the Feeling Good Institute in Mt. View, California (LINK.).
Before I describe Cody’s session, I want to remind you that I am bringing back my annual, four-day summer intensive at the South San Francisco Conference Center this year, for the first time in five years. We had to abandon it due to the pandemic, and this year we are bringing it back to life on August 8 to 11. It will cover TEAM-CBT for depression and anxiety, but with a few changes, hopefully innovations and further improvements.
For one thing, you can attend in person or online this year, and Dr. Levitt will be teaching with me. This will make the experience even better, since Jill is a brilliant psychotherapy teacher, certainly among the top in the world! The in-person seating will be strictly limited to 100, so register early if you are interested, at
Intensive Information / Registration The online version will be identical, with many skilled experts to guide you in the many interactive exercises, making both the in person and online versions identical. However, the online will be roughly half the cost, so that could be an appealing option if you are cost-conscious or if you live far away. No travel needed this year!
But perhaps most important, this annual intensive always proves to be the best training experience of the year, with chances to learn sophisticated and magnificent TEAM techniques to use with your patients. But you will also have the chance to do your own personal work. Many, many people have said that the intensives are absolutely magical, and I totally agree!
In fact, the summer intensive might be the training you always dreamed about, but never really received, in graduate school!. Sadly, this workshop is a training program which will be limited to therapists and mental health professionals and graduate students in a mental health field Apologies, but therapists have complained when non-therapists have attended our continuing education training programs. This is partly because of the intimate nature of the small group exercises and the personal work the therapists may do during the workshop. Certified coaches and counselors are welcome to attend.
Now, back to the podcast, in which you’ll hear some additional TEAM-CBT magic. Cody asked for help with a problem that’s been bugging him for some time. He sometimes freezes up when asked to do a role play or answer a question during psychotherapy training sessions. This typically leads to an awkward silence, and feelings of intense anxiety, inadequacy, frustration, embarrassment and more.
Here's how he described it:
Upsetting event: I was doing a suicide screening role-play with our clinical supervisor and other therapists. After working through the first step of the role-play, I froze and did not say a word!
Here's how Cody was feeling.
Emotions
% Before % Goal % After Sad, blue, depressed, down, unhappy 40 Anxious, worried, panicky, nervous, frightened 95 Guilty, remorseful, bad, ashamed 20 Inferior, worthless, inadequate, defective, incompetent 40 Lonely, unloved, unwanted, rejected, alone, abandoned 50 Embarrassed, foolish, humiliated, self-conscious 100 Hopeless, discouraged, pessimistic, despairing 50 Frustrated, stuck, thwarted, defeated 50 Angry, mad, resentful, annoyed, irritated, upset, furious 30 Confused 60

As you can see and might imagine, the most intense feelings were anxiety and embarrassment, but several other feelings were fairly intense as well: such as feeling alone, discouraged, frustrated, and confused.
These were some of his negative thoughts on the Dailly Mood Log that he brought to the session, and the percent he believed each one. Thought 5a, b, and c are an Individual Downward Arrow series, designed to get at the Self-Defeating Beliefs underneath the Negative Thoughts.
What do you think Cody’s SDBs are? Take a guess, and then you can look up the answers, or at least my own thinking, at the end of the show notes.
Negative Thoughts
% Belief
1. I shouldn’t have screwed up. 80 2. I’m not good enough. 80 3. I don’t belong here/I shouldn’t be here. 50 4. Something is wrong with me (my brain) 100 5a. Everyone thinks I’m an idiot ↓ 100 5b. I should not be in this ↓profession ↓ 70 5c. I failed to find something I’m good at. ↓ 70 6. I’m worthless 60
Although freezing in social situations is fairly common, it can be incredibly challenging and painful for those who experience...

[@richardwburrill9247]

❤❤❤ I am so grateful Dr. Burns

[@daviddbmd]

You're very welcome! Thanks for your kind comment.

[@debbiea2951]

I could not listen to this. She talks over everyone.

[@daviddbmd]

That can be so irritating. Sadly, I often do that myself! best, david