Helping the client revise the deep conclusions about self and world based on past experience. Not "replacing negative thoughts" but updating the causal theory.
Step-by-step guide
- Recall the stamp: "You used to believe — 'I'm not good enough'. Remember?"
- Gather counter-evidence from SA: "In how many situations does AO = DO? What does that say?"
- Gather data from IDE: "I am different from your mother. That colleague is different. What does that mean?"
- Help formulate the updated stamp: "How would you say it now?"
- Options: "Sometimes I am good enough. Some people value me"
- Check: the updated stamp must be realistic, not idealized
When to use
- In the middle and closing phase
- When enough successful SAs and IDE experiences have accumulated
Key phrases
The sentence "I'm not good enough" was a conclusion you drew at eight. We have some new evidence now. How would an eight-year-old you, seeing our data, write the sentence today? Not perfect — just truer.
Follow-up questions
What pieces of the old stamp still feel true?
What pieces do not fit the new evidence?
How would you write the updated version?
Is this wording honest, or too rosy?
Alternative phrasings
Updated does not mean cheerful — it means truer.
We can carry both: the old and the updated, side by side.
Warnings
- ⚠️ Do not hurry. Stamps are formed over years. Their revision is a process, not an event.
Materials are informational and educational and summarize publicly available scientific sources. They are not medical or psychological advice, are not intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment, and do not replace consultation with a qualified professional.