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Behavioural Experiment

SESSION 12 OF 18

Duration 12mins 06secs

In this session, Dr Lauren Axelsen shows us how to challenge our stubborn assumptions and rules by using a behavioural experiment. She walks us through a step-by-step process to design a good experiment to test our beliefs that we are having difficulty shifting.

With clear steps to follow, Dr Axelsen urges us to start somewhere achievable and provides us with common situations that are likely to crop up. The opportunity here is to evaluate our beliefs by collecting evidence from situations which could perpetuate conflict or limitations.

Download the following resources to accompany this session:

  1. Behavioural Experiment example

ALL SESSIONS IN THIS MODULE: Depression Relief Therapy

01

Understanding Your Depression

In this session, Dr Lauren Axelsen describes the symptoms of depression, and how they may vary from person to person. We discover how to identify depression, which is an important first step to take towards treating depression. Dr Axelsen identifies the various types of symptoms, which include; physical, behavioural, thoughts and feelings.

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02

Challenging Your Automatic Thoughts

In this session, Dr Lauren Axelsen shows us how to challenge our automatic thoughts. When we are depressed our thoughts can be very distressing and confronting, you might have noticed how much of a bully you can be to yourself. Dr Axelsen offers us an effective way to develop an alternative thought based on evidence....

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03

Monitoring Your Depression

In this session, Dr Lauren Axelsen shows us how to monitor our depression. When everything feels like a struggle, and we are without joy, it's not enough rating our mood with an arbitrary 1 to 10.Dr Axelsen guides us through the process of monitoring our typical week, showing us how to create meaningful mood monitors...

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04

Grief and Guilt

In this session, Dr Lauren Axelsen investigates the complications with grief and guilt, which can send us into a depressive cycle. She describes the difference between guilt and depression and how our self-blame can be a precursor for depression. Dr Axelsen shows us how to use a thought challenging process called ‘responsibility reattribution’ to shift...

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05

Goal Setting For Your Recovery

In this session, Dr Lauren Axelsen discusses coming to terms with suffering from depression. She addresses the problems you might be noticing, offering steps to change by using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to set new behavioural goals.

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06

Unhelpful Predictions

In this session, Dr Lauren Axelsen investigates the deeper levels of thought in terms of our assumptions and rules. Following on from the earlier session in Challenging Your Automatic Thoughts, Dr Axelsen assesses the rationality of assumptions and rules that guide our behaviour, and can maintain our depression. Dr Axelsen shows us how to challenge...

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07

Challenging Your Core Beliefs

In this session, Dr Lauren Axelsen shows us how to challenge our negative core beliefs that perpetuate depression. Acknowledging a core belief can be painful and challenging but it’s very important that we confront them. Dr Axelsen provides us with effective techniques that are designed to help us look at our negative core beliefs in...

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08

Reactivating Your Life

In this session, Dr Lauren Axelsen discusses how to schedule activities into our week that will lift our mood. When we’re depressed everything feels like a struggle, we stop doing activities because we no longer enjoy them or we feel worthless. This is a slippery slope that worsens our depression.

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09

Perpetuating Behaviour

In this session, Dr Lauren Axelsen investigates the perpetuating behaviours that we often use as copying strategies to protect ourselves from depression and anxiety. When we are feeling distressed or upset, we often feel like we need to protect ourselves. Perpetuating behaviours and the subtler ‘safety’ behaviours, are designed to keep us safe in the...

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010

Positive Data Logs

In this session, Dr Lauren Axelsen congratulates us for making our new core belief, before explaining the importance of positive data logs, which are needed to support our new core beliefs. Dr Axelsen explains the different ways we can collect and create evidence to support our new core beliefs. She outlines what a positive data...

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011

Healthy Sleep Routines

In this session, Dr Lauren Axelsen investigates the complications with sleep disorders. Experiencing issues with sleep is a common symptom of depression. Dr Axelsen explains the complications with the two sleep disorders; insomnia and hyper-somnia. She discusses why it is very important to develop a healthy sleep routine, showing us how to develop good sleep...

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012

Behavioural Experiment « you are here

In this session, Dr Lauren Axelsen shows us how to challenge our stubborn assumptions and rules by using a behavioural experiment. She walks us through a step-by-step process to design a good experiment to test our beliefs that we are having difficulty shifting.

013

Emotional Tolerance

In this session, Dr Lauren Axelsen shows us that emotion is a healthy human experience. Dr Axelsen explains what primary emotion and secondary emotion are and describes emotional regulators which assist with our understanding of emotion. Dr Axelsen provides strategies to help ease anxiety and control arousal by using a short meditation that helps articulate...

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014

Capturing Your Automatic Thoughts

In this session, Dr Lauren Axelsen investigates negative thoughts that make us feel despair, rage or guilt. She explains the automatic thought process and shows us how to capture these negative thoughts and identify them as symptoms of our depression. We discover how to start looking at our negative thoughts in an objective, evidence based...

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015

Identifying Your Core Beliefs

In this session, Dr Lauren Axelsen investigates core beliefs, outlining what the common core beliefs in depression are, and how to identify what ours might be. She explains that there are confirmed negative beliefs which come with depression and they're very hard to shift. We all have core beliefs about ourselves, they can be positive...

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016

Self-Compassion

In this session, Dr Lauren Axelsen examines what self-compassion is and what it is not. She outlines the underlying problems a depressed person may experience, highlighting self-esteem issues. Dr Axelsen discusses changing the tone we speak to ourselves in, and guides us through an experience of self-compassion, offering us the skills to practice ourselves. This...

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017

Suicide Safety Planning

In this session, Dr Lauren Axelsen walks us through how to create a safety plan for times of crisis, when you are considering how and when to take your life. Suicidal thoughts and planning are symptoms of depression, that arise as a natural progression from feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. Dr Axelsen provides us with...

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018

Relapse Prevention

In this session, Dr Lauren Axelsen firstly congratulates us on coming out of a depressive episode. This is a wonderful place to be and it’s likely you don’t want to look back. However, depression does tend to return, especially if you’ve had more than one episode. Dr Axelsen discusses the importance of creating a relapse...

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ALL MODULES IN THIS SERIES

Module One: 6 sessions

Depression Relief Therapy

with Dr Lauren Axelsen

View Module

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