Using CBT and Guided Conflict Imagery to Manage Stress

We will take some time to do some worksheets in which you will be asked to examine ways to deal with conflicts effectively. During the process, you will be asked to use your self-awareness skills. Thus, you can build a degree of self-awareness by practicing the procedures often. Throughout the session, worksheets, practices, and a diary will be presented to you. We will ask you to start writing in a diary to record your daily actions and thoughts and how you handled situations. The diary will help you to see deeper inside yourself, expand your awareness and allow you to find solutions from new discoveries that help you to deal with stress more effectively.

Practice CBT and face your fears

Using CBT guided imagery, we ask that you find a comfortable area in which to relax. Once you are in position, relax and guide your mind into the here and now.

Now, picture yourself in a grocery store. Things seem to be going smoothly, until all of a sudden you look up and see someone you recognize. Feelings emerge, as you see the person coming closer. It is someone with whom you had unresolved conflicts in the past. Both of you are thinking, "I must act quickly." You are put on the spot and now you must decide how you will respond to this person. Allow the images and your responses to develop, do not fight the feelings. Instead, try to come up with some alternatives for the situation. What will you do? How will you react? What are the consequences?

Write - in the worksheet below, write out what you felt at the time during the visualization process. Who was the person you visualized that you had unresolved conflicts with? What did you do? How did you react? Does the conflict have meaning? How did it affect you? Where did the conflict begin? What are the consequences that resulted from the unresolved conflicts? Take notes, review what you learnt, and explain how you will resolve this conflict.

Relax for a minute and identify with your feelings during the moment. Once you relax and identify with the situation, repeat the guided imagery practice above. This time, observe your body. Do you notice any discomfort? Become aware of that discomfort. Observe your breathing, any sounds that may be present in the situation, etc. Once you are done, record any new discoveries.

Practice

In the next CBT session, we ask you to think about a person, place or thing that causes you stress. Describe in detail how the person, place, or thing makes you feel. Express your thoughts and feelings in regards to how you feel about this person, place, or thing. Specifically express what you want to see changed about this person, place or thing. Consider the consequences or results that may occur from these changes.

Now that you have used some imagery as a guide to look deeper into conflicting situations, you should be able to assess situations more closely and become aware the next time of ways to constructively resolve conflicts. The key to succeeding in this guide is to practice every day what you learned. Continue to using the newfound skills you have developed to stay in control of conflicting situations.

Summary

In this CBT session, we helped you to solve conflicts by using guided imagery techniques. If you adhere to the advice, you will find it easier to manage stress and deal with conflicting situations. Your efforts will pay off as you continue to use the guided imageries to solve conflicts that cause you stress. Next, we will continue to learn how to resolve conflicts in a cooperative way to manage stress.

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