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Belief Repeater Method
THE BELIEF REPEATER METHOD (Written) (Updated)
The Belief Repeater Method (BRM) is based on the observation that if you repeat distorted and self-defeating beliefs over and over while experiencing neutral emotional states, the belief loses it's emotional support and believability. This latest version has us write out the belief which speeds the belief's desensitization.
(c) Steve Mensing
***WARNING: Folks with a history of mental illness, trauma, or panic are urged not to use this process without a counselor or therapist. If you decide to do this process you will agree to absolve the webmasters, their server, Emoclear.com, and Steve Mensing of any responsibility for the application or misapplication of this process. There is always in any emotional process the possibility that someone could experience some discomfort. So proceed with this warning.***
(1) CHOOSE A BELIEF YOU PREFER NOT TO BELIEVE AND WRITE IT DOWN: Choose a belief you find self-defeating or distorted and you prefer not to believe anymore.
My belief is _______________________________________.
Write the belief down either on paper or on your computer.
(2) EXPERIENCE A NEUTRAL STATE (CALM, DETACHED, UNCONCERNED): Experience a neutral state or briefly consider something you do like eating oatmeal, reading the weather page of a newspaper, or reading Emoclear behavioral change instructions. Get into that calm, neutral state and go to step [Do a relaxation exercise like the Embalmer](3).
(3) REPEAT THE BELIEF IN WRITING, YOU PREFER TO DESENSITIZE, OVER AND OVER WHILE IN A NEUTRAL STATE: Repeat the belief over and over in writing while in a neutral or calm state. If you feel yourself becoming aroused by the belief, then take a break. Go back and start again when your state returns to calm and neutral. Keep repeating the belief in writing until it has no emotional meaning or it becomes boring. (If you wish you can also subvocalize the belief while you write out the belief)
TIPS ON THE BELIEF REPEATER METHOD. (BRM)
*Always hydrate yourself prior to using the BRM.
*Utilize the Self-Defeating Beliefs Test to check your beliefs and the Tips on Thoughts Distortions to notice problematic thinking.
*Test any beliefs you believe are self-defeating with this test:
-Will this belief fit with my deepest values and yearnings?
-Will this belief interfere with my personal relationships and family life?
-Will this belief provide the emotions I prefer?
-Will this belief support my short-term & long-term goals, my enlightened self-interest?
-Will this belief give me something I don't want?
-Will I be required to balance elements in my life owing to having this belief?
-Does it improve my life or my ability to perform?
-Does it keep me out of significant conflict with others? (unless the conflict is something I prefer).
-Does it effect either my physical or mental health?
-Could another belief work better for me?
-Will this belief effect my behavior adversly?
-Is the belief right for the context where it's employed?
-Are there future consequences for holding this belief?
-What might make it difficult to believe this in some instances?
*Practice some kind a relaxation or calming maneuver prior to the Belief Repeater Method (BRM). This will be your neutral state to pair with the statments.
*After you grow more experienced with the BRM you may add on a future-orientation-in-time questions to further desensitize the belief. You can add it after step (3). Ask this question:
After my belief is meaningless and unbelievable, what will I see? What will I hear? What will I feel? What will I notice first when my belief becomes meaningless and unbelievable?
What might I be doing differently?
*Practice each segment of the BRM until you can flawlessly do the process from start to finish.
*You may want to go through the Heartbeat Questions to additionally weaken any strong beliefs. Generally repeating beliefs aloud and in writing desensitizes them.
*Utilize the VOC Scale to check the believability of your self-defeating or distorted belief:
*Here's a scale to measure the believability of a belief: The VOC Scale (Validity of Cognition). The original VOC was 7 point scale which the EMDR people originated. I use a 10 point version of the scale. To utilize the scale properly do an intuitive read on the belief.
THE VOC SCALE:
0-No belief in the belief at all.
1-Able to consider the belief's possibility.
2-Able to feel some hope the belief is true.
3-Able to relate to an experience that supports the possibility of believing the belief.
4-The belief has some grain of truth.
5-The belief begins to seem believable.
6-The belief has some partial truth.
7-The belief feels true, yet there are reservations.
8-The belief feels mostly true, but with some doubt.
9-The statement feels almost completely true.
10-The statement feels completely true--it is true beyond a doubt.
The scale can be reduced to 1-10 and just choose a number. 1 meaning you don't believe it. 10 meaning you believe it. You get a felt sense read of the belief's validity and assign it a number.
*You can also make written jokes out of the belief to help add to the belief's incredibility. Subvocalize the jokes as you write them out.
*Use our Tips for Finding Distorted Beliefs and see if your belief is a thought distortion. You can test the belief's believability with the questions for that specific thought distortion.
Have fun, Steve