Resources for dealing with alexithymia
January 3, 2023 7:51 AM Subscribe
I found this excellent comment on reddit describing a method for dealing with alexithymia.
Where can I find out more about this particular approach?
The person mentions a DBT workbook, but it's not clear to me if the graphic they linked to is from a DBT approach, or something else.
I found the graphic particularly useful.
I would ideally like to find an article that explains this approach to dealing with alexithymia, both for myself and to share with others who struggle to identify their own emotions.
The person mentions a DBT workbook, but it's not clear to me if the graphic they linked to is from a DBT approach, or something else.
I found the graphic particularly useful.
I would ideally like to find an article that explains this approach to dealing with alexithymia, both for myself and to share with others who struggle to identify their own emotions.
The diagram isn’t unique to DBT, it’s part of the basic structure of cognitive behavioral therapy. DBT is considered a “third wave” cognitive behavioral therapy, as are ACT and MBCT.
I don’t have resources off the top of my head/on my phone, but I would be searching the CBT rather than DBT literature for stuff like “emotion identification,” “psychoeducation on emotions,” “CBT triangle,” etc. as CBT is a broader field and more has been done there regarding alexithymia. Will try to come back to this later with more detail.
posted by brook horse at 8:27 AM on January 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
I don’t have resources off the top of my head/on my phone, but I would be searching the CBT rather than DBT literature for stuff like “emotion identification,” “psychoeducation on emotions,” “CBT triangle,” etc. as CBT is a broader field and more has been done there regarding alexithymia. Will try to come back to this later with more detail.
posted by brook horse at 8:27 AM on January 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
Are you talking about the graphic (linked with the text "this diagram") with the green circles? That's from this blog post.
posted by belladonna at 9:49 AM on January 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by belladonna at 9:49 AM on January 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
I use a version of this as a worksheet in my coaching practice with clients — it does come from CBT originally but I've more recently heard it referred to as the Thought Model. The idea is that you have thoughts about the circumstances in the world, those thoughts create feelings, and those feelings lead to actions (or inactions).
Some versions show things in a general order — roughly, circumstances => thoughts => feelings => behaviours — while others show cross-directions, such as your example in the Reddit post.
I'm searching for writing on alexithymia + thought model specifically and not coming up with much so far, but I'll keep looking as this is something I've been specficially interested in exploring further; I've been wanting to understand ways that certain models may or may not be useful tools in ND spaces.
posted by iamkimiam at 11:31 AM on January 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
Some versions show things in a general order — roughly, circumstances => thoughts => feelings => behaviours — while others show cross-directions, such as your example in the Reddit post.
I'm searching for writing on alexithymia + thought model specifically and not coming up with much so far, but I'll keep looking as this is something I've been specficially interested in exploring further; I've been wanting to understand ways that certain models may or may not be useful tools in ND spaces.
posted by iamkimiam at 11:31 AM on January 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
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The graphic definitely isn't from those handouts, but it might be from some other source on DBT.
The approach from that Reddit post sure feels DBT-ish, but I can't say for sure.
posted by nebulawindphone at 8:16 AM on January 3, 2023 [1 favorite]