Permissive Thinking
Help clients explore the permissive thinking cognitive distortion, which involves rationalizing or justifying problematic behaviors.
Permissive Thinking
Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) suggests that our thoughts influence how we feel and how we act. However, some of our thoughts can be biased. Recognizing these ‘cognitive distortions’ or ‘unhelpful thinking styles’ can help you judge how accurate and useful your automatic thoughts are. This tool will introduce you to a common distortion called permissive thinking.
Overview
Cognitive distortions, cognitive biases, or ‘unhelpful thinking styles’ are characteristic ways in which our thoughts can become biased (Beck, 1963). Permissive thinking (also known as facilitative, justificational, rationalizing, and self-licensing thinking) refers to thoughts that allow individuals to use problematic behaviors (Brandtner et al., 2023). This thinking style acts as a cognitive "bridge" between the urge to engage in maladaptive behavior and the decision to act on that urge.
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