Cognitive Psychology for Mental Health and Emotional Mastery

The principles of cognitive behaviour therapy can be very helpful to people who wish to gain a better understanding of themselves and human behaviour in general. The way people think can be changed when they gain a deeper understanding of human cognition and its relationship to behaviour. The video provides an overview of the course and details exactly what you will learn.

Cognitive Foundations for a Mentally Healthy Life

We're only ever one shift in perspective away from understanding something from a very different standpoint. By training our brains, we can develop mature and responsible thinking. In this video, Kain discusses how developing self-awareness about conscious thought and preventing automatic negative thoughts can lead to a healthier outlook and a greater sense of wellbeing.

To gain even more benefit from this online training experience beyond just watching the pre-recorded instructional videos, here are some of the different ways you can achieve this. Access 100's of articles, 100's more FREE video tutorials, and browse the inspiring Achology Quotes website!

This brief onboarding article offers basic course instructions and directs you to Udemy Support for any questions or issues you might encounter while using the Udemy website.

A Journey Towards Heightened Self-Awareness

An indication of whether you would benefit from growing in self-awareness is how well you understand your emotions, actions, and behaviours. People with low self-awareness are often in a constant state of anxiety or anger. Introspection doesn't always lead to greater self-awareness. This video explains each of these four levels of self-awareness through examples from Kain's own life.

What is Cognitive Behavioural Psychology?

In Cognitive Behavioural Psychology, the focus is on how thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes influence a person's behaviour and feelings. CBP is a progressive process that offers people a means of taking incremental steps towards changing their behaviour. Kain explains the vicious cycle of self-defeatism that a lot of people go through who don't have self-awareness or haven’t learned to self-regulate.

Developing the Mind of Wisdom

The wise mind is often defined as the merging of the rational mind and the emotional mind. Becoming wise in our thinking involves us learning how to consider both emotions and rationality. In this video, Kain discusses the distinctions between the emotional, reasonable and wise parts of our minds. The Wise Mind is best accessed when we're quiet internally and externally regularly.

The ‘Cognitive’ Communication Framework

The following framework illustrates how people process information mentally. "Formulation" is the process of placing an individual's experiences within a cognitive behavioural framework. As a result of the cognitive communication framework, it is possible to understand the relationship between our everyday experiences and our internal experiences (thoughts, feelings, habits, etc.).

What You're Really Made Of?

It is unlikely that Sigmund Freud invented the idea of the conscious and unconscious mind. However, he was certainly responsible for popularizing it, and this was perhaps one of his greatest contributions to psychology. In this video we discuss the conscious mind, all the cognitive processes of which we are aware, and also all of the mental processing people do that happens 100% unconsciously!

A Closer Look at the Fixed Mindset

The fixed mindset views characteristics like intelligence or talent as permanent traits. People spend their time documenting rather than developing these traits. In this video, Kain highlights some of the attributes of a fixed mindset so you can find any areas where your mindset might be problematic.

A Closer Look at the Growth Mindset

There is a notion that what we believe or how we feel is a choice. As the old saying goes, no one can get inside our heads nor damage us emotionally unless we allow them to. In this video, Kain unpacks a growth mindset's traits, allowing you to identify areas where you can hone your growth mindset.

Evaluating Your Relationship with the Truth

People tend to prioritize happiness before truth in life, not understanding that it is only through embracing the truth of one's existence that one can begin to experience inner peace and contentment (which are much more fulfilling than temporary happiness - which always disappears tomorrow, or the next day, or the next day). In this video, we discuss the eternal value of becoming a student of truth.

Understanding the Mind's Cognitive Process

What is the process by which humans experience the world and themselves? Many of our life experiences have an external, observable component. Our goals and interactions with others are oriented toward our environment. In this video, Kain discusses how we can increase our effectiveness and productivity by understanding the various aspects of our cognitive experience.

Translating your Ideal Scenarios into Tangible Reality

In the end, behaviour matters more than intellect alone because it's only actions that generate our outputs in life. Improvements in mental health and wellbeing are a result of actions people take. Self-awareness can positively influence human behaviour, which results in measurable improvements in performance. An ideal life outcome often depends on a mixture of cognitive and behavioural factors.

The Circle of Concern - Vs - The Circle of Control

According to the "Circles of Control, Influence and Concern" model, if we cannot control something, don't get upset about it, and if we cannot control something, don't focus on it or get upset about it. Healthy perspectives involve focusing on what we can change, not on what we cannot. Our lives will remain disempowered as long as we are swayed by things outside of our control. In this video, Kain discusses the circles of concern and control - and just see how they might be relevant to your life!

End of Section One Check-In. During this video, Kain proposes a series of self-reflection questions that you can ask yourself to help you contemplate the central ideas you have studied so far in this section of the course.

A Foundation for Accurate Self-Definition

Even though we all want to be honest, transparent and authentic with the other people in our lives, low self-esteem and low confidence can sometimes undermine our best intentions. There is great importance to developing a set of strong foundations for authentically defining yourself, and in this video, Kain provides some practical insights into how you can begin to accomplish this.

Moving From Experience to Ideas

According to John Locke, human knowledge comes from experience. He holds that all knowledge is constructed from ideas (think of ideas as atomic building blocks and knowledge as the structures we create out of them). In this video, Kain explains how all of the knowledge we possess (including our evaluations and world views) can be accounted for by accounting for the origin of our ideas.

The Four Categories of Truth

As we grow, we gain more maturity, decisiveness, integrity, and strength as we shed the limiting ideologies we formed about ourselves during our younger and "less informed" years. How do you define truth? Answering this question is both interesting and challenging. It is possible to distinguish several different definitions of truth. In this video, Kain outlines the four different categories of reality.

Inductive Vs. Deductive Thinking Patterns

Sometimes we think too highly of ourselves, and other times, we think too little. Life is all about finding that balance. In this video, Kain sheds light on two distinctive thinking styles: deductive and inductive. He then goes on to propose a more robust thinking style we can foster in life.

The Beliefs and Results Cycle

Belief cycles connect belief, action and results. The cycle dictates that the life results we achieve are directly proportional to the actions we take. We take actions based on the belief we have in our potential. In this video, Kain explains the beliefs and results cycle, which explains that people act in accordance with their beliefs about them and what they're capable of.

Perception: The Map is Not the Territory

The distinction between a map and a territory made its debut in Alfred Korzybski's 1933 seminal work, Science and Sanity: An Introduction to General Semantics. Maps are limited and do not represent the territory accurately. The interpretations and beliefs that we have come to believe to be true are also limited and are not accurate depictions of reality. Kain explores these ideas throughout this video.

Cognitive Maturity for Accurate Judgement

Reality is the state of things as they are. When it comes to our identity, we have many snapshots, memories and perceptions of who we are - or the labels that others have placed on us; but these aren't necessarily 'reality'. In this video, Kain differentiates between experience, reality, perception, focus and perspective. He shares a story to help us better understand that our perception is very rarely the reality in actuality.

The Battlefield of the Human Mind

Our minds are where we wage our war. It is also the place of our victory. Thoughts become arguments, and arguments become strongholds. The meaning we assign to a situation, or circumstance can change how we perceive it. By changing our perception, we will change our way of seeing, feeling and reacting to something. In this video, Kain discusses these ideas in greater detail.

Cognitive and Emotional 'Time Travel'

It is our interpretation of our past experiences that shape our experience of the present and our expectations of the future. In the absence of a clear understanding of how our focus determines how we feel today, we have no hope of managing our emotions. Throughout this video, Kain explains a model that can help you make sense of your own emotional experience of life.

The Socratic Sensible Questioning Method

Socratic questioning refers to the process of asking questions in order to stimulate critical thinking and reflection. A Socratic question is a type of open question in which people are invited to evaluate the accuracy (and correctness) of their thinking. In this video, Kain discusses the various Socratic questions we can ask ourselves in order to challenge negative attitudes and perspectives.

Solid Grounds for Emotional Stability

Stability of mind is an excellent trait to develop. Generally, it refers to the ability to endure difficult circumstances and handle challenges, as well as remain fruitful and capable in spite of difficult circumstances. We can gauge the maturity of our character by how emotionally and behaviorally stable we are. Kain explains the perspective that’s required for sustainable emotional stability.

End of Section Two Check In

The purpose of this video is to provide you with a set of questions that you can use to think about the central ideas and teachings you've discovered throughout the training course so far.

Developing Character and Cognitive Maturity

Self-development involves educating yourself consciously in a wide range of life areas. Growing as an individual means enhancing skills, abilities, and knowledge in order to realize one's potential and meet one's personal goals. Some people wait until they are on the brink of ruin before they commit to working on themselves. With this video, Kain explains the journey to becoming a mature individual.

Some People Need you to NOT Grow!

Some people are not interested in your growth or development as an individual. Many people will not want to see you grow - personal development disturbs those who live complacent lifestyles. There are some parents who would rather their children remain children. Some people would rather diagnose than understand you. In a video, Kain discusses hard truths that may be upsetting to some viewers.

The 7 Levels of Cognitive Growth and Development

Changing your attitudes, traits, and habits (e.g. becoming more patient, understanding, and assertive) is one way of becoming a better person. Personal growth is a process. People who live their lives from the perspective of being victims can be overwhelmed by feelings of helplessness, victimhood, and apathy. Here, Kain provides an explanation of how personal growth naturally occurs.

The Eleven Ways of Handling Problems

Life is never problem-free. Many problems can be solved quickly and without too much hassle. We either come up with a quick solution or use a strategy that worked in the past. An important distinction exists between problems that can be solved (with a process) and relationship tensions that must be managed. This video outlines the approaches you can take to tackling problems.

The Seven Decisions of Sensible Character

Life has seven choices that allow us to develop strong character, mature, and live in alignment with our true selves. Either we can make wise decisions that reflect our long-term life goals, or we can make decisions based on receiving instant gratification today. Throughout this video, Kain offers seven examples of ways each of us can use maturity and character to guide our lives.

The Seven Decisions: Self-Reflection Questions

As we choose to live our lives based on these choices of maturity and character, we naturally and positively influence those around us. Please take the time to review these choices of maturity and character by answering the following questions;

The Albert Ellis Ideology - Vs - Medical Diagnosis

The medical model promotes the diagnosis of everyday emotional and behavioural phenomena. It's prevalent with young people who are labelled as 'damaged goods' as they grow up. According to Albert Ellis, the mental diagnostic model lacks compassion because it fails to recognize the concerns that people naturally have. Kain explains this idea and discusses other aspects of Ellis' philosophy.

Decision Making: The Head, Heart & Gut Approach

People waste years of their lives pursuing empty goals, unaware of why they feel so disenfranchised and unfulfilled. This video discusses a cognitive approach that is useful for evaluating the congruence and value of the goals and values that you prioritise in your life.

A Useful Model for Goal Setting

Kain discusses the four categories of goals we can pursue in life: life vision, long-term goals, medium-term goals, and short-term goals. Those without a life vision can spend a lifetime going around in circles. A vision must be inspiring for us in order to inspire us to act. Unless we have a clear plan and sense of direction for our lives, we could end up following someone else's plan instead.

Establishing Positively Framed Goals

If you set yourself goals, you need to be motivated to attain them; that requires that they are important to you and that they are well worth achieving. People often do not understand the difference between framing goals as positive outcomes or negative outcomes. The key to achieving goals is to set goals that relate to your highest priorities. In this video, Kain demonstrates how to set inspirational goals.

A Strategy for (just about) Anything!

A single strategy is all it takes to accomplish anything or transform any area of our lives. Obtaining a strategy is one thing, executing it is another. A person does not need to know how to do something in order to be able to do it. A person's 'ability' is as flexible as their willingness to learn and adopt new strategies. Here's a demonstration of Kain's master strategy for learning ALL strategies.

Albert Ellis' Recommended Reflections

The best years of your life are the ones in which you take responsibility for your problems. You do not blame them on your mother, the environment, or the president. Your destiny is in your hands. During this thought-provoking video, Kain discusses a few of Albert Ellis' ideas and suggestions that wrap up the course by stressing that responsibility empowers us to take control of our lives.

End of Section Three Check In. Kain outlines a series of self-reflection questions in this video that you can use to consider the main ideas and lessons you have learned in this section (and throughout the entire course).

For Further Studies: Recommended Book Reading List

Our time together comes to an end with this penultimate video of our Cognitive Behavioural Psychology for Mental Health and Wellness course. Kain will share with you some final thoughts regarding your future CBT related applications and some additional book recommendations.

Graduation and Closing Thoughts

Kain explains a few of his other online training courses (personal growth and Achology certified) in this final video that you may find useful in your continuing education. In concluding this course, he shares one last narrative for your consideration.

It's always exciting to complete a course and take the first steps towards mastering new skills. However, learning is an ongoing process, and there is always more knowledge to gain and ways to apply it. Here are some possible next steps you can take after completing this course: