Based on the principle thinking controls behavior, cognitive behavior management includes: Cognitive restructuring, Cognitive therapy, Cognitive skill training, Neurolinguistic programming, Psychosocial rehabilitation, etc. You cannot act differently than you think, therefore, change will occur only as you think differently. These principles can be used by parents, teachers, clinicians, corrections officers, and other caretakers to develop methods to improve the performance of people with problems in living.

"People with problems in living", is a rubric coined by Thomas Szasz to replace the term "mental illness". It can, we think, be used to cover a multitude of degrading labels. We will use people with problems in living to discuss the problems of behavior, incoherent thinking, abuse of substances, and antisocial behavior. If thought is important, it is important that the words we use convey appropriate thoughts. Labels such as schizophrenic, delinquent, and others convey very specific messages to people. When you own such a label it is very difficulty to feel good about yourself. It is interesting to note that most often these labels are supplied by the professional "helpers". It makes one wonder whose thinking is incoherent.

Since there is "magic" in words, communication is a major component of cognitive behavior. Cognitive structures [schema, systems of thought, beliefs, etc.] are the lens through which the individual sees the world. And the lens is developed and magnified or reduced by the words of significant people as well as through repetition. It is important to note that all propositions are true - at least until the mental energies are spent to evaluate them. This is true because the primitive animal must instantly "believe" the sensations of stimuli or become the prey of a predator. Such instant belief is an evolutionary prerequisite for survival and continues even in animals as sophisticated as humans.

Along with instant belief, human beings are easily habituated to "automatic thoughts". We think things without even being consciously aware that we are thinking them. Thus two major elements of cognitive behavior management are awareness and a process of evaluation. In the beginning, having another person who can dispute automatic thoughts is very helpful, but skill in appropriate thought evaluation provides future protection against thought which cause problems in living. One researcher has even indicated that children can be "inoculated"against future depression through this method.

Habitation can be used to provide automatic thoughts that are "helpful" rather than harmful. Self instruction may sound childish, but athletes, even professionals, use it rigorously both imagining themselves in successful activities and telling themselves [and each other] that they can succeed. Such tactic have the additional appeal of being nonintrusive. There are no harmful side effect from telling someone that they are okay.

The illusion of the cube to your right is, in fact, two images as many of you might know. The illusion represents the paradigm shift required to effectively understand and use cognitive interventions. It is not enough to simply see the two images in the illusion; one must hold many illusions separate at the same time in order to move away from the ambiguity of old paradigms and the new. Some will have "epiphanies" of understanding without being able to maintain the insight. It will take repeated repetition and habitation to even make ourselves understood. But the shift must take place.

Finally, we can be gratified that the process of cognitive behavior management has an integral assumption that the individual with problems in living is capable of making their own decisions and given sufficient information is likely to make good ones. Thus the intervention respects and empowers the person. This site is interested in promoting cognitive behavior management both for the purpose of helping those with problems in living and for the purpose of improving how we manage people in other arenas such as work. The same principals apply.

MacGregor's Theory X and theory Y, Pygmalion [self fulfilling prophecies] in management, and total quality management are all based on the cognitive behavior management principals. If you are interested in exploring the underlying theoretical and coherent philosophical principals, you will want to go to THEORY. If your are more interested in specific implementations in health, education and welfare services, you will want to visit SERVICES. As we finish construction, we will separate mental health, education, corrections, and other services, but for now you will have to sort through. If you would like to contract for consultation to improve your own programs, you can go to the CONSULTING page.

Finally, we know that you will want to compare what others are saying about cognitive behavior management and will want to test the LINKS page. In the future, we will try to sort these by type as well.

WELCOME! We are delighted to offer to you information about a technology which is likely to change the world. We hope that if you have comments, good articles [you own or others] or other information you will share it with us. If we believe it is appropriate and you give us permission, we will publish it on the site for others to consider as well.

Jerome R. Gardner
October 2001