Counselling and maths may not seem like a perfect match but using concepts and logic from maths can provide useful tools to challenge our more emotional thought processes. Managing negative thoughts and challenging repeating patterns of behaviour is a common focus for clients and often a key challenge in therapy.
In order to fully believe in a change, the mind needs evidence – something to shift the mindset. Yet evidence is hard to believe as it comes with all the back history, hard held beliefs and ways of thinking that have kept us where we are. We can be very good at filtering evidence to support our old mindsets.
This is where maths comes into play. Finding evidence to refute or support these thoughts and beliefs.
The definition of evaluating risk is about capturing actual occurrence to calculate the likelihood of something happening. Think probability theory or tests for statistical significance – the aim is to find proof (at some level) of a relationship, to refute or support a theory.
We often say things like, ‘this always happens to me’ without thinking about all the other experiences that might refute this. Or we immediately blame ourselves for something without taking into account other perspectives or without having real evidence to support our thoughts. Evidence is big in maths – it’s big in counselling too, challenging those thoughts with logic and rationality can be really helpful.
Easier said than done! I know. Using rational thought isn’t easy when you are in the grips of anxiety or depression or when you are trying to change long held thought processes. Introducing some exercises or visuals that help to promote rational thought can be extremely helpful and sometimes a first step toward finding that balance of mind.
Here are two of my favourite take outs from the world or maths.
The premise is to ask a question of yourself and then allocate a percentage to each aspect that is within your control and each aspect that isn’t. Our emotions can take over our rational thoughts and ascribe more responsibility for a situation than is true, causing distress, blame and anxiety. Doing a Responsibility Pie can help to rationalise the emotional response. This example shows the possible thoughts of an athlete running the final leg of a relay and being pipped at the post for a medal. The first pie chart shows the emotional response of blame, it’s all my fault. The second pie chart shows the more rational evidence based balance of responsibility.
The responsibility pie can be used to answer all sorts of questions to help the mind find a more rational answer.
Try this: Think of questions to ask yourself and try this out. Are there situations where you take on board a lot of responsibility or blame? Analyse this. Are there other factors you could take into account and give a percentage to? Or could you share your sense of responsibility with other people?
A Venn diagram in maths is used to show different data and their relationship with each other.
Much of therapy is trying to find a balance between feeling emotions and managing them. It’s not always about moving on or getting over difficult emotions but understanding and finding a way to manage both the emotional and the rational mind. We need both for a balanced life.
This is my favourite Venn diagram – that of the wise mind. The overlap in the middle is where we aim to live and be. It’s ok to be emotional, it’s ok to be rational – the overlap is balance.
Venn diagrams are relevant to so many aspects of life. Finding the middle ground, finding a balance between what can appear to be two opposing factors. Does it have to be all or nothing? Can something be in between?
Try this: When you are in a situation that seems to promote an all or nothing response – visualise a Venn diagram and see if there is an overlap that could serve you better.
These are just a couple of examples that uses maths based ideas within therapy. Challenging thoughts with logic can be extremely hard. I think inspiration and help can come from so many angles. It might be a song, a poem, a comment by someone, therapy, a run, a walk, a great teacher, mentor, friend…. Keeping an open mind and finding what works for you can be a lifelong process. Somewhere in all of that might just be some maths.
