Thinking Matters

Cognitive Consulting & Programs

How Thinking Matters is designed:

 

The approach is flexible and can be used for individuals and/or a group setting.  It can also be used in an open or closed enrollment situation. Thinking Matters can be expanded to a more intensive approach by requiring participants to complete additional worksheets or adding cognitive skills to the minimum skill set.  Worksheets can be done for an increased number of problem situations or for a variety of target behaviors.  The minimum skill set is especially well suited for shorter lengths of stay in programs.  The open enrollment option is particularly useful in jails or in a community settings where participants must enter a group in progress at irregular intervals.  Expanded skill sets make longer term programming possible in community settings where offenders are on probation or parole.  They are also useful in a prison setting where longer lengths of stay are available or more intensive programming is desirable.

 

The worksheets have been designed for use with a criminal population.  This does not preclude use with a non-criminal population.  Others might find Thinking Matters useful as well. Participants are required to examine emotive responses, exhibit pro-social behavior, and practice alternative decision making skills.  These skills are prerequisite for relapse planning and real life problem solving.  To perform Thinking Matters satisfactorily participants are required to practice objective self assessment, understanding other points of view and personal accountability.

 

Participants are required to focus their effort upon recognizing their own thinking, feelings, attitudes and beliefs.  At minimum they will be required to perform each wok sheet satisfactorily at least one time.  This demonstrates that the skill has been acquired.  Each worksheet is designed to teach a skill useful for objectively observing the thinking that leads to breaking a law, rule or social norm.  These skills are the basic skills taught in many cognitive behavioral programs.  Many programs that employ these skills teach them in a more aggregate form. Thinking Matters teaches these skills individually because they are a sub-set of essential competencies.

 

 

Thinking Matters is a first step toward finding the thinking that leads to trouble.  Trouble is when we break the law, break rules, hurt others or hurt ourselves.  It is easy to see consequences that are the result of our behavior as the “trouble”.  From the Thinking Matters perspective “trouble” is not the consequence stemming from behavior.  Trouble is the behavior that leads to the consequence. 

 

Changing behavior means changing thinking.  If a person wants to change their behavior they must change the thinking that leads toward that behavior.  In other words, “If I keep thinking the way I always have……. I’ll keep doing the things I have always done”.  Taking control of  behavior starts with taking control of thinking.  People can (and DO) change their thinking.  A person can decide what thinking to keep and not keep.  For example, your thinking has changes throughout your life.  Do you think the same as you did when you were 10 years old?  Thinking Matters supports the idea that people can change their thinking intentionally to avoid trouble.