OVERVIEW

All that you achieve and all that you fail to achieve is the direct result of your own thoughts. —James Allen

THINKIATRY? Think what? How do you spell that? OK, “think” and then what? “i-a-t-r-y!” “i-a-t-r-y?” Yes, that’s it, “Thinkiatry.” These are the usual responses I receive when discussing the new system of self-therapy principles, process, and path.

Like our breathing and heartbeat, thinking is something all of us do, but rarely, if ever, do we think about how or why, or about the impact our thinking has upon our emotions, physical health, and quality of life. We don’t really know all the answers. We do know that our breathing and heartbeat sustain our lives and make our thinking biologically possible. But our thinking “Automatic Negative Thoughts” ANTS determine the emotional quality and direction of our lives each moment of each day we are alive.

Wait a minute! “Our ANTS determine the emotional quality and the resulting direction of our lives each moment of each day we are alive?” If the way people think and their ANTS are that critical why don’t more people know? Why isn’t the way we think an integral part of our educational system’s curriculum? Why have I experienced about 20 years of formal education without learning the way my thoughts and resulting emotions work? Why do so many people, even those with advanced education suffer from stress, anxiety, fear, depression, addictions, and so on? Why do about half of marriages end in divorce? Why are depression, addictions, obesity, and unhappiness so prevalent throughout the world today? Why do we treat the consequences of human emotional distress, not the root cause: the way we think? Unless we learn that our individually unique ANT colonies exist, and how to exterminate them, the level of emotional distress in our society will continue to grow exponentially, as it has for decades.

Thinkiatry’s Principles and Living a Happier Life

Thinkiatry’s principles and processes are the result of more than 50 years of my personal struggle to find more contentment in my life and relationships. After several years of study and practice, my emotional life has changed dramatically, as I have discovered how to use Thinkiatry’s principles and process many times each day to ensure my own ANT extermination, healthier psychological functioning, happiness, and living my life in the present moment.

As I became a confident Thinkiatrist (a disciple of Thinkiatry), I spent several years observing countless others in their daily behavior and relationships. I concluded that most of us have become victims, as I did, of our own unique, automatic negative thought systems—systems that allow the negative thoughts and opinions we have accumulated throughout our lives to control too much of our thinking, resulting emotional health, physical health, and level of happiness each day.

How many generally unhappy people do you encounter each day at work, at home, while shopping, while driving, on the nightly news, and so on? Thinkiatry’s coaching principles and process will demonstrate that our level of happiness lies hidden beneath our generally accepted, “just the way life is,” chronic, automatic negative thinking – ANTS.

Thinkiatry’s first coaching principle is the principle of thinking, the way we think. This principle taught me several things I had, like you, never even thought about. First, contrary to popular belief, my automatic negative thoughts are not real unless I choose to make them real. A perfect example involves stress. Stress does not really exist, but stressful thinking does, and it creates our emotional distress. In my opinion, stress is merely a socially accepted form of automatic negative thinking that “stressed out” people create within their own minds and truly believe is real. Excessive stress cannot exist without the victim allowing their stressful ANTS to become their reality.

Second, I learned that I could actually “watch what I think” and choose which thoughts to follow and which to replace or simply let fade away to my automatic negative thoughts trash bin. ANTS serve absolutely no useful purpose in our lives but, lead to all known forms of human emotional distress and, for far too many, addiction as the only option for momentary, desperately needed relief from emotional pain.

Thinkiatry’s second ANT- elimination coaching principle is our feelings. I discovered that my feelings are a navigational tool that let me know if my thinking is getting off track. If I allow my automatic negative thoughts to pass my first line of “watching what I think” defense, I instantly feel the effects, and I am reminded that my automatic negative thoughts will only lead to distress and Thinkiatry’s third coaching principle, moods.

Low moods are caused by the accumulation of ANTS and resulting bad feelings. When automatic negative thoughts begin to take over, they generally do so with a vengeance. With practice, I have virtually eliminated mood swings; I typically never let my automatic negative thoughts get past my thinking and feelings principles because I know I am going to pay the emotional price if I do; as a result, low moods now only rarely occur. Perhaps more importantly, Thinkiatry’s principles have taught me how and why my negative thoughts cause emotional distress and what I can do to take control and manage my emotional life as an educated Thinkiatry practitioner, no longer a victim.

For years, the relationships in my life were troubled and were sources of frustration, low self-esteem, and disappointment. I had no control over my relationship ANTS; I stuttered, and I felt rejected when others did not agree with me or shunned my thinking. Of course, my stuttering and low self-esteem compounded my automatic negative thinking and resulting emotions.

These first three principles: thinking, feelings, and moods provide us with the knowledge to develop the skills to understand and break our own lifelong ANT habit. But of equal concern to our own emotional well-being are the other distinct ANTS we expose ourselves to each day in our relationships with others at home, work, etc.

Thinkiatry’s fourth coaching principle separate realities has taught me that each of us has our own unique ANT colony reality comprised of thoughts, experience, and opinions that have accumulated throughout our lives. No two people can possibly think the same way and, as you will soon learn, that’s OK.

The Separate Realities principle has taught me not to expect others to think as I do. Our individual ANTS are like snowflakes: the way each of us thinks is totally unique. I have learned to respect and actually appreciate another’s unique separate ANT colony reality, which has lead only to more interesting and meaningful relationships with my wife of 30 years, my four grown children, five grandchildren, extended family, co-workers, and others I meet each day.

Thinkiatry’s first four self-therapy coaching principles now allow me to eliminate virtually all of my automatic negative thinking about myself and others. Without our ANTS, anxiety, stress, depression, and so on cannot exist. My happiness is no longer buried beneath years’ worth of chronic automatic negative thoughts and the emotional distress they created.

Without automatic negative thoughts and the accompanying drama surrounding separate realities relationship issues we create, I am now free to be happy and content most of the time. The first four coaching principles have prepared me, and will you; to achieve one of life’s most coveted spiritual goals and Thinkiatry’s fifth coaching principle, living in the present moment.

Over the years, many books and self-help programs have discussed this mythical state of being but I have never found a source that provides the actual coaching steps and process that will help the countless people searching for this spiritual prize. Sadly, with no known alternative, their only option has been living a “that’s just the way life is” existence. The value of Thinkiatry’s coaching principles and process to exterminate our individually unique colonies of ANTS will someday change this perception and excuse used by millions forever.

On a scale of one to ten, what do you think the average level of happiness is among the world’s inhabitants today? Among all the people you now know? How about you?

Most people have heard the expression “putting the cart before the horse.” If the habitual way we think is the foundation for our happiness, emotional health, and if few of us know about Thinkiatry’s ANT extermination coaching principles and process to achieve healthy psychological functioning and happiness, what are the odds of ever reaching our human potential or sustained happiness and emotional peace in our lives? The odds aren’t good. Our level of happiness and...