Identity-threat distortions are predictable ways perception and thinking warp when something feels like it endangers who you are (values, role, belonging, competence, morality). The nervous system flips into protect-the-self mode, and accuracy takes a back seat. Here are the big ones, clean and clinical, but you’ll probably recognize them instantly: Core identity-threat distortions 1. All-or-nothing identity collapse “If this is true, everything about me is wrong. ”A single
A Trauma-Informed Premarital Framework adapts traditional premarital counseling to explicitly account for attachment injury, developmental trauma, relational trauma, and dissociation, rather than assuming two mostly secure, self-regulating partners. Below is a clinically rigorous, integrative framework you can use for assessment, psychoeducation, and intervention. Core Assumptions (Trauma-Informed Shift) Traditional premarital models assume: Conflict = skills deficit Intimacy
Reality-Based Forecasting is a way of anticipating the future by grounding your predictions in what’s actually happening , not wishful thinking, fear-driven assumptions, or old survival patterns. Think of it as: “Given the evidence I have right now, what is most likely to occur?” Core idea Instead of asking “What do I fear might happen?” or “What do I hope will happen?” , you ask: “What usually happens in situations like this, and what data do I actually have?” Key eleme
Memory-based forecasting is when the mind predicts the future by replaying the past —using stored memories (especially emotional ones) as templates for what’s “likely” to happen next. In short: “This happened before, so it will probably happen again.” That sounds rational on the surface, but psychologically it’s more biased than accurate. How it works The brain is a prediction machine. When something mattered emotionally—especially if it involved threat, shame, loss, or reje