Cognition, Mindsets, and Well-beingStuart Slavin, MD, MEd

Senior Scholar for Well-being Accreditation Council for Graduate

Medical Education (ACGME)

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Problematic Mindsets

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Problematic Mindsets

• Viewing performance as identity

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Problematic Mindsets

• Viewing performance as identity

• Personalization and self-blame

©2019 ACGME

Problematic Mindsets

• Viewing performance as identity

• Personalization and self-blame

• Feelings of inadequacy, embarrassment, and shame

©2019 ACGME

Problematic Mindsets

• Viewing performance as identity

• Personalization and self-blame

• Feelings of inadequacy, embarrassment, and shame

• Negativity bias

©2019 ACGME

Problematic Mindsets

• Viewing performance as identity

• Personalization and self-blame

• Feelings of inadequacy, embarrassment, and shame

• Negativity bias• Pessimistic explanatory style

©2019 ACGME

Problematic Mindsets

• Viewing performance as identity

• Personalization and self-blame

• Feelings of inadequacy, embarrassment, and shame

• Negativity bias• Pessimistic explanatory style• Maladaptive perfectionism

©2019 ACGME

Problematic Mindsets

• Viewing performance as identity

• Personalization and self-blame

• Feelings of inadequacy, embarrassment, and shame

• Negativity bias• Pessimistic explanatory style• Maladaptive perfectionism• Impostor phenomenon

©2019 ACGME

Problematic Mindsets

• Viewing performance as identity

• Personalization and self-blame

• Feelings of inadequacy, embarrassment, and shame

• Negativity bias• Pessimistic explanatory style• Maladaptive perfectionism• Impostor phenomenon• Fixed versus growth mindset

©2019 ACGME

Problematic Mindsets

• Viewing performance as identity

• Personalization and self-blame

• Feelings of inadequacy, embarrassment, and shame

• Negativity bias• Pessimistic explanatory style• Maladaptive perfectionism• Impostor phenomenon• Fixed versus growth mindset• Cognitive distortions

(multiple)

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But There’s Hope!!!

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But There’s Hope!!!

It’s up to you to create meaning from experience.

©2019 ACGME

But There’s Hope!!!

It’s up to you to create meaning from experience.

And you can do that more positively by cultivating metacognition skills and mindful awareness

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Cognitive Restructuring

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Cognitive Restructuring

ADVERSE EVENT = OUTCOME

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Cognitive Restructuring

ADVERSE EVENT = OUTCOME

False!!

ADVERSE EVENT + YOUR COGNITIVE/EMOTIONAL REACTION = OUTCOME

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Cognitive Restructuring

Common Cognitive/Emotional Distortions

• Magnifying or catastrophizing

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Cognitive Restructuring

Common Cognitive/Emotional Distortions

• Magnifying or catastrophizing• All or nothing thinking

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Cognitive Restructuring

Common Cognitive/Emotional Distortions

• Magnifying or catastrophizing• All or nothing thinking • Overgeneralization

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Cognitive Restructuring

Common Cognitive/Emotional Distortions

• Magnifying or catastrophizing• All or nothing thinking • Overgeneralization• Tunnel vision

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Cognitive Restructuring

Common Cognitive/Emotional Distortions

• Magnifying or catastrophizing• All or nothing thinking • Overgeneralization• Tunnel vision• Fortune-telling

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Cognitive Restructuring

Common Cognitive/Emotional Distortions

• Magnifying or catastrophizing• All or nothing thinking • Overgeneralization• Tunnel vision• Fortune-telling• Personalization and blame

©2019 ACGME

Cognitive Restructuring

Common Cognitive/Emotional Distortions

• Magnifying or catastrophizing• All or nothing thinking • Overgeneralization• Tunnel vision• Fortune-telling• Personalization and blame• Mind-reading

©2019 ACGME

Cognitive Restructuring

Common Cognitive/Emotional Distortions

• Magnifying or catastrophizing• All or nothing thinking • Overgeneralization• Tunnel vision• Fortune-telling• Personalization and blame• Mind-reading• Perfectionistic thinking

©2019 ACGME

Cognitive Restructuring

Common Cognitive/Emotional Distortions

• Magnifying or catastrophizing• All or nothing thinking • Overgeneralization• Tunnel vision• Fortune-telling• Personalization and blame• Mind-reading• Perfectionistic thinking• I’m the only one struggling this

much (Stanford Duck)

©2019 ACGME

Cognitive Restructuring

Common Cognitive/Emotional Distortions

• Magnifying or catastrophizing• All or nothing thinking • Overgeneralization• Tunnel vision• Fortune-telling• Personalization and blame• Mind-reading• Perfectionistic thinking• I’m the only one suffering this

much (Stanford Duck) • Disbelief if anyone tries to

counter one’s distortions

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Cognitive Restructuring

How to Counter

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Cognitive Restructuring

How to Counter

Notice

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Cognitive Restructuring

How to Counter

NoticeLabel

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Cognitive Restructuring

How to Counter

NoticeLabel

Dispute

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Well-being Toolbox

Cognitive restructuring

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Well-being Toolbox

Cognitive restructuringCultivating mindful awareness

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Cultivating Mindful Awareness

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Cultivating Mindful Awareness

Informal practice

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Well-being Toolbox

Cognitive restructuringCultivating mindful awarenessCombating negativity biasCultivating optimismCultivating positive emotions

Emotional self-regulationDealing with difficult peopleInvesting in well-beingAvoiding learned helplessness

Generosity and gratitudeFinding meaning

©2019 ACGME

Viktor Frankl

©2019 ACGME

Viktor Frankl

There is nothing in the world, I venture to say, that would so effectively help one to survive even the worst conditions as the knowledge that there is a meaning in one’s life.

©2019 ACGME

There is nothing in the world, I venture to say, that would so effectively help one to survive even the worst conditions as the knowledge that there is a meaning in one’s life. There is much wisdom in the words of Nietzsche, “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.”

Viktor Frankl

©2019 ACGME