BEHAVIORAL (BIEHEVORIST) PSYCHOTHERAPY

Conducting the conditional equality sign between the concepts of "behavioral" and "behavioral behavioral" psychology and psychotherapy, we proceed, firstly, from the literal translation (the English word behavior is translated into Russian as behavior ), and secondly, the goal of our work is to introduce with the general fundamentals of the main directions and the possibilities of applying (albeit rather limited, but undoubtedly important) this knowledge and certain techniques in psychological-pedagogical practice, rather than theoretical attempts to substantiate one’s own directed and I.

The goal of a behaviorist, or, as they sometimes say, behavioral psychotherapy is precisely the behavior change from the model that did not help to cope with neurosis or another psychological problem (and possibly generated them), to a behavioral model or individual behavioral skills and skills able to deduce man of frustration deadlock.

The client, with the help of a psychotherapist, finds these behaviors and works them out so that they can successfully perform an adaptive (adaptive) role in those situations that previously gave rise to the aforementioned neuroses and psychological problems.

Many of these knowledge and skills can be successfully applied not only in relation to others, but also to oneself, since practically every person suffers, if not expressed neurosis, then at least some psychological problems that he can cope with independently. , but more successfully this happens with the presence of special knowledge and already sufficiently proven techniques in psychotherapeutic practice.

Although John Watson is rightly considered the founder of behaviorism as a psychological trend, many, and primarily American behaviourists, believe that conditional reflex theory and “behavioral” experiments on IP Pavlov’s animals had a smaller impact on the development of behaviorism.

Pavlov’s influence on the development of behaviorism is not denied by the American forefathers of behaviorism and the BF Skinner behavioral (behavioral) therapy that originated on its basis.

The ideas and experimental works of BF Skinner brought a lot of new things not only to classical behaviorism as a psychological direction, but also to psychotherapy that extends to people suffering from neurosis, and simply to people who want to change, eliminate or, on the contrary, acquire certain skills , skills and behavioral reactions in everyday life and for specific types of professional activity.

BF Skinner is rightly considered the founder of behavioral-oriented learning (during which the proportion of theoretical knowledge and the formation of practical skills has changed dramatically in the direction of practice).

Unlike psychoanalysis, which deals with mental states, behaviorism and especially radical behaviorism B. B. Skinner focuses on behavioral reactions and their experimental change before finding and fixing the necessary models (mainly adaptive skills and abilities).

It is often possible to find statements that Skinner, like behaviorists, considers the spheres of consciousness and the unconscious not worthy of attention. This is an erroneous, superficial judgment, caused by the unconcealed critical attitude of behaviorists to the scientific authenticity of psychoanalytic interpretations, and also by the fact that behaviorists often transferred to the explanation of the mechanisms of human behavior patterns found in experiments with animals.

On the contrary, Skinner, like other classics of behaviorism, believes that these problems of consciousness and the unconscious are so serious and so difficult to scientifically analyze that it is more correct to deal with their external manifestations in the form of behavioral reactions, to study these reactions and, when turn out to be ineffective for solving customer problems or even aggravating them.

So, having recognized the existing methods of analysis and explanation of human mental states as scientifically unreliable, behaviorists made the " S - R " formula their "banner", where S denotes a stimulus (a certain positive or negative stimulus), and R denotes a behavioral reaction of a person or animal to a given stimulus .

At the same time, the importance of consciousness, unconscious and subjective concepts are not denied (as many psychologists mistakenly believe), they are simply not considered as having no objective dimension (as opposed to behavior). Behavior is considered an objectively observable phenomenon and, no matter how complex or strange it may seem, it can have objective criteria and methods of observation, research and correction.

Skinner does not ignore such a concept as a person, but defines it from the point of view of behaviorism, that is, as a “ sum of patterns” (certain types, “integral sets of behavioral reactions”) of behavior, and not as an “isolated self”.

In accordance with the above behaviorism formula (S - R), different situations cause different reaction patterns. At the same time, differences in behavioral responses to the same stimuli are determined by individual genetic differences in previous experience and in the genetic history. That is, once again warning against the vulgar simplification of behaviorism, we emphasize that even the most radical of his representatives B.F. Skinner did not simplify the interpretation of behavioral reactions and considered them dependent on many hidden factors, including genetic characteristics, but did not consider them a problem feasible for objective scientific research (at least at the present level of the state of science). However, he and his followers attempted a definite interpretation of a genetic history by patterns of behavioral responses.

On the depth of Skinner’s approach, it is said that, with deep respect for the ideas of IPPavlov and especially the organization of his experiments, he argued that it is impossible to simplifyly explain the behavior of not only humans, but also animals from the perspective of a conditioned-reflex theory.

If I.Pavlov discovered the mechanism of the formation of conditioned reactions when the unconditioned reflex was combined with a certain conditioned signal, Skinner significantly expanded this scheme by proposing a model of so-called operant conditioning. It can be said that the principle of operant conditioning (by the way, by analogy with the principle of mental determinism, only in relation not to mental states, but to behavior) implies that no behavior, including that which at first glance does not fit into the scheme of the expected response on the stimulus, is not accidental or inexplicable. Simply, these reasons may not lie on the surface, but they must be sought both in the previous experience of the client and in his genetic history, the combination of which operantly (effectively) determined this behavior.

The rest is close to the scheme for producing a conditioned reflex in the experiments of IP Pavlov. That is, the correct or desirable (according to the experimental conditions) behavioral reactions are encouraged (receive a certain kind of positive reinforcement), and incorrect or erroneous censured (the subject receives a certain kind of "punishment").

As it was established by Pavlov and confirmed by numerous experiments of behaviorists, positive sanctions reinforced the desired pattern of behavior, while negative ones reduced the likelihood of behavioral responses (responses), followed by “punishment” (negative reinforcement stimulus).

However, we repeat that Skinner considered it necessary to consider not just the S-R scheme (stimulus-reaction) when analyzing such behavior, but to envisage that this reaction is also operantly conditioned by previous experience and the genetic history of the subject.

The primary positive and negative “supporters” of correct or erroneous answers are considered to be physical rewards from which an animal, a child, and sometimes an adult get physical pleasure and physical punishment (unpleasant physical sensations of various kinds of intensity).

Some researchers refer to negative “reinforcements” as frustration from not receiving expected positive reinforcement. This scheme, by the way, was used by the outstanding trainer Filatov, who constantly scientifically experimented under the advisory guidance of IP Pavlov. When training bears, he correctly supported the assignment with a positive stimulus (he gave a sugar cube), and if he didn’t fulfill the task or did not do it correctly, he did not resort to direct punishment, but only did not give the expected sugar cube. That is, he used indirect punishment in the form of frustration from not receiving positive reinforcement.

By the way, such a scheme is used by many educators and parents, sometimes coming to it themselves, when the lack of encouragement of a child is an indirect punishment for him.

We will not go into the nuances of this system here, which, like any good ideas, can be brought to the point of absurdity when parents teach a child to behave or study well, replacing the more laborious process of forming personal attitudes and spiritual needs with material incentives or the threat not to buy promised

Here we logically proceed to the secondary "backers." They act in the same way as the primary “backers”, but at a different level and usually represent the so-called neutral incentives. Here not physical, but material satisfaction of needs and even the promise of such satisfaction appear.

An important part of the theory and practice of behavioral therapy according to Skinner is the so-called explanatory fictions, that is, functions of a certain kind of unconscious or consciously unconscious self-deception.

Among the main explanatory fictions, Skinner calls such as: an autonomous person, freedom, dignity, creativity. He considers them illusory, but necessary for self-affirmation of a person.

Indeed, a person is a social being, forced to reckon with the requirements of society or to be rejected by him, but even then he is forced to reckon with some people and circumstances. That is, its autonomy , as well as freedom, are very relative concepts, but important for its self-consciousness.

Dignity (assessment of oneself and others) is not determined by the person himself, even if he thinks so, but under the conscious or unconscious influence of the criteria and values ​​of the society to which he belongs or would like to belong.

Creativity , no matter how spontaneous it may seem to the creator, is also operantly due to his external conditions and internal needs, which (as we have said) in turn depend on his previous experience and genetic history. (We do not speak here of creativity, which is consciously carried out as a specific order, but only in those cases when it is perceived as free, nothing depends on anything or anyone.)

Skinner argues that all this is only explanatory functions that deny spontaneity and sources that do not arise from the sphere of life experience.

We repeat that he also deduces the genetic history from the life experience of previous generations of a given population and a specific individual.

It must be said that behaviorism grew out of the philosophy of pragmatism, and Skinner, a consistent and, moreover, radical behaviorist, directly indicates that he (from the position of pragmatics) is more interested in not the mental state of a person, but his behavior (since it can be effectively or ineffective for the individual and society), and in the sphere of behavior itself, it is more interesting for him to manage this behavior than to predict it.

Objection to those who believed that his approaches to managing human behavior, when fully implemented, would give people control levers into the hands of tyrants who “mechanize” society, he wrote: “... we cannot make wise decisions if we continue to pretend that human behavior is uncontrollable, or if we refuse to engage in management, when valuable results can be achieved. Such measures only weaken us, leaving the power of science in the hands of others. The first step towards protection against tyranny is the maximum possible detection of control technology ... "

Putting the main task of behavioral therapy to form the most effective (to solve a specific personal or professional problem) behavioral skills and abilities through their reflex positive reinforcement, Skinner proceeded from the conviction that punishment of any kind is ineffective in that it informs the punished about what should not be done , but does not indicate what and how to do. Thus, punishment does not allow an individual to develop the right adaptation skills and abilities necessary to overcome a frustrating (his or other) situation. Therefore, only positive stimuli that support the right behavioral responses are effective for learning, and negative (punishments), without showing new patterns of behavior, force the individual to return to the former (ineffective or even harmful) patterns sooner or later (in a direct or veiled form).

As an example of the ineffectiveness of punishment for working out the right behavior, Skinner cites imprisonment, which shows an extremely low percentage of corrections even in the most civilized countries.

Rewarding, the use of various types of rewards is, in the opinion of behaviorists, a much more effective way of learning the right or necessary behavior patterns. When this happens, the required controlled selection (selection) and the fixation of the most effective patterns of behavioral responses.

It can be said that the behavioral therapist does not work with the disease (psychological problem, neurosis), but with its symptoms (external manifestations in the wrong or insufficiently effective behavior).

One of the most primary tasks in the conduct of behavioral therapy is the awareness of the so-called non-threatening environment, the maximum approximation of the sense of security and comfort of the client.

It is no secret that most people who turn to a psychotherapist feel insecure, insecure, and therefore cannot fully open up for trusting contact and partnership. And without this, the therapeutic work does not become a collaboration, and therefore does not correspond to the basic principle of behavioral therapy.

This should be not just an atmosphere of trust in the psychotherapist, but an atmosphere of complete emancipation, the ability to without spontaneously express spontaneously the emotions disturbing the client in crying, laughing, quite frank confessions even in what seems indecent, for example, in various sexual fantasies. The client must be sure that the psychotherapist will not only (even if to himself) condemn him or consider him defective, but, on the contrary, assess his trust, correctly understand himself and interpret the client’s reasons for his concerns and start cooperating in solving these problems .

However, creating such an atmosphere of complete emancipation and spontaneity, the psychotherapist should express her understanding, but not encouragement, gradually starting to transfer the client from these, albeit natural, but ineffective, behaviors to the formation of correct behavioral skills, aimed at a constructive solution to the problem, and encouraging (positively consolidating) every success of the client in this direction.

Often, at the first stage, behavioral psychotherapists offer the client to master the technique of psycho-regulation using the method of progressive muscle relaxation according to E. Jacobson . This method, consisting of consistent tension and relaxation of various muscle groups and focusing on the difference in these sensations, is mastered quite quickly (faster than auto-training according to I. Schultz) and immediately makes the client feel that he is able to effectively learn the techniques and skills, which offers him a psychotherapist. This gives him confidence that even more serious tasks can be done. Remember (and remind the client) the statement of the ancients: "Even a small victory over yourself makes a person much stronger." In addition, the progressive relaxation technique is useful when mastering other, more complex, behavioral skills.

When the client's psycho-emotional state, when solving a painful problem for him, will increase and threaten to get out of control, he (the client) first, at the command of the therapist, and then independently determining the right moment, sharply switches his attention to the progressive relaxation technique and (with good development) in a few minutes switches, moves away from the pain point, to overcome which he was not ready yet. Then the work continues again.

Кроме того, выработка навыков психомышечной релаксации помогает лучше справиться с различными недостатками излишнего или неадекватного психоэмоционального напряжения для преодоления застенчивости, обретения уверенности в быту, на работе, при публичных выступлениях и т.п.

Наибольшее распространение среди групп поведенческой терапии получили так называемые группы тренинга умений . Такие группы можно назвать курсами программированного обучения. Но не обучения школьным или университетским предметам, а обучения поведенческим реакциям, умениям, необходимым для решения бытовых или профессиональных проблем клиента, а также для повышения его профессиональной эффективности.

Наиболее популярными (по крайней мере в США) «группами умений» являются:

- группы снижения тревожности и обретения (повышения) уверенности в себе;

- Career planning groups (where not only plans are made, but also algorithms and the necessary psychological professional skills to achieve the final goal are worked out);

- decision-making groups (here are people who suffer from indecision or from making ill-considered, spontaneous, changeable decisions and the inability to implement them);

- groups of parental functions (it is not enough to love your children, it is important to be able to realize your love for the benefit, and not to the detriment of those you love);

- groups of communicative skills (for people who have difficulties or mistakes in communication), etc.

In such groups, embarrassment is very quickly removed and there is no feeling of inferiority, since those gathered around you are united by the same or a similar problem and also cannot cope with it on their own. Do you remember A. Adler’s instructions that the best treatment for your neuroses and problems is switching your attention from yourself to helping others solve these problems? The use of skill training groups is extremely wide: from teaching a candidate for the bulbar to overcome indecision in public speaking to learning to hold a cup of tea while restoring motor functions.

Главный процесс в группах поведенческой терапии - это процесс обучения. Так, при терапии взаимоотношений осваиваются такие навыки коммуникаций, которые не провоцируют защитных реакций того, к кому вы обращаетесь, у него не возникает инстинктивного желания либо отгородиться от общения, либо отреагировать на него в той или иной мере раздражительно, агрессивно. При этом терапевт сначала показывает, а затем предлагает начать воспроизводить и совершенствовать четыре вида поведенческих умений:

- осознание и совершенствование выражения коммуникативных чувств, связанных с вашим положительным отношением к коммуникатору и вызывающих («провоцирующих») соответствующее его отношение к вам;

- empathic response (empathy is the ability for emotional empathy, the feeling of feelings and moods of another person). At this stage, there is learning about a deeper and more sympathetic understanding of the inner state of another person and the expression of this understanding to the communicator;

- sequential switching of the mode of action - from the developed skill of expressing interpersonal feelings to an empathic response (emotional empathy);

- facilitation (assistance-support) - preparation for the training of other above-mentioned skills after you have mastered them enough and are convinced of their effectiveness.

Несмотря на наличие общих принципиальных схем деятельности групп тренинга умений, следует выделить как относительно самостоятельный такой вид тренинга умений, который называется структурированно обучающая терапия.

Тренинги такого вида применяются для развития социальных умений (необходимых для эффективной жизнедеятельности в различных бытовых и профессиональных группах и сообществах). Сюда в первую очередь входят умения планировать и умения предупреждать причины возникновения стресса.

Тренинг в таких группах включает моделирование и прогнозирование социальных ролей, отработку коммуникативных взаимодействий и обратной связи (получения информации о правильности или ошибочности в освоении навыков) и перенос приобретенных умений в реальную группу, для которой эти навыки и отрабатывались.

Несмотря на широкое распространение самых разнообразных групп тренинга умений, наибольшей популярностью на протяжении многих лет пользуются группы тренинга уверенности в себе . Здесь отрабатываются: умения осознавать и выражать свои чувства, потребности и экспектации (ожидания); умения уверенно общаться: не стесняться обращаться с просьбой даже к малознакомым людям, не обескураживаться, получая отказ, и самому не бояться в определенных случаях ответить отказом, не чувствуя вины, уметь отстаивать свои законные права, делать и принимать комплименты и т.д. (Далее мы скажем об этом несколько подробнее.)

К основным правам, которые следует научиться свободно и естественно отстаивать и использовать, относятся:

Право быть одному

Право отказаться от ненужного или нежелательного для вас в данный момент общения, не чувствуя при этом смущения и вины.

Право на независимость

Независимость в решениях и поступках в тех случаях, когда вы не связаны договорами и объективными , а не оправдывающими вашу нерешительность обязательствами.

Право на успех

Не стесняться проявлять свои способности, дающие вам честное преимущество над другими.

Право быть выслушанным и серьезно воспринятым

Право на то, чтобы вас внимательно выслушали и серьезно отреагировали на вашу просьбу или мнение (на реализации этого права трудно настоять, оно завоевывается правильной «постановкой себя». Как писал Киплинг: «Будь прям и строг с врагами и друзьями. Пусть все, в свой час, считаются с тобой».)

Право получить то, за что платишь

Это право получить оплаченные вами товары и услуги в соответствии с их наименованием и необходимым качеством.

Сюда же можно включить и право на справедливую оплату за результаты своей деятельности. (Этот пункт особенно трудно реализовывать в современной России, но вы не должны забывать о своих правах и должны на них настаивать - иначе вы не получите даже того, что получат другие, находящиеся в таком же положении).

Право иметь права

То есть от вас должно веять спокойной уверенностью в том, что вы знаете свои права и не намерены от них отказываться.

Речь идет не только о юридических правах, но и о праве вести себя уверенно и независимо, даже если это кому-то и не нравится, особенно тем, кто привык к вашему нерешительному и зависимому поведению.

Право отвечать отказом на просьбу

Не чувствуйте себя виноватым, если считаете ваш отказ обоснованным.

При этом надо быть готовым спокойно аргументировать свой отказ, даже если причины его субъективны.

Одновременно надо быть психологически открытым для обсуждения, а возможно и принятия контрдоводов собеседника.

Право просить то, чего хочешь

Это, разумеется, не значит, что любой ваш каприз, несправедливое или невыполнимое (по объективным обстоятельствам) желание должны быть удовлетворены. Но вы имеете право высказать любую просьбу, так же как и тот, к кому вы обратитесь, имеет право отказать вам по объективным причинам, и к этому тоже надо быть готовым.

Сейчас любая американская газета самого маленького городка или района пестрит объявлениями, призывающими собраться вместе лиц, которым хотелось бы выработать или исправить те или иные поведенческие навыки и умения. Во многом это напоминает группы самопомощи, начавшиеся с обществ анонимных алкоголиков и распространившиеся в настоящее время практически на все проблемы, с которыми люди помогают справиться друг другу.

К тому же в таких группах восполняется прогрессирующий в нашем обществе дефицит общения (феномен «одиночества в толпе») - люди, лично обеспокоенные одной проблемой (у кого чего болит...), внимательней слушают друг друга и искренне, а не из формальной вежливости, дают человеку «излить душу», поразмышлять вслух, «что же делать», подсказать советом, проявить заботу друг о друге, принять достойно отказ.

Право совершать ошибки и отвечать за них

Не каждая инициатива приносит успех, но «не ошибается тот, кто ничего не делает».

Весь наш жизненный опыт складывается по методу «проб и ошибок». Если этого не осознать и все время бояться ошибиться, то ваши идеи, способности, а может и жизнь в целом, останутся нереализованными.

Главное уметь просчитывать цену возможной ошибки, влияние ее на права других людей и быть готовым нести за нее личную ответственность.

Право не быть напористым

Это типичный американский пункт, так как американцы с детства «замучены» призывами к напористости.

Unfortunately, in our country too, parents or spouses often “torture” with requirements that seem to be correct, but objectively do not correspond to our temperament (and this is a basic, little-altered factor), character, or a given state. This creates a feeling of even greater uncertainty and the inferiority of non-compliance . Therefore, it is important to help find an individual style of activity and show the possibilities of the best self-realization, based on individual characteristics.

To develop the skills to realize, realize and defend their rights in these groups, special exercises are used. Typically, such exercises that develop self-confidence include:

- active looking: developing the ability to not hesitate, confidently but calmly (without shyness and challenge) to look in the eyes of the interlocutor, focusing not on the confidence of the look, but on the expression in it of the active attention of an equal partner;

-development of skills to sincerely (not formally politely) to make compliments and without embarrassment, with a confident (not condescending and not humiliated) gratitude to accept them;

-the liberation of the natural (not clamped, but not uncontrollably ill-mannered) expression of their feelings;

-development of the ability to first enter into a conversation and conduct it (the exercises in this, as in the previous paragraph, include elements of exercises from rhetoric, correct pronunciation, diction, literacy, tempo and other components of speech with additions to facial expressions and gestures, if necessary).

Questions for self-test

1. What are the basic principles of behaviorism and behavioral therapy.

2. What contribution to the behavioral psychotherapy did the teaching of Pavlov?

3. What are the main authors of behaviorism and behavioral therapy. What is operant conditioning?

4. Describe group behavioral therapy exercises.

WORKSHOP

Despite the fact that most of the exercises in skill training groups in the traditions of behaviorism are aimed at correcting external behavioral manifestations, a certain attention is paid to the formation of "internal" skills, such as the ability to stop excessive self-judgment and "self-digging", to form in your mind a positive image I , etc.

As already mentioned, one of the most popular (especially in the US) types of skill training groups are self-confidence training groups.

We give some typical exercises for such groups.

Conversation

The ability to conduct a conversation most informatively shows a person’s degree of confidence and at the same time trains that confidence. Participants are distributed in pairs and begin to exchange questions and answers.

Considering that people gathered in such a group are not easily contacted, the exercise must begin with the easiest exchange of questions and answers. These should be the so-called open-ended questions, which are of a general nature and do not require an exact answer. For example, you ask: “How are you?” (Open-ended question), to which an open answer can also be given: “Nothing, so-so, thank you, not bad”, etc.

After such a superficial conversational contact has been formed and gradually became more and more easy for the participants in the dialogue, they gradually move to more closed (specific) issues. For example: “How do you feel now?” This question can be given first at the same open answer, and then the manager asks to answer in a more specific and detailed way describing his well-being.

It is important to follow the gradual preparation of each participant for the transition to increasingly specific questions and finally to questions whose answers require him to overcome some embarrassment.

Too fast to such questions can cause an undesirable emotional reaction. (This technique is sometimes used by an experienced psychotherapist in psycho-correction groups, but is not considered successful for confidence training groups.)

At first one participant asks, another answers. Then (ten minutes later) they switch roles. Then they proceed to the exchange of questions and answers, more and more concretizing them.

Discussion of the success and difficulties of the dialogue can be conducted both after each of its phases, and on the results of all conversations as a whole. It is advisable to start this exercise with the most convenient (least embarrassing) partners chosen by the participants themselves. Subsequently (in this or the next lesson) partners should be changed, so that in the end each participant “practiced” his confidence (or, more precisely, overcoming uncertainty) in conversations with all members of the group. It is desirable that everyone in the group be able to talk to everyone.

This exercise, like most other behavioral therapy exercises, is carried out over many sessions until the desired effect is achieved, assessed not only by the psychotherapist, but also by each group member, who assesses not only his success, but also other members of the group, thereby encouraging them ( "Positive reinforcement").

Relaxation (relaxation)

First, a small theoretical introduction.

This exercise is very important not only for this, but for all types of psychotherapy.

Uncertainty is always associated with a certain level of anxiety, and that, in turn, with a certain level of emotional tension, and the latter, in turn, with a certain level of general or local muscular tension, squeezing.

In accordance with various types of psychic muscle relaxation, the reverse mechanism can also be “twisted”. Muscle relaxation reduces emotional tension, anxiety and insecurity.

Various types of psycho-regulation methods can be used for this: muscle relaxation simultaneously with verbal self-suggestion (auto-training for I. Schulz, etc.), also without words, but only on the contrast of sensations of tension and relaxation of muscles (according to E. Jacobson, etc.) .). Without denying the harmfulness of verbal self-suggestion, it should be noted that the process of good mastering of auto-training requires a sufficiently long time to form and consolidate the conditioned-reflex connections between the word and the sensation.

The second option is to concentrate on differences in the sensations of tension, and then sharply relaxed muscles — it comes almost immediately.

Since in groups of self-confidence training, relaxation exercises do not play a major, but a subordinate role, the second option is used in most cases. Of course, if someone complements it with mental verbal self-suggestion of relaxation, this will further enhance the effect.

And now the exercise itself.

Sit back, close your eyes and try to relax all your muscles as much as possible.

Take a breath.

Hold your breath.

Now strain your leg muscles.

Strong, stronger, as strong as possible.

Dramatically relax them at the same time with a full exhalation.

Feel as clearly as possible the difference in feelings of maximum tension and maximum relaxation.

After several quiet breaths, repeat the same with the arm muscles in whole or in part (hand, arm, shoulders), fully focusing on the difference in sensations of strained and relaxed muscles.

You can also strain and relax any muscles (abdomen, chest, back, face). Moreover, the exercise for each muscle group should be carried out several times, until the fullest perception of the difference in tension and relaxation.

The goal of this exercise is not only to learn to relax and thereby reduce anxiety and insecurity, but also to learn to switch attention to muscle sensations from their psychological problems and complexes.

Repetition

Think of a scenario for yourself where you have to quickly show determination in situations where you are not good at it. Well, for example, to refuse a friend's request to drink or do something that is unpleasant and unnecessary for you, but you do not know how to refuse.

Then choose your partner. Explain to him the role of persuasive and persistent (or plaintive) pristavaly and play the scene.

Knowing that this is just a game, it will be easier for you to refuse him, and by repeating these exercises many times with different partners and with changing situations, you will be able to bring the ability to say no to a certain automatism, and it will be easier for you to do this in real life.

Discussing each such exercise and encouraging your progress by other participants will strengthen your confidence. It is very important to warn all members of the group in advance that, after successful training in this and other exercises, it is not always possible to quickly transfer the acquired skills to reality.