The analogy of the loop is a powerful tool used in process based behavioural therapy (PBBT), that gives clients a framework to understand their emotional experiences.
This information sheet details the three key features of the loop:
- Passive experience – recognising the client is in a passive state. This is an important part of the process because it shifts the clients perspective from blaming themselves to understanding.
- Evidence gathering – when clients gather evidence that supports their negative beliefs about themselves it not only reinforces the loop, but also deepens their emotional distress, while they actively stay in the loop.
- Breaking the cycle – despite clients not choosing to enter the loop, they are actively maintaining it by continuously providing evidence that supports its validity. Once this is understood and acknowledged, clients can begin to reduce the amount of evidence they gather, consequently weakening the loop’s hold on them.
YVONNE BARNES-HOLMES is co-developer of Process-based Behaviour Therapy (PBBT) which this particular analogy has come from. Yvonne has been a highly successful academic and clinician with a strong track record in teaching, training, publishing and presenting for over 20 years.
