DBT promotes Half-smile – Why?

Wise Mind – Taking Control of your Mind
States of Mind

Reason Mind

This is your rational, thinking, logical mind

It plans and evaluates things logically.

It is your “cool” part.

Reasonable Mind can be very beneficial.

It is easier to be in Reasonable Mind when you feel good.

It is much harder to be in Reasonable Mind when you don’t feel good.

You Would Use Your Reasonable Mind To:
Build a bridge
Figure out how to double a recipe
Balance your checkbook
Figure out the fastest way from point “A” to point “B”

Emotion Mind

This describes times when your emotions are out of control — times when emotions are what influence or control your thinking and behavior.

Emotional Mind can also be very beneficial.

Emotions are what motivate us to action.

Emotions are what keep us attached to others and building relationships.

Emotion Mind can be aggravated by:
Illness, Lack Of Sleep, Tiredness, Drugs, Alcohol, Hungry, Bloating, Overeating, Poor nutrition and/or lack of exercise, Environmental stress and threats

Both Emotion and Reasonable Mind Are Equally Important And Valuable.
Reasonable mind gives you a way to solve your problems.

Emotion mind gives you a reason (motivation) to want to solve them.

Wise Mind

Wise mind is the integration of emotional and reasonable mind.

You cannot overcome or control emotional mind with reasonable mind.

You cannot create emotion mind with reason.

You must go within and integrate these two states of mind.

Wise mind is that part of each person that can know and experience truth.

It is where the person knows something to be true or valid.

It is where the person knows something in a centered (balanced) way.

It is almost always quiet and calm in this part of the mind.

Wise Mind – An Analogy for Wise Mind is like a deep well in the ground. The water is at the bottom of the well. The entire underground is an ocean called Wise Mind. But on the way down, there are often trap doors that stop progress. Sometimes the trap doors are so cleverly built that you actually believe that there is no water at the bottom of the well. The trap door may look like the bottom of the well. Perhaps it is locked and you need a key. Perhaps it is nailed shut and you need a hammer. Perhaps it is glued shut and you need a chisel.

Everyone Has A Wise Mind!

Some people have simply never experienced it.

No one is in Wise Mind all of the time.

Emotion and Wise Mind; Confusing The Two

Emotional mind and Wise mind both have a quality of “feeling” something to be true.

Intense emotions can generate feelings of certainty that mimic the Wise mind.

Like in a well, after a heavy storm, water can collect on a trap door within the well. You may then confuse the still water on the trap door with the deep ocean at the bottom of the well.

Wise mind is in your heart (emotions) and in you head (reason).

Certainty comes from both.