This episode explores the impact of automatic negative thoughts (ANTs) on our mood and daily life, and breaks down exactly how to use the STOPP Technique to halt anxiety in its tracks, take back today, and build preventative mental wellness habits. Hosted by Marie and Krista, licensed counseling therapists and educators, the episode offers insights into how understanding and retraining our thought patterns can lead to a more positive, resilient mindset, providing you with the practical strategies needed to identify, challenge, and overcome them.

👉 Official Podcast Links: https://linktr.ee/takebacktoday

⏱️CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction to Automatic Negative Thoughts

03:38 Understanding the Impact of Negative Thoughts

10:09 Common Thinking Errors and Their Effects

12:31 Embracing Positive Possibilities

13:32 Personal Experiences with Negative Thoughts

16:30 Overcoming Phobias and Fears

19:29 The Importance of Self-Awareness and Self-Compassion

22:24 How to Challenging Automatic Negative Thoughts

27:25 Take Away - The STOPP Technique

🎧 ABOUT THE SHOW & HOSTS

Welcome to Take Back Today! Our mission is to provide you with practical, actionable tools for better daily mental wellness. Hosted by Krista Royama (BEd, MACP, CCC, LCT) and Marie Reinsborough-Wadden (BEd, MACP, CCC, LCT)—educators, certified therapists, with a combined 40+ years of real-world experience—practical, evidence-informed mental health strategies in plain language, for real people living real lives. Whether you're a stressed-out student, a busy parent, or someone quietly carrying more than you should, each episode gives you something you can actually use. Not someday. Today.

📚 RESOURCES

• Framework: "The STOPP Technique" by Carol Vivyan (2009, CBT Framework, Get Self Help UK)
• Framework: "The STOP Skill" derived from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT Protocols)
• Study Cited: "Negativity Bias in Early Cognitive Processing" (Journal of Psychology, 2018)
• Book Reference: "Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy" by Dr. David Burns (CBT Tools)