The Aaron Beck Model

Psychologist Aaron Beck, the father of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, developed an illuminating model for understanding how we react to reality.

His model establishes a clear sequence: our circumstances generate an idea, this idea makes us feel an emotion, and that emotion, in turn, provokes a behavior.

The sum of our ideas, emotions and behaviors is what defines our personality.

This model reveals how our perception is at the root of the roles we adopt in our interactions.

Perception in communication roles

A persecutor, for example, believes that his frustration is caused by the behavior of others.

This idea generates anger, which leads him to react with aggressive communication, constantly blaming the other person for not being "enough."

A rescuer, on the other hand, allows himself to feel guilt, which drives him to behave submissively, sacrificing his own well-being to please others.

In both cases, the problem is not in the situation, but in one's perception of it.

From emotion to action

The way we process information and react determines the quality of our interactions.

Beck's model shows us that the way we think about a situation (our idea) is what actually triggers emotion and behavior.

Therefore, if we want to change our behavior, we must focus not only on the action, but on the idea or perception that originated it.

By restructuring our thoughts, we can modify our emotions and, consequently, our reactions, adopting healthier and more assertive behaviors.

This allows us to stop being at the mercy of our emotions and take control of the way we act.

Summary

Aaron Beck's model explains how circumstances generate an idea, which produces an emotion, which triggers a behavior. The sum of ideas, emotions and behaviors defines our personality. Our perception is the root of the roles we adopt.

A persecutor, for example, believes that his frustration is caused by others, which generates anger and an aggressive reaction. On the other hand, a rescuer feels guilt, which drives him to please others. In both cases, the problem lies in perception.

To change our behavior, we must focus on the idea or perception that caused it. By restructuring our thoughts, we can modify our emotions and reactions, adopting healthier and more assertive behaviors.