Video summary

6 Therapy Skills to Stop Overthinking Everything

Main summary

Key takeaways

Wellness and Self-Improvement

Key wellness strategies to stop overthinking (and the “cycle”)

1) Notice and name the overthinking

  • Say it out loud: “I’m overthinking.”
  • Ask someone to help you catch it in the moment.
  • Learn your triggers (time of day + situations like work, being alone, social events, etc.).
  • Practical tracking: set an alarm (e.g., hourly), then check how much you ruminated that hour for a week.

2) Postpone/schedule rumination (set limits)

  • Tell yourself: “I’ll deal with this later” or “I’ll worry about this at 2 pm.”
  • Put it on your calendar so your brain learns there’s a time and place for worry.
  • Practice “worry time” consistently (example):
    • Every day at 2 pm, worry for ~35 minutes, then stop and return to what matters.

3) Write it down instead of worrying in your head

  • Motto: “Never worry in your head. Do it on paper.”
  • Options mentioned:
    • free-writing
    • locus-of-control activity
    • pros/cons list
    • brain dump

4) Shift attention (mindset reframing)

  • Don’t treat thoughts as facts—separate yourself from your thoughts and choose what to engage with.
  • Use mindfulness / cognitive diffusion ideas (the video references “channel shifting” and diffusion-style skills).
  • “Changing the channel” examples:
    • compulsive worry → gratitude
    • “can’t control anything” → what you can control
    • “everything is awful” → a more helpful interpretation
  • Aim to shift toward specific, action-oriented, locus-of-control focus.

5) Return to the present moment (sensory grounding)

  • Move attention from inner negative thinking to the outer present:
    • notice people/activities around you
    • use your senses (what you see, feel, and especially your breathing)
  • Goal: get “out of your head and into your body.”

6) Go from abstract to concrete thinking

  • Replace vague overgeneralizations (e.g., “Why can’t I ever…?” / “What’s wrong with me?”) with specific details and actionable steps.
  • Swap “why” questions (often fuel rumination) for “what” questions:
    • “What is one small thing I can do today for my mental health?”
    • “What is one relationship skill I can work on?”
  • Behavioral workaround example from the video:
    • Treat “why” like a swear word and use a “swear jar” to interrupt the habit, then shift to practical action.

7) Shift to your values (meaning-based direction)

  • Overthinking won’t stop by fighting thoughts directly—trying to eliminate thoughts can backfire (pink elephant example).
  • Ask:
    • What matters most to me right now?
    • What do I want my life to be about?
  • Values-based focus examples:
    • being present with kids
    • relaxing
    • helpful action
    • living meaningfully
  • Since overthinking can lead to withdrawal/isolation, the goal is to take one value-aligned step at a time, even if small.

8) Use distraction cautiously

  • Distraction is not preferred because it can become avoidance (and can worsen problems).
  • Allowed as a short-term tool to break ruts—only if you then return to things you value and face problems directly.
  • Examples given for meaningful alternatives: gardening, exercising.

When to get extra help (therapy recommendations)

  • If overthinking interferes with life, consider therapy.
  • Approaches mentioned:
    • CBT for rumination
    • ACT (cognitive diffusion skills)
    • Metacognitive therapy
  • Future topics previewed by the video:
    • depressive rumination (past/regrets)
    • social anxiety (worrying about what you said / what others think)

Presenters / sources

  • Emma McAdam (licensed therapist; presenter)
  • BetterHelp (sponsor; professional licensed counseling via video chat)
  • “How to Process Your Emotions” course / playlist (referenced by the presenter as source for a values exercise)
  • Therapy approaches cited by presenter: CBT, ACT, Metacognitive Therapy

Original video