You: Hi

Stranger: Hello

You: I have figured out some things about psychology and therapy that have helped me a lot and I want to share them with others. Open to giving it a try?

Stranger: Sure

You: Ok cool. In order to do this, we need a topic. It should be something that is on your mind. Could be something that causes anxiety, sadness, or thoughts you don’t want

Stranger: Ok

Stranger: Anxiety due to knee injury

You: Ok good topic. When you say anxiety, can you be more specific? Are there thoughts that you have?

Stranger: One thought is will this effect how I play my sport

Stranger: Or will I ever get injured again

Stranger: Will it get worse

Stranger: Those are a few

You: When are the thoughts more present?

You: like are there times when you dont think about it and times when they are really on your mind?

Stranger: Yh

Stranger: They mostly appear when I try to sleep at night

Stranger: Or before I play my sport

You: Ok thats good to know.

You: So we have thoughts “will this effect how I play my sport
Or will I ever get injured again
Will it get worse” They come before the sport and at night

You: is that all accurate?

Stranger: Yes

Stranger: Yes

You: Are there any emotions that coincide with the thoughts? Tension in chest, gut throat?

Stranger: I can’t really tell sorry not sure

You: no worries

You: Out of the thoughts you shared, which has the most “charge” or is the most tense

You: Will this effect how I play my sport
Or will I ever get injured again
Will it get worse

You: or maybe they all feel the same?

Stranger: I feel like will I get injured again and will it get worse has more of an impact on me

You: ok good to know

You: Now let me ask you…

You: Has there ever been another time in your life

You: where you had something happen and you were worried it woudl happen again

You: or that it woudl get worse? Can you find another tiem in your life where you had these same thoughts

You: but about something different

You: a different topic

Stranger: I mean another time I can think of

Stranger: Is another injury 😂

Stranger: Specifically my ankle

You: Ok good

You: to remember that

Stranger: Couldn’t walk for 1 week

You: When you injured your ankle, did you have the exact same thoughts?

You: Will this effect how I play my sport
Or will I ever get injured again
Will it get worse

Stranger: Yes

You: Ok just checking in… How do you feel right now? Did remembering your ankle injury do anything?

Stranger: Well not much apart from clicking sounds when I do some movements

Stranger: But mentally

Stranger: Not much I’m very glad It didn’t get worse

You: Ok so you still feel worried the current injury could get worse?

You: because sometimes thoughts worries are rooted in a past experience

You: and by remembering the previous injury, it can sometimes lessen the worry about the current injury

You: so im just checking in to see if there was a shift in how youre thinkinga bout your current injury now

Stranger: Ok so

Stranger: My last injury really doesn’t effect my opinions on my current injury

Stranger: As my current injury is worse and more prone to injury

You: Ok. I understand. Can you think of another time where you had the thoughts “will I ever get injured again
Will it get worse”

You: Can you think of a 3rd time?

Stranger: No not really

You: Ok.

You: Hmmmmm

Stranger: It’s fine if you can’t help as it is a difficult subject

You: So we have these two injuries. In both cases you were worried it would get worse

Stranger: Use this as practice I’m happy to help

Stranger: Yes

You: or that you’d get injured again.

You: What about the nighttime is significant

You: is there anytihng about the first injury that coincides with nighttime

You: becuase thats when the thoughts are more present

Stranger: I guess it’s goes my mind has more time to think about past experiences and current issues

Stranger: So basically overthinking

Stranger: I prevent this most of the time

Stranger: By just sleeping with a podcast on

You: what do you overthink about?

Stranger: Well I do have important exams coming up but I try my best not to stress about then

You: you didnt get surgery at night ever or something?

Stranger: Them*

Stranger: Nope

You: ok

You: I want to stick on the worry you have about your ankle

You: or injury I mean

You: if you never had to play your sport again…

You: right now

You: you could never play again

You: would you worry about the injury?

Stranger: I guess a bit

Stranger: Causes pain sometimes generally

You: but it sounds like the majority of the worry is related to the sport

You: yes?

Stranger: Yh

You: so what would it mean to you if you couldnt play the sport because of your injury?

You: I think we have to work on that piece becuase its causing the most anxiety

You: its the relationship to not playing becuase of the injury

Stranger: If I couldn’t play the sport because of my injury

Stranger: I guess I’d be very let down

Stranger: And it would stick with me for a while

You: Yes. Let’s imagine you were really let down because you couldn’t play your sport. What does your mind say about that?

You: Like any thoughts you have about it?

You: this is a better angle for us

Stranger: What it could’ve been like if I never sustained this injury

You: So you imagine this future ideal

Stranger: Yh

You: and are sad that it wont happen.

You: Ok now we are getting somewhere

Stranger: Yh let down

You: Ok very good

You: so this future state you have in your mind. Can you see that you’ve made it up. It is not real. And by holding this in your mind you are causing extra tension and anxiety and stress

You: and that by letting this go you can actaully be less stressed, more present and more likely to succeed

Stranger: Yh

You: this could be waht I call a high low

You: so you have this high. But I bet you also experience many lows

You: any threat of this state

You: will experience a low

You: not just the injury

You: but you dont play well one day

You: something ahppens

You: etc etc

You: will lead toa. low

You: and if you do really well

You: you feel this great hihg

You: high

You: the anxiety. The high. the low

You: they are all two sides of the same coin

Stranger: Yh I can see now

Stranger: Thanks

You: do you feel different? It can be very subtle

Stranger: Yh I’m much better

You: Awesome. Great work my friend

Stranger: Glad I was able to help you

Stranger: And thanks for helping me

You: if you want to learn more you can check out my site tylerrustin.com

You: I post all my techniques there

You: good luck to you

Stranger: Thanks

Stranger: Take care

Stranger has disconnected.