Cubbyholing is a mindfulness exercise used in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). It is related to the Vipassana meditation of Mental Noting. It is a way of observing our mental actions that helps us defuse from our thoughts. Defusion means to get perspective on our thoughts, to not be fused with our thoughts. We can recognize that our verbal thoughts are not the same as the world to which they may refer. The thought, “What if I make a mistake?” is not the same as making the mistake. The thought, however, may give rise to the same emotions as the real experience. When we can recognize that the thought is not the same as the event, we can more easily disengage from our unhelpful emotions.
Here is an excerpt from the Cubbyholing exercise in Get Out of Your Mind & Into Your Life:
As thoughts, feelings, or bodily sensations arise, mindfully note into which category they fall. Do this aloud if you are in a place where you can do that. Do not call out the specific thoughts or emotions; the point is to focus only on the category to which the content belongs.
Here is a list of the different categories from which to choose. Undoubtedly, there are many more categories, but for the purposes of this exercise, stick to the ones listed below:
When you do this exercise, lead-in your labeling of the content with the word “there’s.” For example, if you start to feel your heart beating really fast, say “There’s sensation.” If you respond to your fast heartbeat with the fear that you are going to have a panic attack, you could say, “There’s emotion.” If your fear is so great, you feel compelled to call a doctor, you could say, “There’s an urge.”
- Emotion
- Thought
- Bodily sensation (just say “sensation”)
- Evaluation
- An urge to do something (just say “urge”)
- Memory
© 2010 Tom Barrett