What Is Wise Mind And How Can It Help With Your Anxiety

In my search for useful tips and techniques to better manage and reduce my anxiety, wise mind was a term I had never heard until I got a bit older. 

The first time I learned about it was when my cousin, a psychologist, mentioned it in passing while we were discussing ways to manage my anxiety.

The way he described it caught my ear, and stuck with me for a long time. 

So what is wise mind, exactly?

There are various definitions, but it’s essentially as follows:

“The Wise Mind is the meeting of the emotional mind and the reasonable mind. It’s being able to see the value in both reason and emotion and choosing the middle path.”

Let’s take a closer look…

 

BREAKING IT DOWN

According to Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), which provides clients with new skills to manage painful emotions and decrease conflict in relationships, there are three states of mind that we can experience: the reasonable mind, the emotional mind, and the wise mind.

Let’s start by reviewing the two types of minds that the wise mind incorporates: the reasonable mind and the emotional mind.

 

The Reasonable Mind is the objective mind. It’s the mind that stays cool, calm and collected. It uses facts, numbers, equations, and cause and effect to make rational and pragmatic decisions. 

The Emotional Mind is extremely passionate and intense. Making reasonable and logical decisions can be difficult using emotional mind because they can be clouded by your emotional state. 

 

Wise Mind is the meeting of the reasonable mind + emotional mind. 

“The reasonable mind is driven by logic, the emotional mind is driven by feelings, and wise mind is a middle-ground between the two.”

 

When we blend both the reasonable mind and the emotional mind, we can make thoughtful, pragmatic, and intelligent decisions while also incorporating emotions such as empathy, joy, and compassion into the decision. 

 

HOW TO PRACTICE WISE MIND

There are many ways we can access wise mind. 

Since wise mind can feel somewhat abstract, practicing it can seem a bit tedious.

But this is where you need to do a little introspection and reflection.

Think of a time in your life when you believed that you acted using wise mind?

What did it feel like? What did that decision look like? And despite the outcome, how could you tell it was wise mind?

Ask yourself these questions and over time you will begin to develop a sort of intuition when it comes to wise mind. 

Remember – practice makes perfect.

 

USING WISE MIND TO MANAGE ANXIETY
  1. Whenever you are in an anxiety-filled situation, you can use wise mind to make the most balanced, well-thought-out choice instead of letting the anxiety take you down a path of worry and fear.
  2. Think of anxiety as a friend in need of some guidance.  Using wise mind, what would you say to that friend, and what advice would you give? 
  3. If you begin feeling overwhelmed and stressed out, take out a piece of paper and journal some thoughts about your wise mind. Compare the stressed-out version of yourself to the wise mind version. Seeing it on paper can help give you a clear path forward. 

 

IN REVIEW

Wise Mind is one of many tools that can be used against anxiety. Developing and honing your wise mind over time can create major benefits over time. Using it regularly can help alleviate stress and anxiety and also help us calm down when we are experiencing it. Anxiety can sneak up on us when we least expect it, so having wise mind to fall back on can help make those moments a little easier. 

Although we strive to provide accurate general information, the information presented here is not a substitute for any kind of professional advice, and you should not rely solely on this information. Always consult a professional in the medical and health area for your particular needs and circumstances prior to making any medical or health-related decisions. For your health-related questions, please seek the advice of a licensed physician or any other qualified health care provider immediately. 

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Brad Coreno

Brad has been a blogger since 2013 and a Certified Anxiety & Mindset Coach since 2021. Over his 15 year career Brad has developed many skills by working for several start up companies (including his own) as well as hosting a podcast interviewing former athletes and entertainers. During this time he also was gaining knowledge and learning the tools to manage and reduce anxiety, develop healthy and sustainable habits, and improve mindset. In 2019, Brad decided to use both his business acumen and mental health knowledge to help others by launching Upplifter.