158. Thoughts Are Not Facts: New Relationship with Your Mind

Ask me a question or let me know what you think!In this episode of The Modern Creative Woman Podcast, Amy Backos explores one of the most powerful concepts in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): cognitive defusion. What happens when you stop treating your thoughts like facts? What changes when you learn to observe your mind instead of obeying it?Amy walks listeners through the neuroscience of memory, thought formation, and perception, using the metaphor of a beach visualization to demonstrate how vividly the brain can generate experiences that feel real — even when they are simply mental events. From there, she explains the difference between cognitive fusion and cognitive defusion, and why learning to “hold thoughts lightly” can dramatically improve psychological flexibility, creativity, and peace of mind.This episode dives into the common fused thought patterns many women experience, including:Impostor syndrome and the “phony intellectual” narrativeUpper limit thoughts that emerge when growth and visibility increaseTime-based thoughts that delay meaningful actionThe deeply familiar “I’m not good enough” storyHow self-critical thinking impacts creativity and emotional wellbeingAmy also explores how these thought patterns develop through childhood experiences, social conditioning, survival strategies, and the brain’s natural tendency toward comparison and prediction. Rather than trying to eliminate difficult thoughts, she explains how ACT encourages a different relationship with thinking altogether.Throughout the episode, she shares practical examples from her work as a psychologist and art therapist, including how creativity and art-making can help people separate from painful thoughts and move into a more observer-based perspective.You’ll also hear:Why thoughts are biological processes, not objective truthsHow creativity increases adaptability and resilienceWhy the brain prefers familiarity, even when it is painfulThe role of relapse and setbacks in real changeHow metaphors can help create distance from difficult thoughtsWhy observing thoughts creates more freedom than fighting themAmy closes the episode with a powerful art therapy exercise from her upcoming book, The Art Therapy Toolkit. Using metaphor and collage, listeners are invited to visually explore the relationship between themselves and their thoughts. Whether your thoughts feel like weather, software, paint, or trees in a forest, this exercise helps cultivate perspective, insight, and psychological flexibility.If you’ve ever struggled with self-doubt, perfectionism, procrastination, or the feeling that your thoughts control your life, this episode offers a compassionate and deeply practical framework for relating to your mind differently.In This EpisodeCognitive fusion vs. cognitive defusionAcceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Psychological flexibilityCreativity and mental healthImpostor syndromeSelf-critical thinkingArt therapy interventionsMetaphor and visual thinkingThe neuroscience of memory and thoughtCreativity as a human needMentioned in This EpisodeThe Big Leap by Gay HendricksThe work of Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes on impostor phenomenonAcceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)The Transtheoretical Model of ChangeConnect with AmyInstagram: @DoctorAmyBackosWebsite: The Modern Creative WomanIf you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another creative woman who may need this reminder: your thoughts are not facts, and creativity begins the moment you create space between yourself and the stories your mind tells you.Support the showExplore the Modern Creative Woman Communityhttps://moderncreativewoman.comFree Goodies and Subscribe to the Monthly Newsletterhttps://moderncreativewoman.com/subscribe-to-the-creative-woman/Connect with Dr. Amy on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/dramybackos/