EPISODE · Jul 8, 2026 · 11 MIN
Overgeneralization: The Thinking Trap Driving Toxic Shame (and How to Fix It)
from The Liz Show: Executive Psychology & Performance Under Pressure
Send us Fan MailLiz explains overgeneralization as a shame-induced cognitive distortion that hurts performance and identity by turning a single incident into a sweeping conclusion, often marked by absolute words like “always,” “never,” “all,” and “everybody,” or by nominalization (making a process into a fixed “thing,” e.g., “my marriage is sick”). She describes thinking traps as typically showing up as self put-downs, catastrophic future beliefs, or critical regret-based thoughts, and notes that clients begin with a root analysis using five assessments to understand thought patterns and identity incongruence. Liz links overgeneralization to pessimism, reactive assumptions, perfectionism, critical self-talk, double mindedness, and toxic shame spirals that restrict life through rigid, grandiose “rules” about happiness. The antidote she offers is a three-column technique: evidence for, evidence against, and alternative conclusions to build mindfulness and reduce absolutist judgments.00:00 Thinking Traps Intro00:51 Three Shame Categories01:56 Defining Overgeneralization03:12 Nominalization Explained05:00 Common Examples05:55 Pessimism And Perfectionism06:59 Toxic Shame Spirals09:49 Three Column Antidote10:30 Mindfulness In Real Life11:21 Practice And Wrap UpSupport the showPlease leave me a review on Apple Podcast! ***LET'S CONNECT:***Checkout My Courses: Sign up for my Newsletter Website:Facebook:Tik-Tok - Instagram: Youtube: LinkedIn personal profile:
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Send us Fan Mail Liz explains overgeneralization as a shame-induced cognitive distortion that hurts performance and identity by turning a single incident into a sweeping conclusion, often marked by absolute words like “always,” “never,” “all,” and “everybody,” or by nominalization (making a process into a fixed “thing,” e.g., “my marriage is sick”). She describes thinking traps as typically showing up as self put-downs, catastrophic future beliefs, or critical regret-based thoughts, and notes...
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Overgeneralization: The Thinking Trap Driving Toxic Shame (and How to Fix It)
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