Which technique is defined as teaching clients to believe they can control their thoughts and feelings?

• A. Social interest
• B. Task setting and commitment
• C. Private logic
• D. Push-button

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is that clients can regulate their internal states by choosing how they think about situations. The push-button technique is a way to illustrate and practice that sense of control: a client imagines a button they can press to switch from automatic, negative thoughts to more adaptive ones. By mentally “pressing” the button, they stop an impulsive emotional reaction and replace it with a calmer, more constructive interpretation or coping response. This fits with the idea in cognitive-behavioral approaches that emotions arise from thoughts about events, not from the events themselves, and that deliberate cognitive shifts can reduce distress. The other options don’t capture this focus on actively controlling internal experiences—social interest centers on community and belonging, task setting relates to choosing actions and commitments, and private logic refers to one's self-constructed beliefs—whereas the push-button technique specifically targets the ability to regulate thoughts and feelings.