Name It--Frame It--Game It

If stuck in uncomfortable thoughts or feelings, this approach may help:

  1. Name It
    Knowing what you are feeling puts boundaries around it.

  2. Frame It
    Assigning meaning decreases its power to cause distress and sometimes opens opportunities for good things.

  3. Game It
    Controlling how you respond empowers you to minimize distress and use the unwanted circumstances positively if possible.

To illustrate, here is the reaction of a patient to chemo-induced baldness:

  1. Name It: I’m feeling grief over the losses, including my “healthy” public persona and the familiar “me” in the mirror. I’m feeling loss of control over what’s happening to me and scared because now I look “sick.” I’m feeling embarrassed by my appearance. I’m more emotional because the baldness made my diagnosis feel more real.

  2. Frame It: Wait! I’ve only lost my hair—and not “me.” Hair loss shows my treatment is working on my body—that’s good! This temporary cosmetic change is worth it to get well again.

  3. Game It: I chose to receive the treatment causing this. Now I get to choose my look. What do I want? A wig that replicates my natural hair or that gives me a new look? Stylish hats and scarves? Or, like a lot of people these days, do I want to go “au naturelle”—i.e., bald?