Foundations of Think about Thinking™ (TaT)
Click on Video Below.
At the Heart of Think about Thinking
Time: 1:54
Gathering Wisdom
“What do others do to better handle their worlds?” This pondering question is the driving foundational force pushing the formation of TaT. To help with this a special Think about Thinking interviewing process was created and the exploration began with various trained TaT interviewers. Along with some others, six basic questions were asked about unplugging, resetting and handling the emotions of lonely, overwhelmed, angry and depressed. The gathering went on for years (and continues on to this day).
Creating Gold
Behold this vast repository of Golden Wisdom, meticulously curated from extensive personal exploration, profound experiences, and insightful interviews by Think about Thinking. This invaluable trove of knowledge has been meticulously sifted, filtered, and researched to guarantee authenticity and accentuate the positive aspects. Transmuting this treasure trove into captivating video vignettes of Positive Practices, Presentations, and Sessions has been a labor of love.
Each golden nugget of wisdom has been thoughtfully placed within the confines of this website, accompanied by supplementary materials and diverse resources, enriching the learning experience. For those seeking a more immersive journey, we offer Interactive Sessions and Workshops, serving as an opportunity to acquire knowledge, foster a sense of community, and foster the creation of harmonious synergy.
Sharing Think about Thinking
The Think about Thinking™ website was meticulously developed to offer an enjoyable and impactful platform for sharing the wealth of wisdom amassed through TaT (Think about Thinking) – including positive practices, sessions, presentations, and beyond. The vibrant TaT Member's site remains dynamic, continuously expanding and adjusting to cater to the evolving needs of our society and our valued members.
The more positive practice tools one has, the more problems can be effectively handled.
Think about Thinking™ (TaT) Concepts
The development of the foundational concepts of Think about Thinking™ was deeply influenced by a series of tragedies, heartaches, and profound pain. These experiences compelled a prolonged period of reflection, exploration, interviews, analysis, and research in search of answers. Through this process, it became evident that there are significant deficiencies in our emotional care system that require attention. One crucial gap identified was the absence of a logical component that could help individuals avoid despair and, consequently, prevent harmful actions towards themselves and others.
ORIGINATION
Time: 9:53
Click on Video Below
Too often, one waits until it is too late for prevention and despair takes hold. Sadly, most Intervention are only go into action after disparaging thoughts, emotions and actions are get formed and/or are acted upon. This is just as foolish as waiting for teeth to decay before starting to brush and floss.
Additional Unique TaT Components:
a way to simply categorize our negative emotions to better define and handle them
a large and very diverse collection of proven wisdom (concepts and actions)
specially designed resources for easy learning utilizing many mediums (video, hard copy and interactive events)
starting when one is healthy to avoid despair and stay emotionally healthy and mentally well
-
TaT offers a wide range of proactive strategies to help individuals gain better control over their thoughts, emotions, and actions, ultimately preventing harmful behaviors towards themselves and others. By effectively managing negative emotions, TaT employs a categorization system called LOAD (Lonely, Overwhelmed, Angry, and Depression) to help individuals understand and address these challenging emotions. Through a carefully curated collection of resources, including videos, supplemental materials, supportive articles, and live events, TaT provides a comprehensive approach to conveying wisdom and knowledge. These resources have been meticulously compiled from years of contemplation, interviews, and research, ensuring their quality and relevance.
It is important to note that TaT is designed for individuals in a healthy state of mind who are seeking to sustain, strengthen, and maintain their emotional well-being. These individuals are characterized by positive thinking, logical reasoning, intelligence, open-mindedness, friendliness, generosity, and compassion. However, individuals experiencing distressing thoughts and emotions are strongly advised to seek immediate assistance from a Mental Health Professional. TaT is not intended as a substitute for professional help but rather as a complementary resource for those who are already in a stable mental state.
“At the Heart of TaT is found the love & honor of Jesse Johns.”
Jesse Darrell Johns
The foundational concepts for Think about Thinking™ (TaT) originated in 2001, following a tragic event in LaVerne McGrath's life: the loss of her son, Jesse D. Johns, to suicide. Jesse's untimely demise was particularly perplexing since he didn't fit the typical profile of someone at risk. He was known for his positivity, happiness, popularity, and stability, making his suicide a shocking and devastating blow to all who knew him. This tragic incident shattered the perceived reality of those who loved him, causing a ripple effect of other heart-wrenching tragedies.
In the aftermath of this horrific event, she embarked on a personal quest to find meaning and purpose in her own life while striving to help others in similar circumstances. She dedicated years to extensive research and exploration, seeking effective methods for preventing such tragedies. Regrettably, her findings revealed the inadequacy of most existing "prevention" approaches, leaving her disheartened.
-
McGrath discovered the key to genuine prevention, both for herself and others, by exploring diverse methods of unplugging, such as taking meditation moments. Additionally, she developed the ability to reset her mindset, transforming negative thoughts into positive ones. Moreover, she explored various approaches and concepts for effectively managing emotional burdens like loneliness, overwhelm, anger, and depression—collectively referred to as LOADs. Her deep commitment to this cause, driven by her love for her son, led her to dedicate herself to spreading this invaluable knowledge and acquiring more information to share with others. It became her quest to honor her son's memory and help others along the way.
The significance of the questions "Do you feel like killing yourself?" and "Do you have a plan?" hinges on the individual's comfort level in being honest. These questions, on their own, do NOT prevent anything; at best, they serve as an attempt to intervene and prevent harmful actions. However, tragically, without addressing the underlying disparaging thoughts, repeated suicide attempts or other harmful acts often occur.
This realization led to the distinction between prevention and intervention. While both are important, prioritizing prevention is crucial for saving more lives. When effective preventative measures are in place, the need for intervention is often minimized.
Alongside these insights, LaVerne also concluded that there are numerous variables at play, making it impossible to pinpoint a single reason for Jesse's actions. Therefore, chasing after ever-changing variables proves to be futile.
-
However, there is one common factor that remains consistent among those who make unwise and harmful decisions leading to suicide, drug abuse, addiction, and imprisonment: the presence of overwhelming despair. Despair is a mental state where rational thinking is compromised, and the ability to understand logic, consider options, perceive temporary circumstances, recognize connections, and appreciate the value of life diminishes. This vulnerability to despair is a universal human condition, putting each and every one of us at risk.
Reflecting on this, it becomes evident that preventing acts of harm towards oneself and others can be achieved by actively avoiding or addressing despair. By focusing on strategies and resources that help individuals cope with despair, we can mitigate the risk of destructive choices and promote a healthier and more resilient society.
In the honor of Jesse Darrell Johns, TaT was formed.
Saying on his grave:
“A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse and from his roots a bud shall blossom.” - Isiah II:1
May Think about Thinking™ be that blossom.
Born: 12-23-85
Died: 1-26-01
LaVerne M. McGrath,
Jesse Johns’ Mother
Founder of Think about Thinking™ (TaT)
Through her own personal struggles and relentless search for meaning in life, LaVerne McGrath authored several impactful books, including "The Power of You," "This Gift Called Life," "Evolution of Self," and "Sheep." These profound literary works were born out of her vivid dream revelations, extensive research, explorations, and profound self-reflection. They serve as the fundamental concepts that underpin the transformative framework of Think about Thinking™ (TaT).
Leveraging her diverse educational background in curriculum development, instructional design, tutoring, and corporate training, McGrath embarked on a journey of interviewing individuals, delving into how they navigated their thoughts and emotions to maintain positivity and mental well-being. This iterative process led to the development of the unique TaT interviewing method, which has become the backbone of the ever-growing Thinking about Thinking knowledge base.
At the core of Think about Thinking™ lies the exceptional practice of sharing "golden" Positive Practices with others. Originally conceived to tackle the epidemic of deaths of despair, this system has far surpassed its initial goals and evolved into a comprehensive approach for fostering emotional well-being. TaT presents a paradigm shift that encompasses and empowers individuals in their pursuit of holistic well-being.
Laurie Hardie's (Warm 106.9) podcast on "Think about Thinking"
〰️
Laurie Hardie's (Warm 106.9) podcast on "Think about Thinking" 〰️
Click above to Play [Time: 25 min]
