ABSTRACT
This refers to a client acting as if his new belief was true even though he may not strongly believe it now. Acting in support of a new belief strengthens it, which encourages further schema-consistent behaviour therapy which then, in turn, further strengthens the belief, and so on until it internalized. The client advised to pick a particular situation or arena to start acting 'as if' not attempt to promote his 'new self' straight away in many situations as he is highly likely to feel overwhelmed with immensity of the task he has taken on. McKay and Fanning recommend that; pick an area of your life in which you feel relatively safe. Don't try to tackle your most intense relationships or the responsibilities that you find most stressful. Look for a clearly defined part of your life in which you have a pretty high degree of control, with ample opportunities to put your new beliefs and rules into action.
