By:PSYCHO SOCIAL COUNSELLING SERVICES PVT. LTD.

 Moumita Mallick Clinical Psychologist

(RCI Registered, Faculty, MSUB, India)

How emotional intelligence aids to cognitive restructuring?

“The strength of character and emotional intelligence to face your failures and learn from them are at the core of success.” _Robert Kiyosaki Emotional

Intelligence: The ability to identify, comprehend, control, and effectively utilise emotions in oneself and others is known as emotional intelligence (Salovey & Mayer; popularised by Daniel Goleman). According to Goleman. (1995), emotional intelligence is the ability to identify our own emotions as well as those of others, inspire ourselves, and effectively control our emotions in both relationships and ourselves.

What are the core components of Emotional Intelligence?

1. Self-knowledge The capacity to identify and comprehend one's own feelings, traits, shortcomings, and triggers. For instance, acknowledging your anxiety prior to an exam rather than choosing to ignore it.

2. Self-Control The capacity to adequately regulate or control emotional responses. As an illustration, try using deep breathing or constructive self-talk in place of panicking; this is comparable to yoga poses like pranayama.

3. Inspiration Using emotions productively to attain goals, sustain optimism, and endure despite failures. For instance, continuing to be driven after failing instead than quitting up.

4. Compassion The capacity to relate to and comprehend the emotions of others. Example: In Indian collectivistic society, it is crucial to understand a friend's stress without passing judgement.

5. Social aptitude The capacity to handle disagreements, communicate effectively, and manage relationships. Example: Resolving conflicts amicably in family or community settings.

What is the significance of emotional intelligence?

Because it links emotion with reason, emotional intelligence is important because it helps people live healthier lives, interact with others more effectively, and function better in both their personal and professional lives. EI enables people to identify their feelings and comprehend the reasons behind them. Better control over urges, tension, rage, or anxiety is made possible by this understanding. This emotional equilibrium is crucial in day-to-day Indian living, whether handling test pressure, deadlines at work, or family expectations.

Reduced stress, despair, and emotional exhaustion are associated with high emotional intelligence. Healthy coping mechanisms, such as problem-solving or requesting help, are employed by people with high emotional intelligence (EI). These techniques are comparable to those promoted by yoga and mindfulness traditions, which are popular in India.

Similar to the idea of "buddhi" (intellect led by wisdom) articulated in Indian philosophy, leaders with high EI are able to inspire, resolve conflicts, and make well-rounded decisions by taking into account both reasoning and emotions.

EI aids people in maintaining their resilience in the face of setbacks, losses, or significant life changes. Emotionally intelligent people recover more quickly from setbacks, whether they be personal or professional. EI encourages prosocial behaviour, ethical sensitivity, and compassion—values firmly ingrained in Indian traditions like seva (service) and karuna (compassion)—by cultivating empathy and emotional understanding.

Do we need Cognitive restructuring?

Cognitive restructuring is a psychological approach used in therapy, particularly in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), to assist people in recognising, disputing, and substituting more helpful, realistic, and balanced thoughts for negative or illogical ones. 

What are the key components of cognitive restructuring?

• Recognising automatic negative thoughts :These are instantaneous, frequently unconscious ideas like "nothing will ever improve" or "I always fail."
• Identifying cognitive distortions :Catastrophising, overgeneralisation, black-and-white thinking, and mind-reading are common distortions that are frequently observed in anxiety and depression.
• Displacing illogical assumptions:The therapist promotes challenging ideas using evidence-based reasoning, including: asking for the proof of the particular belief, or another perspective on this matter, behavioural and emotional transformation, and coping skills.

1. Increases emotional consciousness

People with emotional intelligence are better able to identify and appropriately categorise their feelings, such as sadness, worry, and rage. Emotional intelligence serves as the cornerstone of cognitive restructuring since it starts with recognising automatic negative thoughts that are prompted by emotions. It becomes challenging to comprehend why particular thoughts occur when one is unaware of their emotions.

2. Assists in recognising automatic negative thoughts

People with high EI are able to recognise the relationship between feelings, ideas, and circumstances. For instance, identifying worry prior to a test makes it easier to identify and fight ideas like "I will fail" during cognitive restructuring.

3. Enhances emotional control while reorganising

Because it contradicts deeply held ideas, cognitive restructuring frequently causes discomfort. Similar to techniques like mindfulness and emotional self-discipline that are stressed in Indian traditions like yoga and meditation, emotional intelligence (EI) helps people withstand emotional suffering, control impatience, and remain calm while analysing erroneous beliefs.

4. Encourages logical and well-rounded thought

People who are emotionally intelligent are able to strike a balance between emotion and reason, keeping emotions from taking precedence over reason. This equilibrium is essential for substituting realistic ideas with erroneous ones that are dismissive or excessively optimistic.

5. Enhances drive and perseverance

Regular practice is necessary for cognitive reorganisation. EI improves resilience and selfmotivation, enabling people to persevere even when change seems sluggish—a mindset consistent with the Indian ideal of abhy

6. Lessens cognitive distortions and emotional bias

By raising awareness of how emotions affect thought, emotional intelligence (EI) lessens tendencies like personalisation and catastrophising. As a result, the reorganisation process is less emotionally motivated and more accurate.

7. Enhances empathy and the therapeutic connection

Emotional intelligence (EI) in therapy enables patients to express their feelings honestly and comprehend the therapist's criticism without becoming defensive. This cooperative strategy increases cognitive restructuring's efficacy. In summary, emotional intelligence is essential to cognitive restructuring because it allows people to identify, comprehend, and control their emotions while analysing their thinking. Emotional intelligence makes it possible to question maladaptive ideas without experiencing emotional overload by promoting emotional awareness, self-control, and balanced reasoning. This integration promotes better emotional health, efficient coping, and psychological resilience by assisting people in substituting reasonable viewpoints for illogical ones. In India, emotional intelligence enhances the efficacy of cognitive restructuring and promotes long-term mental health in high-pressure academic, social, and cultural situations that are typical of daily living.

By fostering self-awareness, empathy, emotional regulation, and motivation, emotional intelligence ensures that cognitive restructuring is not a purely intellectual exercise but a transformative emotional process. This integration leads to lasting changes in thought patterns, healthier emotional responses, and adaptive behaviours. In contexts marked by academic pressure, interpersonal expectations, and rapid social change—commonly experienced in Indian society—emotional intelligence enhances the success of cognitive restructuring and contributes significantly to psychological well-being, resilience, and personal growth.

“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response. In our response, lies our growth and freedom.” _Victor Frankl