RESIGNIFICATION: MEANING, TYPES AND EXAMPLES - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The resignification in psychology is a technique that is used in different psychological therapies to change the interpretation that is made of a certain event. Through it, the person can change the way they think about something that happened in the past, in order to improve the way they feel in the present.

This tool is based on the theory that what we tell ourselves about what happens to us is at least as important as the event that has happened. Thus, our emotions would be mediated not only by the things that happen to us, but by the interpretation we make of them.

Although it originally arose in contexts such as psychoanalysis and clinical hypnosis, resignification is today at the basis of many modern therapies. The way to apply this tool may vary slightly in each of them, but the underlying idea is the same.

What is resignification?

The main idea of ​​resignification is that our own mental processes are key when interpreting what has happened to us. Thus, when we live in a situation, the thoughts and beliefs that we have about it will be the ones that will determine the way we are going to feel.

This runs counter to the old idea of ​​behavioral psychology. The defenders of this current believed that the only thing that counted were the situations external to us, and that our interpretation of them had no influence on how we were going to feel.

However, the idea that we can change our state by changing our thoughts comes from very old, and has been repeated in different philosophical and psychological currents throughout history.

Thus, for example, the ancient Stoic philosophers already believed that changing our point of view was key to achieving well-being.

Depending on the psychological current from which it is being applied, the resignification can take different names. Thus, in cognitive behavioral therapy, this phenomenon is known as cognitive restructuring. In contrast, in the field of neurolinguistic programming, it is called reframing.

How does it work?

The basic idea of ​​resignification is very simple. It consists of consciously choosing a point of view about what has happened to us that allows us to get the most out of it. In the event that there is nothing we can do to change a situation, this technique will help us downplay it.

The goal, in either case, is to make us feel better and give us the necessary tools so that we can act instead of being paralyzed by our negative feelings.

Let's look at an example. A person goes to therapy because he was bullied as a child. This fact has caused all kinds of insecurities, fears and self-esteem problems.

The job of a psychologist who would like to use resignification would be to find a way to help you think more positively about what happened to you.

Suppose the person says to himself things like: "It was awful," "I can never get over it," "I'm worthless."

These thoughts are clearly affecting your well-being in a negative way. Therefore, the psychologist should help you modify these beliefs for more empowering ones.

In the case of bullying, some of these positive beliefs could be the following: «What happened made me stronger», «I am no longer that same person», «My future does not have to be like my past».

Just by beginning to accept these thoughts, the person would acquire more resources to improve their life.

Therapies in which it is used

Next we will see some of the branches of psychology that make use of resignification or tools similar to it.

Psychoanalysis

One of the functions of psychoanalysis is to help the person find "traumas" from his past. Once the patient is aware of them, he must be able to give them a new focus. According to psychoanalysts, only then can you move on and start to feel good.

To do this, the therapist explores with the patient different options for interpreting what happened. During therapy sessions, both of you build a new narrative about the person's life.

Hypnotherapy

Another of the oldest therapies that use resignification is the one that uses clinical hypnosis as a tool. Through the hypnotic trance, it is very easy for the therapist to change the patient's interpretation of something that has happened to him.

Once a problem situation is detected, the hypnotist can change the patient's beliefs about it.

Done correctly, this will allow you to feel better immediately. In addition, it will help you deal with what happens to you more effectively.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy

The most accepted therapy today also makes use of resignification. In this case, the process consists of generating new rational beliefs about a situation. To do this, the therapist works with the patient to find the thoughts that are causing discomfort.

Once these irrational thoughts are detected, they both try to find logical arguments that challenge them. Thus, through mental debate, the patient ends up developing a more empowering world view.

NLP

NLP or neurolinguistic programming has a lot in common with traditional hypnotherapy. In this stream, the therapist helps the client to reframe their experiences. This can be done in a number of different ways.

One of them is, as in cognitive-behavioral therapy, changing beliefs about what happened. This can also be done through rational discussion. In this case, however, the process is usually much faster and supported by other tools.

Another way to do this is through direct emotional change. Through various techniques, NLP can change the way we feel. Thus, positive emotions are associated with an event that was initially negative.

In this way, the client manages to feel better almost immediately. In addition, he is able to face his problems with a new energy.

References

1. "Resignification (Psychology)" in: Glossaries. Retrieved on: June 20, 2018 from Glossaries: glosarios.servidor-alicante.com.
2. "Resignification" in: Definition Of. Retrieved on: June 20, 2018 from Definition Of: definicion.de.
3. "Psychology in times of crisis: resignifying" in: Jorge Gracia - Psychological Consultation. Retrieved on: June 20, 2018 from Jorge Gracia - Psychological Consultation: jorgegracia.es.
4. "What is resignifying?" in: Hypnotherapy. Retrieved on: June 20, 2018 from Hypnotherapy: hypnoterapia.cl.
5. "Discussions about Resignification and associated Concepts" in: Academia. Retrieved on: June 20, 2018 from Academia: academia.edu.