Gratitude
The ability to notice what is there, rather than only what is missing.
How it shows up
It isn’t forced positivity and it isn’t denial of what’s hard. Research on gratitude shows modest but consistent effects on mood — provided it is concrete rather than general.
What we do with it in therapy
We use gratitude as a counterweight to negativity bias, not as a cover. If resistance comes up alongside it, that is information — often it means something hasn’t yet been acknowledged.
See also
Motivation
A state of readiness to act, which often comes after the action rather than before it.
Hope
Not the belief that things will be good, but the perception that a path exists and that you are able to walk it.
The gut–brain axis
The two-way connection between the digestive system and the brain, along which stress affects digestion and digestion affects how you feel.
