The concepts of internal and external locus of control have been on my mind a lot lately. Typically, I have a decent internal locus of control, but with the pandemic impacting all facets of life right now, I feel totally out of control. I can’t control my internship, whether classes are online, or when I can see family or friends. I can control my reactions to those things, how I communicate my frustrations, and whether I choose to spend time intentionally de-stressing…which honestly doesn’t feel like much.

Cultivating a strong internal locus of control is difficult even for the most seasoned therapist (so I hear), which is why it’s called the “practice” of counseling. Recent research shows that having an internal locus of control is helpful because it allows us to create a positive attitude toward life and develop the ability to combat negative feelings. People who have an external locus of control tend to view the future negatively and have more difficulty tolerating uncertainty than do those who believe they evince some control over their own lives (Song & Li, 2019).

There are a lot of ways to foster a more internal locus of control. Practical tips include making a list of what you can and cannot control. There is a concept in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) that suggests your ability to radically accept what you cannot control does not mean you like it but that you’re able to acknowledge what’s out of your control and your feelings about it. To encourage positivity, people often shove their negative emotions down, but research shows that allowing yourself to experience the emotions associated alleviates the intensity of them (Căzănescu, & Szentagotai-Tătar, 2018). The practice of mindfulness helps to slow you down for a minute to recognize and understand what your thoughts are without judging them as good or bad. The app Headspace is my personal favorite for learning and practicing mindfulness…check it out sometime!

Căzănescu, D. G., & Szentagotai-Tătar, A. (2018). An investigation of the relationship between strategies that downregulate positive affect and irrational beliefs in depressive symptoms. Journal of Evidence-Based Psychotherapies, 18(1), 119–128. https://doi.org/10.24193/jebp.2018.1.10

Song, Y., & Li, B. (2019). Locus of Control and Trait Anxiety in Aged Adults: the Mediating Effect of Intolerance of Uncertainty. International Journal of Mental Health & Addiction, 17(1), 13–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-017-9860-x