What is Pause Button Therapy

What is Pause Button Therapy. "It is a proven unique interactive psychological technique that can rapidly effect change in people's lives."  PBT, or TactileCBT, is a modified version of CBT. Although it draws heavily on CBT structure and strategy, it also deviates significantly from the traditional CBT approach. The therapy originated in the clinical work of Martin and Marion Shirran at their Elite Clinic in Spain. The approach is versatile, is easy to use, and produces fast and effective results.

What is Pause Button Therapy


PBT is a new therapy based on an extremely simple idea.  As a result, both adults and young children can understand and use it almost immediately. It has a broad diversity of applications. Basically, anyone who knows how to use a remote control can press pause, fast-forward, rewind, and ultimately, play. PBT is an interactive tool. So, unlike traditional Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, PBT is Tactile rather than Passive.You can also find answers to more common questions by visiting the FAQ page.


What is Pause Button Therapy

In UK primary school trials, children proved they were able to not only grasp the concept, but were able to incorporate it positively into their lives. And they achieved all this after just a few hours' tuition. Yet PBT equally shows beneficial results in many other areas, helping to treat a wide range of behaviour issues. These include road rage, relationship problems, OCD and bulimia, to name but a few. Additionally, PBT has been successfully used to treat obesity and addictions.


"This approach makes sense to everyone, from teachers to psychologists to parents and students. It is wonderfully simple, but simply effective. I am finding it to be a great tool for my work" - Stelios N. Georgiou Professor of Educational Psychology University of Cyprus


Pause Button Therapy Explained

What is Pause Button Therapy

PBT uses the idea of the Pause, Rewind, Fast Forward and Play buttons on remote control devices. Consequently, this helps people give themselves more thinking time when faced with decisions. It teaches them how to make the best possible use of that time, to weigh up the potential consequences of their actions. As a result, this allows them to live more successfully in the present. The primary strength of Pause Button Therapy is the fact that it arose from clinical need. Therefore it was developed and refined in the context of clinical practice.


"The Pause Button Therapy Book clearly describes a technique that can be employed to very good effect in a range of therapies. I recommend its use." Windy Dryden PhD Professor of Psychotherapeutic Studies Goldsmiths University of London.


what is PBT

Developing an emotional connection to past, present and future is central to TactileCBT. It also underpins much of the therapeutic endeavour. The process begins in the early stages of therapy. During this time, the client explores their problems, formulates a series of treatment goals and begins to understand their own time perspective. This process first starts in the therapy room. And subsequently, it transfers neatly into the real world thanks to the pause button technique. What is Pause Button Therapy.


What is Pause Button Therapy

Using the pause button technique, the client constructs in their mind a handful of different scenarios. These scenarios are based on memories of past events and imagined possible future events. It is like the movies: the client is both the writer and the star actor, playing a central role in each and every scene. Each one is a detailed snapshot of their life. This includes scenes of their past, based on the significant events that brought them to today, and also scenes of their future. Each scene represents a different potential choice and outcome. Within this movie, the client can rewind and fast forward, exploring each scene in detail. As a result, they can live through each scene; they can feel it, smell it, hear it, see it. Consequently, they can experience their potential future choices and actions before they have even happened.

what is pause button therapy

It is this experiential quality of TactileCBT that sets it apart from other approaches and makes it so effective. For the client, the experience is emotional, connected and meaningful, so it enhances motivation and commitment to therapy. In their minds, a myriad of processes are occurring. Their thoughts are triggering emotional and physical responses. This is also deepening their mental processing and forging a set of newly interlinked neural connections. These connections link memories of old events, of past decisions and outcomes, good and bad, with the newly formed memories of future events, positive and negative, that have yet to come about. So when the client reflects on their problem behaviour, a series of interlinked thoughts and feelings will come flooding back. As a result, this instantly reconnects them with their past, present and future.

What is Pause Button Therapy


What is Pause Button Therapy

PBT has been proven to be a unique psychological technique to effect change. It is an interactive tool that is tactile, rather than passive. PBT also supports other therapeutic approaches, including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Mindfulness-based interventions and NLP. Following the development, it quickly became apparent that Pause Button Therapy was a remarkable and innovative approach. Its greatest strength was the simplicity with which it so neatly encapsulated several of the CBT-based strategies. In one single technique it captured problem-solving skills, behavioural experiments, stop and think strategies, and the identification and challenge of negative thoughts.

what is PBT


It refined and simplified the CBT-based techniques. And, at the same time, it added the new and effective dimension of mental time travel. Pause Button Therapy also exhibited a number of benefits. For instance: it's easy to learn and use; versatile and adaptable; fast and effective; applicable across a wide range of treatment contexts; suitable for use with most clients, including children; and more.


"The time when individuals could rely on others to overcome their problems for them is long past. Current trends are moving away from dependency on institutions and towards more personal autonomy. Everyone needs to be able to make responsible decisions regarding their behaviour and take control of their own lives". Dr. Theano Kalavana.


Global Interest Amongst Professionals

Along with the Gastric Mind Band treatment, PBT has achieved a high level of global publicity and interest. Since its development it has featured in numerous newspaper and magazine articles. It has also been the focus of discussion articles in professional and academic publications. Much of this media interest has been based on case studies in the treatment of overweight and obesity, where PBT has been found to be highly effective. What is Pause Button Therapy.

what is PBT

In 2012, PBT was the subject of a paper presented at the First International Conference on Time Perspective, at Coimbra University in Portugal. The paper sparked considerable discussion amongst eminent psychologists and other professionals in the field of Time Perspective. This included the keynote speaker, Professor Philip Zimbardo (professor emeritus at Stanford University) and co-author of The Time Paradox. Professor Zimbardo expressed an interest in the concept of PBT and the clinical work carried out by the Shirrans using the therapy. He later offered to write the foreword for the second edition of their book Pause Button Therapy, published globally by Hay House.


what is PBT

 In 2014 Martin and Marion Shirran, along with Dr Sarah Clarke, were invited to the Second Time Perspective Conference at Warsaw University. At the conference they presented a symposium on PBT, in particular about the initial first trial results in the field of weight loss. Professor Zimbardo remains a keen and interested follower of the theoretical and practical developments in PBT.


What is Pause Button Therapy

what is PBT

The Shirrans' book, Pause Button Therapy, published by Hay House, is a 'Self Help' tool for those who wish to introduce change into their lives. Readers can purchase and download a PDF version of the Client Work book to further assist in instigating their desired changes. You can also purchase the Pause Button Therapy cards and Wrist Bands from this website. Visit the Shop Page.


What is Pause Button Therapy

What is Pause Button TherapyCognitive Behaviour Therapists, and others from a range of therapeutic disciplines, including medical practitioners, have inquired about dedicated training in the new therapy. To offer a solution to this issue, we are now able to provide the extensive Therapists Training Manual in Pause Button Therapy. It also includes a multi-print version of the Client Work Book. The training manual is offered at the level of continuing professional development. It is not therefore designed to be a comprehensive training programme in CBT, and obviously does not qualify readers to practice as therapists. Rather, it offers introductory training in a therapeutic approach that will supplement and extend existing therapeutic qualifications and skills.

what is pause button therapy


Pause Button Therapy/TactileCBT is for anyone who’s ever made a mistake in their life and never wants to make one again. It's for anyone who wants to make a change.


What is Pause Button Therapy

Pause Button Therapy blog
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