The CIA Model: Try this stress-busting solution that WILL help bring calm to your life
(approx seven minute read)
No this isn’t to do with the US Central Intelligence Agency, but a model created by famed author Steven Covey in his book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. It’s intention? To help you manage and evaluate your stress levels.
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“It can really help give someone a sense of agency over their thoughts and feelings,” says psychologist and coach Dr Mick Darby.
“We tend to get caught up in the things we can’t control. Often people are aware of that but don’t know where to start with untangling from the stuff outside our control.
“This technique can simplify it in people’s minds and give them a framework to work through if they’re struggling.
“That’s why I often use it in my therapy and coaching sessions.”
Simple ways to reduce stress: the CIA Model
It’s a framework for managing stress and anxiety.
The model provides a practical and versatile problem-solving frame that identifies three ways to respond to a challenge:
Control – what is directly within your control?
Influence – what is outside of your control but can be influenced by you?
Accept and adapt - what is it you need to accept and/or adapt to?
By identifying and understanding the three potential responses to a challenge, you can step back, gain perspective, and take action on the things you can control.
How to Apply the CIA Model in Everyday Life for Stress Reduction
How do I implement the CIA Model on my own?
“It’s not complicated,” says Dr Mick. “Just get a pen and paper and write stuff down. Or talk to a friend if you aren’t able to access a therapist.
“Use the three circles as the framework for your thought process or conversation.
“Then when you’ve practised it for a while you may find it’s front of mind when a situation triggers you at work, with a friend, a family member or whoever.”
Acceptance feels like the ultimate goal here, but what does that actually mean?
“Put simply it’s a willingness to let go of things that are outside one’s control,” says Dr Mick. “The good news is that we can also use the model with our unwanted internal experiences such as ‘automatic’ self-critical thoughts.”
How can we use the CIA Model with our bullying mind?
“If someone is bullying us, we have to accept that we can’t always change or influence their behaviour. So instead, we can focus on what’s within our control and change how we relate to that.
“But if our mind is bullying us, we tend to fight against it.
“Indeed, classical cognitive behaviour therapy would suggest that we should simply change our thoughts.” says Dr Mick. “That’s fine but have you ever tried to do that?
“The CIA model offers an alternative to fighting against ourselves!
“It can help us to show more compassion towards ourselves. To give us that gift of saying, ‘what aspects of this situation are within my control and how do I work through and accept or adapt to any stressful or unwanted situation’.”
Would this benefit anyone, no matter the severity of their current mental health issue?
“If you’re experiencing depression you may have to accept that a lot of things feel outside your control,” says Dr Mick.
“So, you can personalise the model to fit your situation.
“Ask yourself: what do you feel you can accept with the situation you find yourself in? What could be within your control at this present moment?”
Does the model perpetuate the toxic positivity narrative?
“If the model isn’t framed well it could potentially become toxic so take it in bitesize chunks,” says Dr Mick.
Acceptance in mental health: Do you believe everyone has the power to change how they respond or react to things?
“I’ve worked with all kinds of people including service users in addiction and high-performing people with narcissistic behaviour patterns. Regardless of who uses this model, if they’re not willing to accept, adapt and focus on what’s within their control, then things won’t change in their life. There has to be a motivation or desire to change,” says Dr Mick.
“We may never be able to change our thoughts but the CIA Model helps people to relate to their thoughts more effectively and not be held back by them. Everyone has that agency, regardless of their personal circumstances.”
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Using the CIA Model to Manage Workplace Stress
Can you give us some everyday examples where you could use the CIA Model?
“At work, your boss sends you an email. You immediately spike. You might feel like you’ve done something wrong and are immediately in fight-flight mode, just because of someone's email,” explains Dr Mick.
“But perhaps you can’t do anything about that initial reaction. Perhaps you have to accept that.
“So you do things within your control to lessen the discomfort.
“You might open the email later. You might step away from your desk and take a deep breath. You might try the six second rule. You might simply say to yourself ‘I’ve got a choice about how I respond to this’.”
What’s the six second rule?
“I’m not sure if it’s rooted in science but I like the premise of it,” says Dr Mick.
“It’s thought the peak of an emotion passes after six seconds. So if you count to six seconds before reacting it will help you calm down and make better choices about how to handle your feelings.”
A real-life experience of using the CIA Model
The reason we share this model is because we were told about it while having therapy.
For anyone that’s had therapy, you can probably relate to this. You might have had an insightful chat for an hour but nothing feels overly game changing.
Then the therapist says one thing and it sticks.
And then that thing becomes a cornerstone of your life moving forward.
The CIA was this for us.
It might seem like an obvious way to think about your thoughts or manage stress, but when you’re in a bit of a storm, clarity isn’t easy to come by.
Every time we get a bit overwhelmed, out comes the pen and paper and the CIA Model.
It genuinely has been a game changer for us.