How Cognitive Distortions May Affect Your EPPP Success

In the world of EPPP preparation, one of the common mistakes is to become so focused on content that the candidate fails to address the mindset he or she is bringing to the preparation process.

In the video below, Renee St. Jacques explains how her negative mindset cost her two years when she could have been productive in learning the material on the licensing exam.

Renee—who works as a psychologist, business consultant, AATBS coach, and a counselor for individuals, couples, and organizations—shared some of the cognitive distortions she had to overcome in order successfully to prepare for the EPPP. Initially she struggled with a sense of negativity about the exam, negativity about herself, and unrealistic comparisons. These cognitive distortions had real-world effects, leading to lack of motivation, fear, negative self-talk, and procrastination, all of which hindered her ability effectively to prepare for the psychology licensing exam.

Eventually, Renee reached a state of desperation. She had a newborn baby, she was working full time, and she knew she had to do something differently if she was going to realize her career dreams. So she phoned up the coaches at AATBS, who immediately helped to address the negative mentality Renee was bringing to the study process. This negative mentality included cognitive distortions such as “I'm a fake,” “I'm not smart enough,” and “the EPPP is bad.” The coaches also offered Renee accountability, helped her put together a study plan and helped her appreciate the importance of regularly taking practice tests.

If you are preparing for the EPPP, we strongly recommend this video, which also includes some helpful tips for how to get the most bang for your buck during the studying process.